Pyrite oxidation rates and timing of weathering in supergene deposits: new insights from XPS approach
- 1Department of Geology, Institute of Life-Earth-Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium
- 2Department of Physics, Namur Institute of Structured Matter (NISM), Synthesis, Irradiation and Analysis of Materials (SIAM), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium
- 3KU Leuven, Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, Division of Geology, Celestijnenlaan 200E, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
Pyrite is one of the most common sulfides on Earth and occurs in many Cu, Pb and Zn sulfides (hypogene) ore deposits. By using XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) surface and depth analyses, we propose a new experimental approach to determine the oxidation rate of pyrite in three exposure/conditions: i) air, ii) water and iii) water drip (Figure 1). Pyrite samples are almost pure and were collected from the Danube–Bouchon quarry (Hautrage, Belgium), in Barremian black clays of the Wealden facies sediments in the Mons Basin. These pyrites are nodules with cubic aggregates on the surface which were used for the different experiments.
The results reveal a maximum oxidation rate of 11.7 ± 1.8 nm day−1 for drip exposure associated with the precipitation of Fe-sulfates or/and oxides depending on the experimental conditions. These data can be extrapolated to the different zones of weathering profiles (gossan, saprolite and cementation zone). The extrapolation shows a maximum rate of 4.3 ± 0.6 m Ma−1, values consistent with those obtained by other methods such as isotope dating of weathering profiles (e.g. [1,2]). The oxidation in natural systems can vary following different factors, such as the nature of the host rock (protore) and the primary mineralogy, the porosity/permeability and fractures, the presence of an oxidizing environment, climate change over time, the action of bacteria as catalysts, …
Figure 1 - Macroscopic evolution of pyrite oxidation over time in the different experiments [3]
References
[1] De Putter T, Ruffet G, Yans J, Mees F (2015) Ore Geol Rev 71:350–362. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.OREGEOREV.2015.06.015
[2] Vasconcelos PM, Conroy M (2003) Geochim Cosmochim Acta 67:2913–2930. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7037(02)01372-8.
[3] Poot J, Felten A, Colaux JL, Gouttebaron R, Lepêcheur G, Rochez G, Yans J (2024) Environ Earth Sci 83:9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11325-z
How to cite: Poot, J., Felten, A., Colaux, J. L., Gouttebaron, R., Lepêcheur, G., Rochez, G., and Yans, J.: Pyrite oxidation rates and timing of weathering in supergene deposits: new insights from XPS approach, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-21668, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-21668, 2024.
