A study on the behavior of mercury in weathering environment in Wanshan district

Studies on the mechanism of supergenic dispersion, migration and enrichment of mercury and other elements in strata-bound ore deposits are of great importance both in theory and in practice. In special reference to the Wanshan mercury ore deposits, this paper discusses the mechanism of supergenic migration of mercury and the associated elements lead, zinc, antimony, etc. In this paper the focus of the discussion is placed on the existing forms of mercury, the rules governing the migration and enrichment of mercury and associated elements in the process of weathering and some aspects of the simulating experiments on weathering of carbonate rocks. Three existing forms of mercury are recognized in carbonate rocks. The migration of mercury together with the associated elements in the process of weathering follows the sequence: SiO₂→Pb→Hg→Sb→Zn. The results of simulating experiments on weathering of carbonate rocks show that weathered materials contain more mercury and associated elements than the original rocks.