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Article
The Stability of Selected Sulfide Minerals in Sulfuric Acid and Acidic Thiocyanate Solutions
Electrochimica Acta
  • M. Sadegh Safarzadeh
  • Jinshan Li
  • Michael S. Moats, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Jan D. Miller
Editor(s)
Trasatti, S.
Abstract

The stability of pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covellite, bornite and enargite at pH 2 in the absence and presence of thiocyanate has been determined by linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry under conditions pertaining to the thiocyanate leaching of gold (pH 2 and 602-702 mV vs. SHE). Electrochemical measurements indicated that the decomposition rate of all sulfide minerals increased with an increase in oxidation potential with pyrite and chalcopyrite being the least reactive and chalcocite and bornite being the most reactive of the examined sulfides. The oxidation rate of covellite and enargite was higher than that of pyrite and chalcopyrite but much lower than that of chalcocite and bornite. It was found that the variation of pH from pH 1 to pH 3 has minimal effect on the oxidation rate of pyrite and chalcopyrite. In the presence of 0.05 M thiocyanate at pH 2 and in the potential range of interest for gold leaching (602-702 mV vs. SHE), the effect of thiocyanate was not significant on the oxidation of selected sulfides.

Department(s)
Materials Science and Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
  • Thiocyanate,
  • Leaching,
  • Gold,
  • Linear Sweep Voltammetry,
  • Chronoamperometry
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2012 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
9-1-2012
Publication Date
01 Sep 2012
Citation Information
M. Sadegh Safarzadeh, Jinshan Li, Michael S. Moats and Jan D. Miller. "The Stability of Selected Sulfide Minerals in Sulfuric Acid and Acidic Thiocyanate Solutions" Electrochimica Acta Vol. 78 (2012) p. 133 - 138 ISSN: 0013-4686
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/michael-moats/25/