skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage

Abstract

We surveyed the Cu isotopic composition of primary minerals and stream water affected by acid mine drainage in a mineralized watershed located in southwestern Colorado, USA. The δ65Cu values (based on 65Cu/63Cu) of local enargite (δ65Cu = -0.01 ± 0.10‰; 2σ) and chalcopyrite (δ65Cu = 0.16 ± 0.10‰) are within the general range of previously reported values for terrestrial primary Cu sulfides (-1‰ < δ65Cu < 1). These mineral samples show lower δ65Cu values than stream waters (δ65Cu = 1.36 - 1.74 ± 0.10‰), with an average isotopic fractionation (quantified as Δaq-mino = δ65Cuaq – δ65Cu min, where Cuaq is leached Cu and Cu mino is the original mineral) of 1.60 ± 0.14‰ and 1.43 ± 0.14‰ for enargite and chalcopyrite, respectively.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
951828
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-60635
Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7037; GCACAK; 26703; KP1504020; TRN: US200913%%146
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 73; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7037
Publisher:
The Geochemical Society; The Meteoritical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ACID MINE DRAINAGE; CHALCOPYRITE; COPPER ISOTOPES; DISSOLUTION; FRACTIONATION; ISOTOPE EFFECTS; LEACHING; MICROORGANISMS; PROSPECTING; SULFIDES; WATER; WATERSHEDS; acid mine drainage; extremophiles; copper isotopes; Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Citation Formats

Kimball, Bryn E, Mathur, Ryan, Dohnalkova, Alice, Wall, A J, Runkel, R L, and Brantley, Susan L. Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2008.11.035.
Kimball, Bryn E, Mathur, Ryan, Dohnalkova, Alice, Wall, A J, Runkel, R L, & Brantley, Susan L. Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2008.11.035
Kimball, Bryn E, Mathur, Ryan, Dohnalkova, Alice, Wall, A J, Runkel, R L, and Brantley, Susan L. 2009. "Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2008.11.035.
@article{osti_951828,
title = {Copper isotope fractionation in acid mine drainage},
author = {Kimball, Bryn E and Mathur, Ryan and Dohnalkova, Alice and Wall, A J and Runkel, R L and Brantley, Susan L},
abstractNote = {We surveyed the Cu isotopic composition of primary minerals and stream water affected by acid mine drainage in a mineralized watershed located in southwestern Colorado, USA. The δ65Cu values (based on 65Cu/63Cu) of local enargite (δ65Cu = -0.01 ± 0.10‰; 2σ) and chalcopyrite (δ65Cu = 0.16 ± 0.10‰) are within the general range of previously reported values for terrestrial primary Cu sulfides (-1‰ < δ65Cu < 1). These mineral samples show lower δ65Cu values than stream waters (δ65Cu = 1.36 - 1.74 ± 0.10‰), with an average isotopic fractionation (quantified as Δaq-mino = δ65Cuaq – δ65Cu min, where Cuaq is leached Cu and Cu mino is the original mineral) of 1.60 ± 0.14‰ and 1.43 ± 0.14‰ for enargite and chalcopyrite, respectively.},
doi = {10.1016/j.gca.2008.11.035},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/951828}, journal = {Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta},
issn = {0016-7037},
number = 5,
volume = 73,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2009},
month = {Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2009}
}