Experimental determination of the stability and stoichiometry of sulphide complexes of silver(I) in hydrothermal solutions to 400°C

The solubility of silver sulphide (acanthite/argentite) has been measured in aqueous sulphide solutions between 25 and 400°C at saturated water vapour pressure and 500 bar to determine the stability and stoichiometry of sulphide complexes of silver(I) in hydrothermal solutions. The experiments were carried out in a flow-through autoclave, connected to a high-performance liquid chromatographic pump, titanium sampling loop, and a back-pressure regulator on line. Samples for silver determination were collected via the titanium sampling loop at experimental temperatures and pressures. The solubilities, measured as total dissolved silver, were in the range 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.30 × 10⁻⁴ mol kg⁻¹ (0.01 to 14.0 ppm), in solutions of total reduced sulphur between 0.007 and 0.176 mol kg⁻¹ and pH_T,p of 3.7 to 12.7. A nonlinear least squares treatment of the data demonstrates that the solubility of silver sulphide in aqueous sulphide solutions of acidic to alkaline pH is accurately described by the reactions0.5Ag₂S(s) + 0.5H₂S(aq) = AgHS(aq) K_s,1110.5Ag₂S(s) + 0.5H₂S(aq) + HS⁻ = Ag(HS)2− K_s,122Ag₂S(s) + 2HS⁻ = Ag₂S(HS)22− K_s,232where AgHS(aq) is the dominant species in acidic solutions, Ag(HS)2− under neutral pH conditions and Ag₂S(HS)22− in alkaline solutions. With increasing temperature the stability field of Ag(HS)2− increases and shifts to more alkaline pH in accordance with the change in the first ionisation constant of H₂S(aq). Consequently, Ag₂S(HS)22− is not an important species above 200°C. The solubility constant for the first reaction is independent of temperature to 300°C, with values in the range logK_s,111 = −5.79 (±0.07) to −5.59 (±0.09), and decreases to −5.92 (±0.16) at 400°C. The solubility constant for the second reaction increases almost linearly with inverse temperature from logK_s,122 = −3.97 (±0.04) at 25°C to −1.89 (±0.03) at 400°C. The solubility constant for the third reaction increases with temperature from logK_s,232 = −4.78 (±0.04) at 25°C to −4.57 (±0.18) at 200°C. All solubility constants were found to be independent of pressure within experimental uncertainties. The interaction between Ag⁺ and HS⁻ at 25°C and 1 bar to form AgHS(aq) has appreciable covalent character, as reflected in the exothermic enthalpy and small entropy of formation. With increasing temperature, the stepwise formation reactions become progressively more endothermic and are accompanied by large positive entropies, indicating greater electrostatic interaction. The aqueous speciation of silver is very sensitive to fluid composition and temperature. Below 100°C silver(I) sulphide complexes predominate in reduced sulphide solutions, whereas Ag⁺ and AgClOH⁻ are the dominant species in oxidised waters. In high-temperature hydrothermal solutions of seawater salinity, chloride complexes of silver(I) are most important, whereas in dilute hydrothermal fluids of meteoric origin typically found in active geothermal systems, sulphide complexes predominate. Adiabatic boiling of dilute and saline geothermal waters leads to precipitation of silver sulphide and removal of silver from solution. Conductive cooling has insignificant effects on silver mobility in dilute fluids, whereas it leads to quantitative loss of silver for geothermal fluids of seawater salinity.     

Stability of chloridogold(I) complexes in aqueous solutions from 300 to 600°C and from 500 to 1800 bar

The solubility of gold has been measured in the system H₂O+H₂+HCl+NaCl+NaOH at temperatures from 300 to 600°C and pressures from 500 to 1800 bar in order to determine the stability and stoichiometry of chloride complexes of gold(I) in hydrothermal solutions. The experiments were carried out in a flow-through autoclave system. This approach permitted the independent determination of the concentrations of all critical aqueous components in solution for the determination of the stability and stoichiometry of gold(I) complexes. The solubilities (i.e. total dissolved gold) were in the range 9.9 × 10⁻⁹ to 3.26 × 10⁻⁵ mol kg⁻¹ (0.002-6.42 mg kg⁻¹) in solutions of total dissolved chloride between 0.150 and 1.720 mol kg⁻¹, total dissolved sodium between 0.000 and 0.975 mol kg⁻¹ and total dissolved hydrogen between 4.34 × 10⁻⁶ and 7.87 × 10⁻⁴ mol kg⁻¹. A nonlinear least squares treatment of the data demonstrates that the solubility of gold in chloride solutions is accurately described by the reactions,

     

Gold(I) complexing in aqueous sulphide solutions to 500°C at 500 bar

The solubility of gold has been measured in aqueous sulphide solutions from 100 to 500°C at 500 bar in order to determine the stability and stoichiometry of sulphide complexes of gold(I) in hydrothermal solutions. The experiments were carried out in a flow-through system. The solubilities, measured as total dissolved gold, were in the range 3.6 × 10⁻⁸ to 6.65 × 10⁻⁴ mol kg⁻¹ (0.007-131 mg kg⁻¹), in solutions of total reduced sulphur between 0.0164 and 0.133 mol kg⁻¹, total chloride between 0.000 and 0.240 mol kg⁻¹, total sodium between 0.000 and 0.200 mol kg⁻¹, total dissolved hydrogen between 1.63 × 10⁻⁵ and 5.43 × 10⁻⁴ mol kg⁻¹ and a corresponding pH_{T, p} of 1.5 to 9.8. A non-linear least squares treatment of the data demonstrates that the solubility of gold in aqueous sulphide solutions is accurately described by the reactions

Au(s)+H₂S(aq)=AuHS(aq)+0.5H₂(g) K_s,100     

Stability and solubility of arsenopyrite, FeAsS, in crustal fluids

The stability and solubility of natural arsenopyrite (FeAsS) in pure water and moderately acid to slightly basic aqueous solutions buffered or not with H₂ and/or H₂S were studied at temperatures from 300 to 450°C and pressures from 100 to 1000 bar. The solubilities of FeAsS in pure water and dilute HCl/NaOH solutions without buffering are consistent with the formation of the As(OH)₃⁰(aq) species and precipitation of magnetite. At more acid pH (pH ≤2), arsenopyrite dissolves either stoichiometrically or with formation of the As-FeAsS assemblage. In H₂S-rich and H₂-rich aqueous solutions, arsenopyrite dissolution results in the formation of pyrrhotite (±pyrite) and iron arsenide(s), respectively, which form stable assemblages with arsenopyrite.Arsenic concentrations measured in equilibrium with FeAsS in slightly acid to neutral aqueous solutions with H₂ and H₂S fugacities buffered by the pyrite-pyrrhotite-magnetite assemblage are 0.0006 ± 0.0002, 0.0055 ± 0.0010, 0.07 ± 0.01, and 0.32 ± 0.03 mol/kg H₂O at 300°C/400 bar, 350°C/500 bar, 400°C/500 bar, and 450°C/500 bar, respectively. These values were combined with the available thermodynamic data on As(OH)₃⁰(aq) (Pokrovski et al., 1996) to derive the Gibbs free energy of FeAsS at each corresponding temperature and pressure. Extrapolation of these values to 25°C and 1 bar, using the available heat capacity and entropy data for FeAsS (Pashinkin et al., 1989), yields a value of −141.6 ± 6.0 kJ/mol for the standard Gibbs free energy of formation of arsenopyrite. This value implies a higher stability of FeAsS in hydrothermal environments than was widely assumed.Calculations carried out using the new thermodynamic properties of FeAsS demonstrate that this mineral controls As transport and deposition by high-temperature (>∼300°C) crustal fluids during the formation of magmatic-hydrothermal Sn-W-Cu-(Au) deposits. The equilibrium between As-bearing pyrite and the fluid is likely to account for the As concentrations measured in modern high- and moderate-temperature (150 ≤ T ≤ 350°C) hydrothermal systems. Calculations indicate that the local dissolution of arsenopyrite creates more reducing conditions than in the bulk fluid, which is likely to be an effective mechanism for precipitating gold from hydrothermal solutions. This could be a possible explanation for the gold-arsenopyrite association commonly observed in many hydrothermal gold deposits.     

Experimental study of aluminum speciation in fluoride-rich supercritical fluids

The solubility of the albite-paragonite-quartz mineral assemblage was measured as a function of NaCl and fluorine concentration at 400°C, 500 bars and at 450°C, 500 and 1000 bars. Decreasing Al concentrations with increasing NaCl molality in F-free fluids of low salinity (mNaCl < 0.01) demonstrates that Al(OH)₄⁻ dominates Al speciation and is formed according to the reaction 0.5 NaAl₃Si₃O₁₂H_2(cr)+2 H₂O = 0.5 NaAlSi₃O_8(cr)+Al(OH)₄⁻+H⁺. Log K results for this reaction are −11.28 ± 0.10 and −10.59 ± 0.10 at 400°C, 500 bars and 450°C, 1000 bars, respectively. Upon further salinity increase, Al concentration becomes constant (at 400°C, 500 bars) or even rises (at 450°C, 1000 bars). The observed Al behavior can be explained by the formation of NaAl(OH)₄⁰_(aq) or NaAl(OH)₃Cl_(aq)⁰. The calculated constant for the reaction Al(OH)₄⁻+Na⁺=NaAl(OH)₄⁰_(aq) expressed in log units is equal to 2.46 and 2.04 at 400°C, 500 bars and 450°C, 1000 bars, respectively. These values are in good agreement with the predictions given in Diakonov et al. (1996). Addition of fluoride at m(NaCl) = const = 0.5 caused a sharp increase in Al concentration in equilibrium with the albite-paragonite-quartz mineral assemblage. As fluid pH was also constant, this solubility increase indicates strong aluminum-fluoride complexation with the formation of NaAl(OH)₃F_(aq)⁰ and NaAl(OH)₂F₂⁰_(aq), according to 0.5 NaAl₃Si₃O₁₂H_2(cr)+Na⁺+HF_(aq)⁰+H₂O = 0.5 NaAlSi₃O_8(cr)+ NaAl(OH)₃F_(aq)⁰+H⁺, log K = −5.17 and −5.23 at 400°C and 450°C, 500 bars, respectively, and 0.5 NaAl₃Si₃O₁₂H_2(cr)+Na⁺+2 HF_(aq)⁰ = 0.5 NaAlSi₃O_8(cr)+NaAl(OH)₂F₂⁰_(aq)+H⁺, log K = −2.19 and −1.64 at the same P-T conditions. It was found that temperature increase and pressure decrease promote the formation of Na-Al-OH-F species. Stability of NaAl(OH)₂F₂⁰_(aq) in low-density fluids also increases relative to NaAl(OH)₃F_(aq)⁰. These complexes, together with Al(OH)₂F_(aq)⁰ and AlOHF₂⁰_(aq), whose stability constants were calculated from the corundum solubility measured by Soboleva and Zaraisky (1990) and Zaraisky (1994), are likely to dominate Al speciation in metamorphic fluids containing several ppm of fluorine.     

Experimental determination and analysis of the solubility of corundum in 0.1-molal CaCl2 solutions between 400 and 600°C at 0.6 to 2.0 kbar

Corundum (α-Al₂O₃) solubility was measured in 0.1-molal CaCl₂ solutions from 400 to 600°C between 0.6 and 2.0 kbar. The Al molality at 2 kbar increases from 3.1 × 10⁻⁴ at 400°C to 12.7 × 10⁻⁴ at 600°C. At 1 kbar, the solubility increases from 1.5 × 10⁻⁴m at 400°C to 3.4 × 10⁻⁴m at 600°C. These molalities are somewhat less than corundum solubility in pure H₂O (Walther, 1997) at 400°C but somewhat greater at 600°C. The distribution of species was computed considering the Al species Al(OH)₃⁰ and Al(OH)₄⁻, consistent with the solubility of corundum in pure H₂O of Walther (1997) and association constants reported in the literature. The calculated solubility was greater than that measured except at 600°C and 2.0 kbar, indicating that neutral-charged species interactions are probably important.A Setchénow model for neutral species resulted in poor fitting of the measured values at 1.0 kbar. This suggests that Al(OH)₃⁰ has a greater stability relative to Al(OH)₄⁻ than given by the models of Pokrovskii and Helgeson (1995) or Diakonov et al. (1996). The significantly lower Al molalities in CaCl₂ relative to those in NaCl solutions at the same concentration confirm the suggestions of Walther (2001) and others that NaAl(OH)₄⁰ rather than an Al-Cl complex must be significant in supercritical NaCl solutions to give the observed increase in corundum solubility with increasing NaCl concentrations.     

Calcite solubility and speciation in supercritical NaCl-HCl aqueous fluids

The solubility of calcite in NaCl-H₂O and in HCl-H₂O fluids was measured using an extraction-quench hydrothermal apparatus. Experiments were conducted at 2 kbar, between 400° C and 600° C. Measurements in NaCl-H₂O were conducted in two ways: 1) at constant pressure and NaCl concentration, as a function of temperature; and 2) at constant pressure and temperature, as a function of NaCl concentration. In both the NaCl-H₂O and the HCl-H₂O systems, the solubility of calcite increases with increasing chlorine concentrations. For example, the log calcium molality in equilibrium with calcite increases from –3.75 at 2 kbar and 500° C, in pure H₂O to –3.10 at 2 kbar and 500° C at log NaCl molality=–1.67. At fixed pressure and NaCl molality, the solubility of calcite is almost constant from 400° C to 550° C, but increases somewhat at higher temperatures. The results can be used to determine the dominant calcium species in the experimental solutions as a function of NaCl concentration and to obtain values for the second dissociation constant of CaCl_2(aq). At 2 kbar, 400° C, 500° C, and 600° C, we calculate values for the log of the dissociation constant of CaCl⁺ of –2.1, –3.2, and –4.3, respectively. The 400° C and 500° C values are consistent with those obtained by Frantz and Marshall (1982) using electrical conductance techniques. However, our 600° C value is 0.8 log units higher than that reported by Frantz and Marshall. The calcite solubilities in the NaCl-H₂O and HCl-H₂O systems are inconsistent with the solubilities of calcite in pure H₂O reported by Walther and Long (1986). They are, however, consistent with the measurements of calcite solubilities in pure H₂O presented in this study. These results allow for the calculation of the solubilities of calcium silicates and carbonates in fluids that contain CO₂ and NaCl.     

Experimental evidence for carbonate precipitation and CO2 degassing during sea ice formation

Chemical and stable carbon isotopic modifications during the freezing of artificial seawater were measured in four 4 m³ tank incubations. Three of the four incubations were inoculated with a nonaxenic Antarctic diatom culture. The 18 days of freezing resulted in 25 to 27 cm thick ice sheets overlying the residual seawater. The ice phase was characterized by a decrease in temperature from −1.9 to −2.2°C in the under-ice seawater down to −6.7°C in the upper 4 cm of the ice sheet, with a concurrent increase in the salinity of the under-ice seawater and brine inclusions of the ice sheet as a result of physical concentration of major dissolved salts by expulsion from the solid ice matrix. Measurements of pH, total dissolved inorganic carbon (C_T) and its stable isotopic composition (δ¹³C_T) all exhibited changes, which suggest minimal effect by biological activity during the experiment. A systematic drop in pH and salinity-normalized C_T by up to 0.37 pH_SWS units and 376 μmol C kg⁻¹ respectively at the lowest temperature and highest salinity part of the ice sheet were coupled with an equally systematic ¹³C enrichment of the C_T. Calculations based on the direct pH and C_T measurements indicated a steady increase in the in situ concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂(aq)) with time and increasing salinity within the ice sheet, partly due to changes in the dissociation constants of carbonic acid in the low temperature-high salinity range within sea ice. The combined effects of temperature and salinity on the solubility of CO₂ over the range of conditions encountered during this study was a slight net decrease in the equilibrium CO₂(aq) concentration as a result of the salting-out overriding the increase in solubility with decreasing temperature. Hence, the increase in the in situ CO₂(aq) concentration lead to saturation or supersaturation of the brine inclusions in the ice sheet with respect to atmospheric pCO₂ (≈3.5 × 10⁻⁴ atm). When all physico-chemical processes are considered, we expect CO₂ degassing and carbonate mineral precipitation from the brine inclusions of the ice sheet, which were saturated or highly supersaturated with respect to both the anhydrous (calcite, aragonite, vaterite) and hydrated (ikaite) carbonate minerals.     

Experimental study of the stability of aluminate-borate complexes in hydrothermal solutions

Formation of aqueous aluminate-borate complexes was characterized at 25°C using ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy, and at 50-200°C via measurements of gibbsite and boehmite solubility in the presence of boric acid. ²⁷Al spectra performed at pH = 9 in Al-B solution with m(B) = 0.02 show the presence of two peaks at 80.5 and 74.5 ppm which correspond to Al(OH)₄⁻ and a single Al-substituted Q¹_Al dimer, Al(OH)₃OB(OH)₂⁻, respectively. In 0.08 m and 0.2 m borate solution, a third peak appears at 68.5 ppm which can be assigned to the Q²_Al trimer Al(OH)₂O₂(B(OH)₂)₂⁻. These chemical shifts are close to those measured for Al(OH)₃OSi(OH)₃⁻ and Al(OH)₂O₂(Si(OH)₃)₂⁻ (74 and 69.5 ppm, respectively; Pokrovski et al., Min. Mag.62a (1998), 1194) which demonstrates the similar structure of Al-B and Al-Si complexes formed in alkaline solutions. Gibbsite and boehmite solubility were measured in weakly basic solutions as a function of boric acid concentration at 50°C and 78 to 200°C, respectively. Equilibrium was reached within several days at m(B) = 0.01-0.1, but more slowly at higher boron concentrations, and at 50°C and m(B) = 0.2, Al concentration increased continuously during at least 3 months as a result of the sluggish formation of Al-polyborates. The equilibrium constant of the reaction Al(OH)₄⁻ + B(OH)₃⁰_(aq) = Al(OH)₃OB(OH)₂⁻ + H₂O decreases very slowly with increasing temperature to 200°C. The log K values are 1.58 ± 0.10, 1.46 ± 0.10, 1.52 ± 0.15, and 1.25 ± 0.15 at 50, 78, 150 and 200°C, respectively, which result in the following values of the standard thermodynamic properties for this reaction: Δ_rG⁰ = −9.22 ± 3.25 kJ/mol, Δ_rH⁰ = −4.6 ± 2.5 kJ/mol, Δ_rS⁰ = 15.5 ± 6.9 J/mol K. The thermodynamic data generated in this study indicate that Al-B complexes can dominate aqueous aluminum speciation in solutions containing ≥0.7 g/L of boron at temperature to at least 400°C.     

Solubility of cyclooctasulfur in pure water and sea water at different temperatures

The solubility of cyclooctasulfur in water and sea water at various temperatures in the range between 4 and 80 °C was determined. Cyclooctasulfur in equilibrium with rhombic sulfur reacted with hot acidic aqueous potassium cyanide to form thiocyanate anion which was measured by anion chromatography. Sulfur solubility in pure water was found to increase with temperature by more than 78 times: from 6.1 nM S₈ at 4 °C to 478 nM S₈ at 80 °C. The following thermodynamic values for solubilisation of S₈ in water were calculated from the experimental data: K° = 3.01 ± 1.04 × 10⁻⁸, ΔG_r° = 42.93 ± 0.73 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔH_r° = 47.4 ± 3.6 kJmol⁻¹, ΔS_r° = 15.0 ± 11.7 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹). Solubility of cyclooctasulfur in sea water was found to be 61 ± 13% of the solubility in pure water regardless of the temperature.     

UV-Vis spectrophotometric and XAFS studies of ferric chloride complexes in hyper-saline LiCl solutions at 25-90 °C

The speciation and thermodynamic properties of ferric chloride complexes in hydrothermal solutions and hypersaline brines are still poorly understood, despite the importance of this element as a micronutrient and ore-component. Available experimental data are limited to room temperature and relatively low chloride concentrations. This paper reports results of UV-Vis spectrophotometric and synchrotron XAFS experiments of ferric chloride complexes in chloride concentrations up to 15 m and at temperatures of 25-90 °C. Qualitative interpretation of the UV-Vis spectra shows that FeCl²⁺, FeCl₂⁺, FeCl_3(aq) and FeCl₄⁻ were present in the experimental solutions. As chloride concentrations increase, higher ligand number complexes become important with FeCl₄⁻ predominating in solutions containing more than 10 m at 25 °C. The predominance fields of FeCl_3(aq) and FeCl₄⁻ expand to lower Cl concentrations with increasing T. Both XANES and UV-Vis spectra reveal a major change in the geometry of the complex between FeCl₂⁺ and FeCl_3(aq). EXAFS data confirm that the number of chloride ligands increases with increasing chloride concentration and show that Fe³⁺, FeCl²⁺ and FeCl₂⁺ share an octahedral geometry. FeCl_3(aq) could be either tetrahedral or trigonal dipyramidal, while FeCl₄⁻ is expected to be tetrahedral. EXAFS data support a tetrahedral geometry for FeCl₄⁻, especially at 90 °C, but do not allow to distinguish between a tetrahedral or trigonal dipyramidal geometry for FeCl_3(aq) because of similar Fe-Cl distances. At room temperature, EXAFS data suggest that FeCl_3(aq) may be a mixture of octahedral and tetrahedral or trigonal dipyramidal forms.The room temperature formation constants for three ferric chloride complexes (FeCl₂⁺, FeCl_3(aq) and FeCl₄⁻) determined from the UV data are generally in good agreement with previous studies. Calculations based on the properties extrapolated to 300 °C show that hematite solubility is much higher than previously estimated, and that the high orders complexes FeCl_3(aq) and FeCl₄⁻ are important at high temperatures even in solutions with low chloride concentrations. The accuracy of these properties is limited by a poor understanding of activity-composition relationships in concentrated electrolytes, and by limitations in the available experimental techniques and extrapolation algorithms; however, the inclusion of higher order complexes in numerical models of ore transport and deposition allows for a more accurate qualitative prediction of Fe behaviour in hydrothermal and hypersaline systems.     

The solubility of nantokite (CuCl(s)) and Cu speciation in low-density fluids near the critical isochore: An in-situ XAS study

The solubility of nantokite (CuCl_(s)) and the structure of the predominant copper species in supercritical water (290-400 bar at 420 °C; 350-450 °C at 290 bar; 500 °C at 350 bar; density = 0.14-0.65 g/cm³) were investigated concurrently using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques. These conditions were chosen as they represent single phase solutions near the critical isochore, where the fluid density is intermediate of typical values for vapour and brine and is highly sensitive to even small changes in pressure. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) analyses show that aqueous copper occurs in a slightly distorted linear coordination in the solutions studied, with an average of 1.35(±0.3) Cl and 0.65(±0.3) O neighbours. The solubility of CuCl_(s) decreases exponentially with decreasing water density (i.e., decreasing pressure at constant temperature), in a manner similar to the solubility behaviour of salts such as NaCl in water vapour. Based on this similarity, an apparent equilibrium constant for the dissolution reaction of 0.5 ± 0.4 was calculated from a regression of the data at 420 °C, and it was determined that each Cu atom is solvated by approximately three water molecules. This indicates that under these conditions, copper solubility is controlled mainly by the structure of the second-shell hydration, which is essentially invisible to the XAS techniques used in this study.These results demonstrate that for a supercritical fluid near the critical isochore, decreasing pressure may initiate precipitation of copper even before boiling or phase separation. Such a process could be responsible for near-surface ore deposition in seafloor hydrothermal systems, where supercritical fluids experience rapid pressure changes during the transition between lithostatic and hydrostatic domains.     

Solubility products of amorphous ferric arsenate and crystalline scorodite (FeAsO4 · 2H2O) and their application to arsenic behavior in buried mine tailings

Published solubility data for amorphous ferric arsenate and scorodite have been reevaluated using the geochemical code PHREEQC with a modified thermodynamic database for the arsenic species. Solubility product calculations have emphasized measurements obtained under conditions of congruent dissolution of ferric arsenate (pH < 3), and have taken into account ion activity coefficients, and ferric hydroxide, ferric sulfate, and ferric arsenate complexes which have association constants of 10^4.04 (FeH₂AsO₄²⁺), 10^9.86 (FeHAsO₄⁺), and 10^18.9 (FeAsO₄). Derived solubility products of amorphous ferric arsenate and crystalline scorodite (as log K_sp) are −23.0 ± 0.3 and −25.83 ± 0.07, respectively, at 25 °C and 1 bar pressure. In an application of the solubility results, acid raffinate solutions (molar Fe/As = 3.6) from the JEB uranium mill at McClean Lake in northern Saskatchewan were neutralized with lime to pH 2-8. Poorly crystalline scorodite precipitated below pH 3, removing perhaps 98% of the As(V) from solution, with ferric oxyhydroxide (FO) phases precipitated starting between pH 2 and 3. Between pH 2.18 and 7.37, the apparent log K_sp of ferric arsenate decreased from −22.80 to −24.67, while that of FO (as Fe(OH)₃) increased from −39.49 to −33.5. Adsorption of As(V) by FO can also explain the decrease in the small amounts of As(V)(aq) that remain in solution above pH 2-3. The same general As(V) behavior is observed in the pore waters of neutralized tailings buried for 5 yr at depths of up to 32 m in the JEB tailings management facility (TMF), where arsenic in the pore water decreases to 1-2 mg/L with increasing age and depth. In the TMF, average apparent log K_sp values for ferric arsenate and ferric hydroxide are −25.74 ± 0.88 and −37.03 ± 0.58, respectively. In the laboratory tests and in the TMF, the increasing crystallinity of scorodite and the amorphous character of the coexisting FO phase increases the stability field of scorodite relative to that of the FO to near-neutral pH values. The kinetic inability of amorphous FO to crystallize probably results from the presence of high concentrations of sulfate and arsenate.     

Effects of pH and temperature on dimerization rate of glycine: Evaluation of favorable environmental conditions for chemical evolution of life

To evaluate favorable environmental conditions for the chemical evolution of life, we studied the effects of pH and temperature on the dimerization rate of glycine (Gly: NH₂-CH₂-COOH), one of the simplest amino acids. Gly dimerizes to form glycylglycine (GlyGly), and GlyGly further reacts to form diketopiperazine (DKP). Gly solutions with pH ranging from 3.1 to 10.9 were heated for 1-14 days at 140 °C, and changes in concentrations of Gly, GlyGly, and DKP were evaluated. At pH 9.8, the experiments were conducted at 120, 140, 160, and 180 °C. The dimerization rate of Gly was nearly constant at pH 3-7 and increased with increasing pH from 7 to 9.8 and then decreased with further increases in pH. To elucidate the reason for this pH dependency, we evaluated the role of the three dissociation states of Gly (cationic state: Gly⁺, zwitterionic state: Gly^±, and anionic state: Gly⁻). For pH >6, the dominant forms are Gly^± and Gly⁻, and the molar fraction of Gly^± decreases and that of Gly⁻ increases with increasing pH. The dimerization rate was determined for each dissociation state. The reaction between Gly^± and Gly⁻ was found to be the fastest; the rate constant of the reaction between Gly^± and Gly⁻ was 10 times the size of that between Gly⁻ and Gly⁻ and 98 times that between Gly^± and Gly^±. The dimerization rate became greatest at pH 9.8 because the molar fractions of Gly^± and Gly⁻ are approximately equal at this pH. The dimerization rate increased with temperature, and an activation energy of 88 kJ mol⁻¹ was obtained. Based on these results and previous reports on the stability of amino acids under hydrothermal conditions, we determined that Gly dimerizes most efficiently under alkaline pH (∼9.8) at about 150 °C.     

Precipitation kinetics and carbon isotope partitioning of inorganic siderite at 25°C and 1 atm

Siderite was precipitated from NaHCO₃ and Fe(ClO₄)₂ solutions under anaerobic conditions at 25°C and 1 atm total pressure using a modified version of the chemo-stat technique and the free-drift technique. Samples of solution and solid were withdrawn at different time intervals during time course experiments to determine the bulk and isotope composition of the solution and solid, and the morphology and mineralogy of the solid. A series of metastable precursors precipitated and dissolved sequentially, culminating in well-crystallized siderite rhombohedra having an average edge of ∼ 2 μm and a limited size distribution. Siderite precipitation rate ranged from 10^0.23 to 10^2.44 μmol•m⁻²•h⁻¹ for saturation states (with respect to siderite) ranging from near equilibrium to 10^3.53. Calculated carbon isotope fractionation factors (10³lnα) averaged 8.5 ± 0.2 (1σ n = 4) for the siderite-CO_2(g) system and 0.5 ± 0.2 (1σ n = 4) for the siderite-HCO₃⁻_(aq) system.     

Hydrosulfide/sulfide complexes of copper(I): Experimental confirmation of the stoichiometry and stability of Cu(HS)2− to elevated temperatures

The solubility of chalcocite has been measured over the temperature range 35-95°C at pH 6.5-7.5 in aqueous hydrosulfide solutions in order to determine the stability constants of the Cu(HS)₂⁻ complex. A heated flow-through system was used in which solutions are collected at temperature to avoid the problem of copper precipitation due to quenching. The quality of the data was sufficient to resolve a 0.1 log unit increase of the dissolution/complexation equilibrium constant with each 10°C increase in temperature. The equilibrium constants were fit using previously published methods to obtain the values of thermodynamic parameters for the Cu(HS)₂⁻ complexation reaction. To compare results with predictive techniques, one-term and two-term isocoulombic extrapolation methods were applied to the stability constants measured below 100°C. The two-term extrapolation to 350°C showed excellent agreement with the derived constants proving its applicability to soft metal-soft ligand interactions. The one-term method gave a reasonable agreement but deviated about one logarithmic unit at 350°C. This is attributed to differences in energetic, volumetric, and structural properties of the reactants and products. Speciation calculations show that at low temperatures (<150°C), the hydrosulfide complexes of copper will dominate over chloride complexes at low salinites (<0.1 mol kg⁻¹) while at higher temperatures, chloride complexes will be dominant under most geological conditions. Only in solutions with high reduced sulfur content and alkaline pH values will hydrosulfide complexes predominate and may play a role in the generation of economic copper mineralization.     

A thermodynamic model for the prediction of phase equilibria and speciation in the H2O-CO2-NaCl-CaCO3-CaSO4 system from 0 to 250 °C, 1 to 1000 bar with NaCl concentrations up to halite saturation

A thermodynamic model is developed for the calculation of both phase and speciation equilibrium in the H₂O-CO₂-NaCl-CaCO₃-CaSO₄ system from 0 to 250 °C, and from 1 to 1000 bar with NaCl concentrations up to the saturation of halite. The vapor-liquid-solid (calcite, gypsum, anhydrite and halite) equilibrium together with the chemical equilibrium of H⁺,Na⁺,Ca²⁺, , , and CaSO_4(aq) in the aqueous liquid phase as a function of temperature, pressure and salt concentrations can be calculated with accuracy close to the experimental results.Based on this model validated from experimental data, it can be seen that temperature, pressure and salinity all have significant effects on pH, alkalinity and speciations of aqueous solutions and on the solubility of calcite, halite, anhydrite and gypsum. The solubility of anhydrite and gypsum will decrease as temperature increases (e.g. the solubility will decrease by 90% from 360 K to 460 K). The increase of pressure may increase the solubility of sulphate minerals (e.g. gypsum solubility increases by about 20-40% from vapor pressure to 600 bar). Addition of NaCl to the solution may increase mineral solubility up to about 3 molality of NaCl, adding more NaCl beyond that may slightly decrease its solubility. Dissolved CO₂ in solution may decrease the solubility of minerals. The influence of dissolved calcite on the solubility of gypsum and anhydrite can be ignored, but dissolved gypsum or anhydrite has a big influence on the calcite solubility. Online calculation is made available on www.geochem-model.org/model.     

Uranophane dissolution and growth in CaCl2-SiO2(aq) test solutions

The dissolution and growth of uranophane [Ca(UO₂)₂(SiO₃OH)₂·5H₂O] have been examined in Ca- and Si-rich test solutions at low temperatures (20.5 ± 2.0 °C) and near-neutral pH (∼6.0). Uranium-bearing experimental solutions undersaturated and supersaturated with uranophane were prepared in matrices of ∼10⁻² M CaCl₂ and ∼10⁻³ M SiO₂(aq). The experimental solutions were reacted with synthetic uranophane and analyzed periodically over 10 weeks. Interpretation of the aqueous solution data permitted extraction of a solubility constant for the uranophane dissolution reaction and standard state Gibbs free energy of formation for uranophane ( kJ mol⁻¹).     

An experimental study of the solubility and speciation of neodymium (III) fluoride in F-bearing aqueous solutions

The solubility of neodymium (III) fluoride was investigated at temperatures of 150, 200 and 250 °C, saturated water vapor pressure, and a total fluoride concentration (HF°_aq + F⁻) ranging from 2.0 × 10⁻³ to 0.23 mol/l. The results of the experiments show that Nd³⁺ and NdF²⁺ are the dominant species in solution at the temperatures investigated and were used to derive formation constants for NdF²⁺ and a solubility product for NdF₃. The solubility product of NdF₃(logK_sp=loga_Nd³⁺+3loga_F^-) is −24.4 ± 0.2, −22.8 ± 0.1, and −21.5 ± 0.2 at 250, 200 and 150 °C, respectively, and the formation constant of NdF²⁺(logβ=loga_NdF²⁺-loga_Nd³⁺-loga_F^-) is 6.8 ± 0.1, 6.2 ± 0.1, and 5.5 ± 0.2 at 250, 200 and 150 °C, respectively. The results of this study show that published theoretical predictions significantly overestimate the stability of NdF²⁺ and the solubility of NdF₃.The potential impact of the results on natural systems was evaluated for a hypothetical fluid with a composition similar to that responsible for REE mineralization in the Capitan pluton, New Mexico. In contrast to results obtained using the theoretical predictions of Haas [Haas J. R., Shock E. L., and Sassani D. C. (1995) Rare earth elements in hydrothermal systems: estimates of standard partial molal thermodynamic properties of aqueous complexes of the rare earth elements at high pressures and temperatures. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta59, 4329-4350.], which indicate that NdF²⁺ is the dominant species in solution, calculations employing the data presented in this paper and previously published experimental data for chloride and sulfate species [Migdisov A. A., and Williams-Jones A. E. (2002) A spectrophotometric study of neodymium(III) complexation in chloride solutions. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta66, 4311-4323; Migdisov A. A., Reukov V. V., and Williams-Jones A. E. (2006) A spectrophotometric study of neodymium(III) complexation in sulfate solutions at elevated temperatures. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta70, 983-992.] show that neodymium chloride species predominate and that neodymium fluoride species are relatively unimportant. This suggests that accepted models for REE deposits that invoke fluoride complexation as the method of hydrothermal REE transport may need to be re-evaluated.     

Estimates of the second dissociation constant of H2S from the surface sulfidation of crystalline sulfur

The adsorption of hydrogen sulfide (Γ_H2S) and protons (Γ_H⁺) on the surface of crystalline sulfur was investigated experimentally in H₂S-bearing solutions at temperatures of 25, 50, and 70°C, NaCl concentrations of 0.1 and 0.5 mol/dm⁻³ and log C_H⁺ values in the range −2.3 to −5. At all temperatures, the dominant process on the surface of the sulfur was deprotonation, and the average values of Γ_H2S were very close to the highest values determined for Γ_H⁺. This finding, combined with the lack of detectable proton adsorption in H₂S-free solutions, suggests that proton adsorption/desorption on the surface of sulfur occurs through formation of ≡ S − H₂S complexes in the presence of H₂S.We propose that this complexation represents sulfidation of the sulfur surface, a process analogous to hydroxylation of oxide surfaces, and that the sulfidation can be described by the reaction: ≡ S + H₂S = ≡SSH₂⁰ β° The deprotonation of the ≡ SH° complex occurs via the reaction: ≡ SSH₂⁰ = ≡SSH⁻ + H⁺ β⁻ Values of 2.9, 2.8, and 2.9 (± 0.23) were obtained for −log β⁻ at 25, 50, and 70°C, respectively. These data were employed to estimate the second dissociation constant for hydrogen sulfide in aqueous solutions using the extrapolation method proposed by Schoonen and Barnes (1988) and yielded corresponding values for the constant of 17.4 ± 0.3, 15.7, and 14.5, respectively. The value for 25°C is in very good agreement with the experimentally determined values of Giggenbach (1971) at 17 ± 0.1; Meyer et al. (1983) at 17 ± 1; Licht and Manassen (1987) at 17.6 ± 0.3; and Licht et al. (1990) at 17.1 ± 0.3.