Asian Journal of Research in Chemistry

V. L. Barone ¹, D. Gazzoli ², I. D. Lick ³, I. B. Schalamuk ³, I. L. Botto ³

Affiliations
1 Universidad Nacional de La Plat, AR
2 Dipartimento di Chimica, Universitá La Sapienza, Rome, IT
3 Universidad Nacional de La Plata, AR

Abstract

The thermal oxidation of enargite (Cu₃AsS₄) from Chuquicamata (Chile), has been studied between RT and 800°C. Enargite samples were heated in air atmosphere and analyzed by means of several physicochemical techniques such as XRPD, SEM-EDS, FTIR, XPS and chemical analysis. A surface digenite formation was observed in a first step. The XPS technique was particularly useful to correlate the copper oxidation with the As-O-Cu interaction, responsible for the continuous and slow As evolution up to temperatures higher than 600°C. These results must be considered of interest to reduce the negative environmental impact of the technological copper production from valuable Cu-ores where enargite is present.

Keywords

Enargite, Oxidation, As-O-Cu Interaction, Arsenic Evolution.

Full Text