Arsenic speciation in pyrite and secondary weathering phases,Mother Lode Gold District,Tuolumne County,California

Arsenian pyrite, formed during Cretaceous gold mineralization, is the primary source of As along the Melones fault zone in the southern Mother Lode Gold District of California. Mine tailings and associated weathering products from partially submerged inactive gold mines at Don Pedro Reservoir, on the Tuolumne River, contain ∼20–1300 ppm As. The highest concentrations are in weathering crusts from the Clio mine and nearby outcrops which contain goethite or jarosite. As is concentrated up to 2150 ppm in the fine-grained (<63 μm) fraction of these Fe-rich weathering products.Individual pyrite grains in albite-chlorite schists of the Clio mine tailings contain an average of 1.2 wt.% As. Pyrite grains are coarsely zoned, with local As concentrations ranging from ∼0 to 5 wt.%. Electron microprobe, transmission electron microscope, and extended X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) analyses indicate that As substitutes for S in pyrite and is not present as inclusions of arsenopyrite or other As-bearing phases. Comparison with simulated EXAFS spectra demonstrates that As atoms are locally clustered in the pyrite lattice and that the unit cell of arsenian pyrite is expanded by ∼2.6% relative to pure pyrite. During weathering, clustered substitution of As into pyrite may be responsible for accelerating oxidation, hydrolysis, and dissolution of arsenian pyrite relative to pure pyrite in weathered tailings. Arsenic K-edge EXAFS analysis of the fine-grained Fe-rich weathering products are consistent with corner-sharing between As(V) tetrahedra and Fe(III)-octahedra. Determinations of nearest-neighbor distances and atomic identities, generated from least-squares fitting algorithms to spectral data, indicate that arsenate tetrahedra are sorbed on goethite mineral surfaces but substitute for SO₄ in jarosite. Erosional transport of As-bearing goethite and jarosite to Don Pedro Reservoir increases the potential for As mobility and bioavailability by desorption or dissolution. Both the substrate minerals and dissolved As species are expected to respond to seasonal changes in lake chemistry caused by thermal stratification and turnover within the monomictic Don Pedro Reservoir. Arsenic is predicted to be most bioavailable and toxic in the reservoir’s summer hypolimnion.     

Arsenic Speciation in a Contaminated Gold Processing Tailings Dam

Gold recovery in ores containing arsenopyrite releases significant amounts of arsenic into the environment due to mineral processing and oxidation during storage. The extent of arsenic weathering in a tailings dam has been investigated. Speciation of As in surface and pore waters and pond sediments showed that for gold tailings in the dam, As enrichment took place in the pore water relative to the surface water. In pond sediments As was predominantly present as residual arsenopyrite and partly as a substance co-precipitated with iron hydroxide. The arsenic release from the sediment results from a reductive dissolution of the arsenopyrite and Fe oxides. In the surface water, arsenate and arsenite are the main arsenic species (arsenate is dominant), but in the pore waters methylation processes play a significant role. Arsenic transport is accompanied by the transformation of As into the less toxic compounds (methylated species) co-existing with the most toxic species (arsenite).     

Arsenic and metal mobility from Au mine tailings in Rodalquilar (Almería,SE Spain)

In the old mining area of Rodalquilar, mine wastes, soil and sediments were characterized and the results revealed high concentration of Au, Ag, As, Bi, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Se, Sb and Zn in tailings and sediments. The contaminant of greatest environmental concern is As. The mean concentration in the tailings was 679.9, and 345 mg/kg in the sediments of Playazo creek. The groundwater samples from the alluvial aquifer showed high concentration of Al, As, Cd, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sb and Zn and very high concentration of chloride and sulfate, which were above the concentration defined in the European standards for drinking water. The presence of As in groundwater may be caused by the oxidation of arsenian pyrite, the possible As desorption from goethite and ferrihydrite and the jarosite dissolution. Groundwater concentrations of Cd, Fe, Mn, and possibly Cu, were associated with low values of Eh, indicating the possible dissolution of oxy-hydroxides of Fe and Mn. The mobility of metals in the column experiments show the release of Al, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, V and Zn in significant concentrations but below the detected values in groundwater. However, As, Cd, Sb, Se Pb and Au, are generally mobilized in concentrations above the detected values in groundwater. The possible mass transfer processes that could explain the presence of the contaminants in the aquifer and the leachates was simulated with the PHREEQC numerical code and revealed the possible dissolution of the following mineral phases: jarosite, natrojarosite, arsenian pyrite, alunite, chlorite, kaolinite and calcite.     

Geology and Mineral Chemistry of Gold Mineralization in Mirge‐Naqshineh Occurrence (Saqez,NW Iran): Implications for Transportation and Precipitation of Gold

The Mirge-Naqshineh gold district is situated at northwest of Iran with a NW-trending brittleductile shear zone. It is hosted by Precambrian meta-sedimentary and meta-volcanic units traversed by mineralized quartz veins. In terms of cross-cutting relationships and sulfide content three types of quartz veins are identified in the region. Among those, parallel to bedding quartz vein(type Ⅰ) is the main host for gold mineralization. Gold is found in three different forms: 1) submicrometer-size inclusions of gold in arsenian pyrite, 2) as electrum and 3) in the crystal lattice of sulfides(pyrite, galena and chalcopyrite). Six types of pyrite(Py1-Py6) were identified in this ore reserve. Py3 coexists with arsenopyrite and contains the greatest As-Au concentrations. There is a negative correlation between the As and S contents in Py2 and Py3, implying the substitution of sulfur by arsenic. Pyrites and mineralized quartz veins were formed via metamorphic-hydrothermal fluid and reflect the gold-transportation as Au(HS)_2~- under reducing and acidic conditions. The gold precipitation mainly controlled by crystallization of arsenian pyrite during fluid/rock interactions and variation of fO_2. The volcanic host rock has played an important role in gold concentration, as Py3 in this rock contains inclusion of gold particles, but gold is within the lattice of pyrite in phyllite or other units.     

Mineral formation in an acid pit lake from a high-sulfidation ore deposit: Kirki, NE Greece

Open pit mining of base-metals from the high-sulfidation epithermal type deposit of Kirki (Thrace, NE Greece) resulted in the formation of an acid pit lake by infilling of the open cast by rain and draining waters after mine closure. The high toxic metals content of the ore, the limited buffering capacity of host rocks and the direct exposure of the ore zone to weathering result in an intense release of metals into the pit lake. The acidic and oxidative pit lake waters show high concentrations of trace metals. A mineral precipitate, covering the floor of the pit lake, comprises secondary anglesite, several species of the jarosite-group, rozenite, melanterite, wroewolfeite, gypsum, bukovskyite, beaverite, scorodite and minor goethite. The mineral precipitate presents a significant heavy metal content indicating effective removal of metals from the acid waters. Compared to other pit lakes in high-sulfidation type deposits it has a higher metal load, consistent with the mineralogy and grade of ore in pit walls.     

陕西镇安丘岭卡林型金矿金的赋存状态和富集机理

丘岭金矿床是西秦岭地区重要的卡林型金矿之一, 金矿化赋存于上泥盆统南阳山组和下石炭统袁家沟组地层中, 容矿岩石的岩性为钙质粉砂岩、粉砂质页岩和泥质灰岩.金矿石中主要金属矿物为黄铁矿和毒砂, 非金属矿物则以石英、方解石和绢云母为主.通过对矿石矿物黄铁矿和毒砂的扫描电镜-能谱分析、电子探针分析和激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱分析, 对丘岭金矿床金的赋存形式和富集机理进行了较为详细的研究.结果表明, 丘岭金矿床中金主要以次显微不可见金的形式存在, 其次为显微可见金.次显微金包括: (1)固溶体金(Au+), 主要存在于环带状细粒黄铁矿的含砷增生边区域和毒砂中, 少量存在于环带状黄铁矿的核部不含砷区域; (2)纳米级自然金颗粒(Au0), 存在于粗晶黄铁矿中.环带状细粒黄铁矿核部的次显微金可能主要以胶体吸附的形式存在, 暗示容矿岩石在沉积成岩过程中有金的初步富集, 而环带状黄铁矿幔部和毒砂中的Au则主要来源于成矿流体, 以S和As的络合物形式搬运.显微可见金主要分布在细粒黄铁矿的晶体边缘和热液蚀变绢云母、石英及方解石中, 粒径通常小于3~5 μm, 其形成可能与成矿流体中金的局部过饱和及成矿流体对细粒黄铁矿和毒砂中次显微金的活化和再次富集有关.      

Arsenic in contaminated soils and anthropogenic deposits at the Mokrsko,Roudný, and Kašperské Hory gold deposits,Bohemian Massif (CZ)

Soil, mine tailing, and waste dump profiles above three mesothermal gold deposits in the Bohemian Massif with different anthropogenic histories have been studied. Their mineralogical, major element, and arsenic (As) contents and the contents of secondary arsenic minerals were analyzed. The As-bearing minerals were concentrated and determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the Debye-Scherrer powder method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive microanalysis (EDAX). The amorphous hydrous ferric oxides (HFO), As-bearing goethite, K-Ba- or Ca-Fe- and Fe- arsenates pharmacosiderite, arseniosiderite, and scorodite, and sulfate-arsenate pitticite were determined as products of arsenopyrite or arsenian pyrite oxidation. The As behaviour in the profiles studied differs in dependence on the surface morphology, chemical and mineralogical composition of the soil, mine wastes or tailings, oxidation conditions, pH, presence of (or distance from) primary As mineralization in the bedrock, and duration of the weathering effect. Although the primary As mineralization and the bedrock chemical composition are roughly similar, there are distinct differences in the As behaviour amongst the Mokrsko, Roudný and Kaperské Hory deposits.     

Predicting arsenic concentrations in the porewaters of buried uranium mill tailings

The proposed JEB Tailings Management Facility (TMF) to be emplaced below the groundwater table in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, will contain uranium mill tailings from McClean Lake, Midwest and Cigar Lake ore bodies, which are high in arsenic (up to 10%) and nickel (up to 5%). A serious concern is the possibility that high arsenic and nickel concentrations may be released from the buried tailings, contaminating adjacent groundwaters and a nearby lake. Laboratory tests and geochemical modeling were performed to examine ways to reduce the arsenic and nickel concentrations in TMF porewaters so as to minimize such contamination from tailings buried for 50 years and longer. The tests were designed to mimic conditions in the mill neutralization circuit (3 hr tests at 25°C), and in the TMF after burial (5–49 day aging tests). The aging tests were run at, 50, 25 and 4°C (the temperature in the TMF). In order to optimize the removal of arsenic by adsorption and precipitation, ferric sulfate was added to tailings raffinates¹ having Fe/As ratios of less that 3–5. The acid raffinates were then neutralized by addition of slaked lime to nominal pH values of 7, 8, or 9.Analysis and modeling of the test results showed that with slaked lime addition to acid tailings raffinates, relatively amorphous scorodite (ferric arsenate) precipitates near pH 1, and is the dominant form of arsenate in slake limed tailings solids except those high in Ni and As and low in Fe, in which cabrerite-annabergite (Ni, Mg, Fe(II) arsenate) may also precipitate near pH 5–6. In addition to the arsenate precipitates, smaller amounts of arsenate are also adsorbed onto tailings solids.The aging tests showed that after burial of the tailings, arsenic concentrations may increase with time from the breakdown of the arsenate phases (chiefly scorodite). However, the tests indicate that the rate of change decreases and approaches zero after 72 hrs at 25°C, and may equal zero at all times in the TMF at 4°C. Consistent with a kinetic model that describes the rate of breakdown of scorodite to form hydrous ferric oxide, the rate of release of dissolved arsenate to tailings porewaters from slake limed tailings: (1) is proportional to pH above pH 6–7; (2) decreases exponentially as the total molar Fe/As ratio of tailings raffinates is increased from 1/1 to greater than 5/1; and (3) is proportional to temperature with an average Arrhenius activation energy of 13.4 ± 4.2 kcal/mol.Study results suggest that if ferric sulfate and slaked lime are added in the tailings neutralization circuit to give a raffinate Fe/As molar ratio of at least 3–5 and a nominal (initial) pH of 8 (final pH of 7–8), arsenic and nickel concentrations of 2 mg/L or less, are probable in porewaters of individual tailings in the TMF for 50 to 10,000 yrs after tailings disposal. However, the tailings will be mixed in the TMF, which will contain about 35% tailings with Fe/As = 3.0, and 65% tailings with Fe/As = 5.0–7.7. Thus, it seems likely that average arsenic pore water concentrations in the TMF may not exceed 1 mg/L.     

Weathering of the New Albany Shale, Kentucky, USA: I. Weathering zones defined by mineralogy and major-element composition

Comprehensive understanding of chemical and mineralogical changes induced by weathering is valuable information when considering the supply of nutrients and toxic elements from rocks. Here minerals that release and fix major elements during progressive weathering of a bed of Devonian New Albany Shale in eastern Kentucky are documented. Samples were collected from unweathered core (parent shale) and across an outcrop excavated into a hillside 40 year prior to sampling. Quantitative X-ray diffraction mineralogical data record progressive shale alteration across the outcrop. Mineral compositional changes reflect subtle alteration processes such as incongruent dissolution and cation exchange. Altered primary minerals include K-feldspars, plagioclase, calcite, pyrite, and chlorite. Secondary minerals include jarosite, gypsum, goethite, amorphous Fe(III) oxides and Fe(II)-Al sulfate salt (efflorescence). The mineralogy in weathered shale defines four weathered intervals on the outcrop—Zones A–C and soil. Alteration of the weakly weathered shale (Zone A) is attributed to the 40-a exposure of the shale. In this zone, pyrite oxidization produces acid that dissolves calcite and attacks chlorite, forming gypsum, jarosite, and minor efflorescent salt. The pre-excavation, active weathering front (Zone B) is where complete pyrite oxidation and alteration of feldspar and organic matter result in increased permeability. Acidic weathering solutions seep through the permeable shale and evaporate on the surface forming abundant efflorescent salt, jarosite and minor goethite. Intensely weathered shale (Zone C) is depleted in feldspars, chlorite, gypsum, jarosite and efflorescent salts, but has retained much of its primary quartz, illite and illite–smectite. Goethite and amorphous FE(III) oxides increase due to hydrolysis of jarosite. Enhanced permeability in this zone is due to a 14% loss of the original mass in parent shale. Denudation rates suggest that characteristics of Zone C were acquired over 1 Ma. Compositional differences between soil and Zone C are largely attributed to illuvial processes, formation of additional Fe(III) oxides and incorporation of modern organic matter.     

Invisible Gold from the Hishikari Epithermal Gold Deposit, Japan: Implication for Gold Distribution and Deposition

Abstract. The presence of invisible gold was confirmed in arsenian pyrite from the Hishikari epithermal gold deposit, Kagoshima, Japan, by means of EPMA and SIMS analyses. The relative concentration of invisible gold may be positively correlated with As contents (0.01 to 10.37 wt%) of fine-grained arsenian pyrite which commonly occurs in the auriferous quartz veins. Although arsenian pyrite occurs widely in any mineralization stage with electrum and other sulfide, sulfosalts, selenide or telluride minerals, arsenian pyrites having higher As contents accompanied by invisible gold occur dominantly in the middle stage of fine-adularia-quartz and in the late stage of coarse-quartz rather than in the early stage of columnar-adularia.     

Source and distribution of naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater from Alberta’s Southern Oil Sands Regions

Arsenic (As) concentrations as high as 179 μg/L have been observed in shallow groundwater in the Alberta’s Southern Oil Sand Regions. The geology of this area of Alberta includes a thick cover (up to 200 m) of unconsolidated glacial deposits, with a number of regional interglacial sand and gravel aquifers, underlain by marine shale. Arsenic concentrations observed in 216 unconsolidated sediment samples ranged from 1 and 17 ppm. A survey of over 800 water wells sampled for As in the area found that 50% of the wells contained As concentrations exceeding drinking water guidelines of 10 μg/L. Higher As concentrations in groundwater were associated with reducing conditions. Measurements of As speciation from 175 groundwater samples indicate that As(III) was the dominant species in 74% of the wells. Speciation model calculations showed that the majority of groundwater samples were undersaturated with respect to ferrihydrite, suggesting that reductive dissolution of Fe-oxyhydroxides may be the source of some As in groundwater. Detailed mineralogical characterization of sediment samples collected from two formations revealed the presence of fresh framboidal pyrite in the deeper unoxidized sediments. Electron microprobe analysis employing wavelength dispersive spectrometry indicated that the framboidal pyrite had variable As content with an average As concentration of 530 ppm, reaching up to 1840 ppm. In contrast, the oxidized sediments did not contain framboidal pyrite, but exhibited spheroidal Fe-oxyhydroxide grains with elevated As concentrations. The habit and composition suggest that these Fe-oxyhydroxide grains in the oxidized sediment were an alteration product of former framboidal pyrite grains. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) indicated that the oxidized sediments are dominated by As(V) species having spectral features similar to those of goethite or ferrihydrite with adsorbed As, suggesting that Fe-oxyhydroxides are the dominant As carriers. XANES spectra collected on unoxidized sediment samples, in contrast, indicated the presence of a reduced As species (As(−I)) characteristic of arsenopyrite and arsenian pyrite. The results of the mineralogical analyses indicate that the oxidation of framboidal pyrite during weathering may be the source of As released to shallow aquifers in this region.     

Gold Enrichment in the Supergene Zone of a Southern Urals Pyrite Deposit,Russia

The Gay deposit, situated in the Orenburg region, is identified with one of Russia's principal occurrences of pyrite (pyrite deposits are an important source of Russia's gold). It belongs to the west subzone of the Magnitogorsk synclinorium and occurs in Devonian rhyolite-basaltic volcanic rocks. The deposit comprises five large pyrite-chalcopyrite, pyrite-chalcopyrite- sphalerite, and pyrite orebodies. The supergene zone extends to 120-240 m below surface and consists of the following three subhorizontal zones (from bottom to top): the secondary sulfide enrichment, the leaching, and the oxidation zone (where ores are enriched in gold).

There are two levels of secondary gold enrichment in the weathering profile. The lower level, located in the leaching zone, corresponds with the level of water table fluctuations. The rich, flat-lying horizon (1.5-10.0 m) is composed of bedded, friable native sulfur-quartz ores; it contains 19.0-52.2 ppm Au and up to 389 ppm Ag. Native gold and silver halides (chlorargyrite, iodargyrite, and embolite) are the principal precious-metal minerals. Electrum, native silver, acanthite, and uytenbogaardtite constitute the minor ones. The upper level of the enrichment is located in the lower part of gossan. This bonanza is composed of hematite-quartz ochres. Gold concentration is 13.5 to 21.2 ppm. Native gold of high fineness and silver halides apparently are associated here with poorly crystallized iron oxides. The formation of supergene gold enrichments may result partly from residual concentration and partly from mobilization and reprecipitation of the precious metal. Rich horizons form by repeated gold redeposition in accordance with weathering and a gradual erosion surface lowering. The lower bonanza forms at first in the process of oxidation involving pyrite and native sulfur. Gold may be transported by complexes with metastable sulfur oxy-anions: sulfites, thiosulfates, or polythionates. The upper enriched horizon forms in the course of further evolution of the weathering profile in the stage of hematite recrystallizaiton and its transformation into goethite.     

Geochemical distribution of arsenic in waters,sediments and weathered gold mineralized rocks from Iron Quadrangle,Brazil

The Iron Quadrangle has been the scenery of the most important gold production in Brazil. It is estimated that during the three centuries of gold mining in the Iron Quadrangle, at least 390,000 t of arsenic was discharged into the drainage system. This study presents geochemical data for the three river basins in the region, with focus on surface water and stream sediment monitoring. Samples of primary and oxidized sulfide ores as well as of tailings and groundwater from the major gold mines were also studied. The highest As concentrations in water and stream sediments occur in the vicinity of mining areas. In surface water, up to 300 g As/l were found whereas the As contents in stream sediments were in the range of 20 to 4,000 mg/kg. The As³⁺/As⁵⁺ concentration ratios obtained for some water samples range from 1.10^у to 4.10^ф. The As mobility associated with ore-deposit weathering could be traced in some closed gold mines by observation of in-situ pyrite and arsenopyrite oxidation, precipitation of scorodite and gippsite, As adsorption onto goethite, and final liberation of As into underground and surface waters. This process is likely to produce large volumes of mine effluents containing total As and trivalent As up to 1,960 and 60 g/l, respectively. River sediments and tailings pile samples were submitted to a leaching procedure showing maximal arsenic release from 1 to 4% of the original total As in the samples. There are potential risks for As hazards in some areas induced by, for instance, the dispersion of old tailings by flooding, occupation of poisoned soils for settlements, and occasional consumption of contaminated surface and groundwater.     

Mineralogy and trace element relative solubility patterns of shallow marine sediments affected by submarine tailings disposal and artisanal gold mining,Buyat-Ratototok district,North Sulawesi,Indonesia

Shallow marine sediments of the Buyat-Ratototok district of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, are affected by submarine disposal of industrial gold mine tailings and small-scale gold mining using mercury amalgamation. Industrial mine tailings contained 590–660 ppm arsenic, 490–580 ppm antimony, and 0.8–5.8 ppm mercury. Electron microprobe survey found both colloidal iron–arsenic-phases without sulphur and arsenian pyrite in tailings and sites to which tailings had dispersed, but only arsenopyrite in sediments affected by artisanal mining. Antimony in tailings was present as antimony oxides, colloidal iron–antimony phases, colloidal iron–antimony phases, and stibnite in sediments affected by both types of mining. A sequential extraction found that 2% of arsenic held in tailings and tailings-contaminated sediments was exchangeable, 20–30% was labile, including weakly adsorbed, carbonate- and arsenate bound, 20–30% was metastable, probably incorporated into iron or manganese oxyhydroxides, or strongly adsorbed to silicate minerals, and 40–48% was relatively insoluble, probably incorporated into sulphides or silicates. Arsenic in sediments affected by artisanal gold mining was 75–95% relatively insoluble. Antimony in all sediments was >90% relatively insoluble. Relative solubility patterns of most other metals did not differ between industrial tailings-affected, artisanal-mining affected areas, and fluvial sediments. Results suggest that submarine tailings disposal is not suitable for refractory Carlin-like gold deposits because ore processing converts arsenic to forms unstable in anoxic marine sediments. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Mobilization and attenuation of heavy metals within a nickel mine tailings impoundment near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

 The oxidation and the subsequent dissolution of sulfide minerals within the Copper Cliff tailings area have led to the release of heavy metals such as Fe, Ni, and Co to the tailings pore water. Dissolved concentrations in excess of 10 g/l Fe and 2.2 g/l Ni have been detected within the shallow pore water of the tailings, with increasing depth these concentrations decrease to or near analytical detection limits. Geochemical modelling of the pore-water chemistry suggests that pH-buffering reactions are occurring within the shallow oxidized zones, and that secondary phases are precipitating at or near the underlying hardpan and transition zones. Mineralogical study of the tailings confirmed the presence of goethite, jarosite, gypsum, native sulfur, and a vermiculite-type clay mineral. Goethite, jarosite, and native sulfur form alteration rims and pseudo-morphs of the sulfide minerals. Interstitial cements, composed of goethite, jarosite, and gypsum, locally bind the tailings particles, forming hardpan layers. Microprobe analyses of the goethite indicate that it contains up to 0.6 weight % Ni, suggesting that the goethite is a repository for Ni. Other sinks detected for heavy metals include jarosite and a vemiculite-type clay mineral which locally contains up to 1.6 weight % Ni. To estimate the mass and distribution of heavy metals associated with the secondary phases within the shallow tailings, a series of chemical extractions was completed. The experimental design permitted four fractions of the tailings to be evaluated independently. These four fractions consisted of a water-soluble, an acid-leachable, and a reducible fraction, as well as the whole-rock total. Twenty-five percent of the total mass of heavy metals was removed in the acid-leaching experiments, and 100% of the same components were removed in the reduction experiments. The data suggest that precipitation/coprecipitation reactions are providing an effective sink for most of the heavy metals released by sulfide mineral oxidation. In light of these results, potential decommissioning strategies should be evaluated with the recognition that changing the geochemical conditions may alter the stability of the secondary phases within the shallow tailings. Received: 9 April 1997 · Accepted: 21 July 1997     

Mobilization of arsenic from mine tailings through reductive dissolution of goethite influenced by organic cover

Mine tailings at the former Delnite gold mine in northern Ontario were characterized to assess the impact of a biosolids cover on the stability of As species and evaluate options for long-term management of the tailings. Arsenic concentrations in the tailings range from 0.15 to 0.36 wt% distributed among goethite, pyrite and arsenopyrite. Pyrite and arsenopyrite occur as small and liberated particles that are enveloped by goethite in the uncovered tailings and the deeper portions of the biosolids-covered tailings. Sulfide particles in the shallower portions of the biosolids-covered tailings are free of goethite rims. Arsenic occurs predominantly as As⁵⁺ with minor amount of As¹⁻ in the uncovered tailings. Coinciding with the disappearence of goethite rims on sulfide particles, the biosolids-covered tailings have As³⁺ species gradually increasing in proportion towards the cover. Leaching tests indicated that the As concentrations in the leachate gradually increase from less than 0.085 to 13 mg/L and Fe from 28 to 179 mg/L towards the biosolids cover. These are in sheer contrast to the leachate concentrations of less than 0.085 mg/L As and 24–64 mg/L Fe obtained from the uncovered tailings confirming the role of biosolids-influenced reduction and mobilization of As in the form of As³⁺ species. The evidence suggests that reductive dissolution of goethite influenced by the biosolids-cover caused the mobilization of As as As³⁺ species.     

Multi-stage pyrite and hydrothermal mineral assemblage of the Hatu gold district (west Junggar,Xinjiang, NW China): Implications for metallogenic evolution

The Hatu, Qi-III, and Qi-V gold deposits in the Hatu–Baobei volcanic–sedimentary basin (west Junggar, Xinjiang) represent the proximal, middle, and distal parts of the Hatu gold district, respectively. Orebodies of these deposits mainly consist of Au-bearing quartz veins and altered host rocks with disseminated sulfide minerals. Six types of pyrite in these mines are studied here to illustrate ore-formation processes. Sedimentary pyrite, including framboidal and fine-grained pyrite, occurs in mudstone-bearing sedimentary rocks or altered volcanic–sedimentary rocks. Framboidal pyrite formed during redox changes in sedimentary layers. Hydrothermal pyrite contains five subgroups, from Py1 to Py5. Porous Py1 formed prior to gold mineralization, and is overgrown by Py2 that contains inclusions of sulfide minerals and native gold. Coarser Py3 coexists with arsenopyrite and native gold, and contains the greatest As concentrations. Gold and antimony are also preferentially concentrated in arsenian Py2 and Py3. The Au–As-deficient Py4 and Py5 formed during the post-ore process. There is a negative correlation between the As and S contents in Py1, Py2, and Py3, implying the substitution of sulfur by arsenic. Gold precipitated under relatively reducing condition in framboid- and graphite-bearing tuffaceous rocks. Cesium, Rb, Sr, La, Ce, Au, As, Sb, Cu, and Pb are concentrated in altered host rocks. The Au-bearing quartz veins and disseminated sulfide mineral orebodies were formed via a co-genetic hydrothermal fluid and formed during different stages. The variation of fO₂ during fluid/rock interactions, and crystallization of arsenian pyrite were major factors that controlled gold precipitation.     

Invisible gold in ore and mineral concentrates from the Hillgrove gold-antimony deposits, NSW, Australia

Vein-hosted mesothermal stibnite-gold mineralisation at the Hillgrove Au-Sb mine in northeastern New South Wales has a halo of veinlet and disseminated auriferous arsenopyrite and arsenian pyrite in metasedimentary and granitic host rocks. About 50–55% of the gold produced at Hillgrove occurs invisibly in arsenopyrite and pyrite. Gold losses of ∼20% into tailings are due to this mineral chemical factor. From PIXE probe analyses, it has been found that arsenopyrite contains 255–1500 ppm Au and pyrite 24–223 ppm Au, with Au contents of each mineral correlating moderately with As content. Arsenopyrite and pyrite also contain anomalous values of Cu, Ag and Sb, whereas paragenetically later stibnite contains little invisible gold, but minor Fe, As, Ag, Cu and Pb. The precipitation of invisible gold in arsenopyrite and pyrite by a possible (Fe, Au)³⁺= (As-S)³⁻ substitution mechanism may have been facilitated by rapid, non-equilibrium conditions involving pressure decreases and wall rock reaction (sulphidation, carbonatisation), as a prelude to the main stage of stibnite and gold deposition. Received: 15 January 1999 / Accepted: 12 October 1999     

南秦岭赋存于沉积岩中的金龙山金矿带主要载金矿物黄铁矿、毒砂研究

金龙山金矿是产于南秦岭镇安-旬阳晚古生代沉积盆地细碎屑岩-碳酸盐建造中的微细浸染型金矿.主要载金矿物毒砂、黄铁矿,粒度多为10~100 μm,约为次显微状金颗粒直径的1000倍左右.黄铁矿为含砷黄铁矿,并常作为原生沉积成因草莓状、球菌状黄铁矿的增生环带,因而常规方法无法分离出原生沉积成因黄铁矿与热液阶段黄铁矿、毒砂.用于单矿物化学分析、同位素、热电性测定的黄铁矿样品多为热液改造后多阶段黄铁矿的混合样品,毒砂的含金性比黄铁矿更好.成岩期黄铁矿无砷或砷很低,金矿成矿阶段黄铁矿亏硫,毒砂亏砷.金、砷最大可能是含矿热液带入的,成岩期黄铁矿可能提供了部分硫.黄铁矿的热电系数范围较大,空穴导型、电子导型均有,以空穴型为主.矿带内硫化物的硫同位素呈多垛状产出,但主要集中于6‰~17‰之间.铅同位素反映了造山带特征,与汞锑矿石的铅同位素相近,金锑成矿与深大断裂的活动有关.     

Formation and composition of cemented layers in low-sulphide mine tailings, Laver, northern Sweden

Cemented layers (hardpans) are common in carbonate or sulphide-rich mine tailings and where pyrrhotite is the predominating Fe-sulphide. Laver, northern Sweden, is an abandoned Cu-mine where the tailings have low pyrrhotite content, almost no pyrite and no carbonates. Two cemented layers at different locations in the Laver tailings impoundment were investigated, with the aim to determine their effects on metal mobility. The cementing agents were mainly jarosite and Fe-oxyhydroxides in the layer formed where the tailings have a barren surface, whereas only Fe-oxyhydroxides were identified below grass-covered tailings surface. Arsenic was enriched in both layers which also exhibit high concentrations of Mo, V, Hg and Pb compared to unoxidised tailings. Sequential extraction indicates that these metals and As were mainly retained with crystalline Fe-oxides, and therefore potentially will be remobilised if the oxic conditions become more reducing, for instance as a result of remediation of the tailings impoundment.An erratum to this article can be found at