Oxidation of As-bearing gold ore—a comparison of batch and column experiments |
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Affiliation: | a Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, Albertov 6, 128 43, Czech Republic;b Laboratories of Geological Institutes, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 2, Albertov 6, 128 43, Czech Republic |
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Abstract: | This study deals with the experimental determination of the rate of weathering and As release from Au-bearing sulfide ores of the Mokrsko-West deposit (Czech Republic). The elevated As contents in the ore and the possible As mobilisation must be taken into account due to the close proximity of the deposit to the Vltava River, a source of drinking water for Prague. Crushed and homogenized ore material was divided into four grain-size fractions showing uniform chemical and mineralogical composition and subjected to batch and column leaching experiments. The most important reactions controlling metal leaching include (i) oxidation of sulfides, (ii) carbonate equilibrium and (iii) precipitation of hydrated ferric oxides (HFO). Hydrated ferric oxides were found to be important sorbents of mobilized As. The highest concentration of As in the leachates was obtained from the 64–1000 μm fraction. The oxidation rate in the agitated batch experiment calculated on the basis of sulfate concentrations is an order of magnitude higher (3.8×10−9 to 4.4×10−8 mol SO42− h−1 g−1) than in the static column experiment (9.6×10−10 to 7.4×10−9 mol SO42− h−1 g−1). The higher oxidation rate of batch experiments is explained by abrasion of oxidation products (mainly HFO) and by further exposition of reaction surfaces of the sulfide grains. |
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Keywords: | Arsenic Gold-bearing ore Batch leaching Column leaching Sulfides Weathering rate |
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