China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Petroleum Geochemical Survey
Published in Muhammad Abdul Quddus, Petroleum Science and Technology, 2021
Sulfide mineral consists of sulfide radical (S)n– along with a metallic cation radical (M)m+ to make a neutral stable mineral. The metal ion (M)m+ is usually derived from a transition metal. Transition metals have variable valences and are more reactive. The chemical formula of the mineral is MnSm where M is a metal ion; m and n integers denote the variable valency of the sulfide and metallic ions. Sulfides of iron (pyrite), lead (galena), mercury (cinnabar), molybdenum (molybdenite) and copper (chalcopyrite) are a few examples of useful sulfide minerals. Sulfide mineral containing nickel, cobalt, zinc and silver are commercial minerals and are classified as ores. Ores are used to extract their respective metals. The sulfide minerals are mostly of igneous origin. They are black and exist in different crystalline structures. They exhibit high density and can be hard or soft materials.
Environmental Impacts of Metal Ore Mining and Processing
Published in Mritunjoy Sengupta, Environmental Impacts of Mining, 2021
Acidification caused by sulfide minerals in the ore and the surrounding rock is one of the major sources of water pollution from mining operations. Sulfide minerals are the main potentials of acid generation in mining operations. Pyrite is the principal source of acid generation. Other sulfide minerals present in the parent ore are also potent sources of acid pollution from mining operations. Acid minerals on contact with ground water and air produce acid which then flows into ground water. Such acidified water is the main source of water pollution.
Long-Term Evolution of Reclamation Performance
Published in Bruno Bussière, Marie Guittonny, Hard Rock Mine Reclamation, 2020
Bruno Bussière, Marie Guittonny
Engineered covers are used worldwide to confine reactive wastes in landfills and mine waste sites at closure. In mine waste facilities, where sulfide minerals are exposed to water and atmospheric oxygen, sulfuric acid can be produced. This process can decrease the pH of drainage waters and liberate potentially toxic metals (Blowes et al. 2014), thus resulting in acid mine drainage (AMD; see Chapter 1). Ensuring the chemical stability of wastes to control AMD is one of the main issues related to mine site reclamation, as well as the physical stability of waste storage facilities (not specifically treated in this book). To this end, engineered covers (see Chapters 4 to 9) can be used to control oxygen migration, water infiltration, and/or reactive mine waste temperature to limit acid generation (Aubertin et al. 2015; the fundamental processes underlying water, oxygen, and heat transport in mine covers and wastes are described in Chapter 3).
Study on Flotability and Surface Oxidation of Sulfide Minerals from the Tailing of an Iron-Copper Mine Using Electron Probe Microanalyzer
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2021
Yahui Zhang, Zhidong Tang, John Shirokoff
Comprehensive mineral composition studies through microscopic identification and X-ray diffraction analysis show that the mineral composition of the raw material is complex. Metal sulfide minerals included are mainly pyrite, chalcopyrite, bornite, covellite, and pyrrhotite. Iron minerals included are magnetite, martite, hematite, limonite, and siderite. Main gangue minerals are biotite, phlogopite, ankerite, and calcite, followed by quartz, feldspar, tremolite, diopside, and actinolite. Other trace minerals include chlorite, apatite, zircon, garnet, gypsum, ilmenite and titanite, etc. The result of X-ray diffraction analysis of the raw material is shown in Figure 1. It can be seen that the characteristic diffraction peaks of sulfide minerals are not found in the spectrum because of their low contents. Table 4 lists the weight percentage of main minerals in the raw material obtained by microscope observation.
Processing of Refractory Gold-Bearing Sulfide Concentrates: A Review
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2023
Bauyrzhan Surimbayev, Ata Akcil, Lyudmila Bolotova, Serikbol Shalgymbayev, Aliya Baikonurova
The selection of an apt pre-treatment technology requires further studies on the mineralogical aspects of the concentrates and the form in which gold exists. The final choice is based on comparing gold extraction indicators and calculating the costs for optimal profitability. Further development of technologies should focus on hydrometallurgical processes for the preliminary oxidation of sulfide minerals towards providing environmentfriendly solutions that avoid harmful gas emissions.
Effects of Grinding Media on Grinding Products and Flotation Performance of Sulfide Ores
Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2021
Xiaolong Zhang, Yuexin Han, S. K. Kawatra
This paper provides a review of the effects of grinding media on the chemical properties of the pulp (i.e., dissolved oxygen, pulp potential, pH, and ion concentration), particle size distribution, surface morphology and species, and crystal structure of the ground products, and on the flotation performance of sulfide ores. The main conclusions and recommendations are the following: The choice of grinding media strongly affects the properties of the grinding products and flotation performance of sulfide ores through electrochemical and mechano-chemical interactions taking place in a sulfide minerals-grinding media system.The electrochemical reactions include local cell actions and galvanic couple actions between the minerals and grinding media. The mineral or grinding media with the lower rest potential acts as the anode and the one with a higher rest potential acts as the cathode, which gives rise to various redox reactions during grinding, resulting in significant changes in the pulp and surface properties of the grinding products.Grinding media with lower electrochemical activity leads to a greater oxidizing environment, higher pulp potential, lower pulp pH, and lower pulp iron concentration, and fewer iron hydroxide species on the surface of sulfide minerals.The mechano-chemical action in the grinding circuit can have a significant impact on the resulting particle size distribution, surface morphology, and crystal structure of the sulfide minerals. The roughness and density of the grinding media directly affect the magnitude of the impact and frictional forces during grinding. Grinding via abrasion resulted in smoother surfaces, which was found to correspond to improved hydrophobicity and flotation performance.Good flotation performance of sulfide ores can be achieved through a proper selection of grinding media. The weaker the activity of grinding media, the less the adverse effect on the flotation of sulfide ores.The replacement of steel balls with ceramic balls or pebbles as the grinding media for sulfide ore showed promising results, which have been verified in industrial production.