The mineral sphalerite (Zn,Fe)S has been characterized by a combination of X-ray diffraction, EPR and NIR spectroscopy. The optical absorption spectrum of mineral sphalerite is due to an iron impurity only, which is in a distorted octahedral environment. The g=2.2 is attributed to iron and g and A value observed in the spectrum 1.999 and 6.0 mT are assigned to Mn(II) impurity in the mineral. Th...

An atomic force microscope (AFM) has been used to conduct force measurements to better understand the role of hydrophobic forces in flotation. The force measurements were conducted between a flat mineral substrate and a hydrophobic glass sphere in aqueous solutions. It is assumed that the hydrophobic glass sphere may simulate the behavior of air bubbles during flotation. The results may provide...

The processing mineralogy characteristics of an oxidized lead-zinc ore from Sichuan were studied systematically using numerous modern instruments. Results showed that lead and zinc oxide content in the ore exceeded the minimum industrial grade, and also included a relatively high concentration of silver and iron. This ore is composed of many different minerals. Major zinc-containing minerals in...

Znl_xMg$e crystals were grown in the range extending up to x’ = 0.615 and characterized using the X-ray diffraction and electron probe microanalysis. Below x=0.2 there is a phase transition from sphalerite to wurtzite. The lattice constants are found to exhibit linear dependence on x for both, the sphalerite and wurtzite structure types. For compositions close to the phase transition, the forma...

Novel core-shell nanostructures comprised of cubic sphalerite and hexagonal wurtzite ZnS have been synthesized at 150°C by a simple hydrothermal method. The results of HR-TEM and SAED investigation reveal that the cores of hexagonal wurtzite ZnS (ca. 200 nm in average diameter) are encapsulated by a shell of cubic sphalerite ZnS. The FE-SEM image of the nanomaterials shows a surface tightly pac...

A carbonate concretion from the shale bed overlying the No. 5 coal of Pennsylvanian age in Tuscarawas County is composed of siderite and contains pyrite, barite, sphalerite and traces of calcite in its interior and in fractures. The siderite has 8 C = + 0.65%o, Sr=289 ppm and Sr/Sr=0.7110±0.0009These results indicate that the siderite was deposited from brackish water in the pore spaces of the ...

The effect of pH and electrochemical potential on copper uptake, xanthate adsorption and the hydrophobicity of sphalerite were studied from flotation practice point of view using electrochemical and micro-flotation techniques. Voltammetric studies conducted using the combination of carbon matrix composite (CMC) electrode and surface conduction (SC) electrode show that the kinetics of activation...

In order to develop a novel model to predict if a so called normal tetrahedral compound crystallizes in a wurtziteor sphalerite superstructure type, the system Cu3AsS4– Cu3SbS4 was reinvestigated. A solid solution series was prepared and the mixed crystals were characterized by powder X-ray techniques. The crystal structures of Cu3As0.330Sb0.670S4, Cu3As0.736Sb0.264S4, and Cu3AsS4 were refined ...

The kinetics and mechanisms of dissolution of the major base metal sulphide minerals, pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite in acidic (chloride) media have been investigated. Minerals were ground in air, then dissolved in air-equilibrated solutions at pH 2.5, while monitoring the redox potential. Solution samples were analysed by ICP-AES and HPLC, and surfaces of residual sulphides analys...