The solubility of gold in H2O-H2S vapour at elevated temperature and pressure

This experimental study sheds light on the complexation of gold in reduced sulphur-bearing vapour, specifically, in H₂O-H₂S gas mixtures. The solubility of gold was determined in experiments at temperatures of 300, 350 and 365 °C and reached 2.2, 6.6 and 6.3 μg/kg, respectively. The density of the vapour varied from 0.02 to 0.22 g/cm³, the mole fraction of H₂S varied from 0.03 to 0.96, and the pressure in the cell reached 263 bar. Statistically significant correlations of the amount of gold dissolved in the fluid with the fugacity of H₂O and H₂S permit the experimental data to be fitted to a solvation/hydration model. According to this model, the solubility of gold in H₂O-H₂S gas mixtures is controlled by the formation of sulphide or bisulphide species solvated by H₂S or H₂O molecules. Formation of gold sulphide species is favoured statistically over gold bisulphide species and thus the gold is interpreted to dissolve according to reactions of the form:

(A1)