the Effect of bulk Iron Concentration on the Copper Activation of Sphalerite at pH 9

Sarah Harmer-Bassell, A. Mierczynska-Vasilev, H Nesbitt, David Beattie, Allen Pratt

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

    Abstract

    Three sphalerite samples containing Fe varying from 0 to 15 wt per cent were cleaved in CuSO4 solution at a pH of 9 for up to two hours. Each sample was analysed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in situ tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM). The results indicate that bulk heterogeneities play an important role in the surface properties and alteration products of Fe bearing sphalerites. An increase copper concentration and polysulfide formation at the surface was found to coincide with a decrease in bulk Fe content at pH 9 in contrast to previous results at pH 5. Surface morphology changes show an increase in the size of precipitates following Cu activation for samples with increasing Fe content. However, the effect of surface roughness due to increasing Fe content on the surface reactivity as a result of activation is much less noticeable at pH 9 as compared to experiments conducted at pH 5.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages2881-2890
    Number of pages10
    Publication statusPublished - 2010
    EventXXV International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC) 2010 "Smarter Processing for the Future" -
    Duration: 6 Sept 2010 → …

    Conference

    ConferenceXXV International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC) 2010 "Smarter Processing for the Future"
    Period6/09/10 → …

    Keywords

    • Atomic force microscopy
    • Cu activation
    • Sphalerite
    • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

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