Surface Studies of the Interaction of Copper Ions with Metal Sulfide Minerals

摘要

The interaction of copper ions in aqueous solution with the surface of galena (PbS) and sphalerite (ZnS) has been studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning Auger microscopy (SAM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These studies were conducted with several of the experimental parameters of the chemical reaction systems being varied, the parameters including copper ion concentration, variation of the anion associated with the initial copper salt, temperature, reaction time, and pH. Scanning Auger microscopy was used for studying elemental segregation and mapping of the reacted mineral surfaces. A rigorous use of model compounds was made in the study of each mineral surface reaction system. (ERA citation 09:035901)