Pyrite oxidation in aqueous ferric chloride

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Abstract
The rate of pyrite oxidation in aqueous ferric chloride was determined for two distinct solid particle systems: industrial grade pyrite and coal particles containing pyrite. The oxidation rate for the pyrite particle system was found to increase significantly with increasing temperature (40° to 100°C), ferric chloride concentration (0.1 and 1.0 M), and pyrite loading (2 to 20 g/l); the rate decreased with increasing particle size (−325 to 140 mesh). Agitation did not have a significant effect, and a kinetic model was developed and fit to the experimental data.For the coal particle system used in this study, the most important variable was particle size. The oxidation rate of pyrite in coal smaller than 325 mesh was much greater than in larger coal particles. The effect of temperature (80° to 100°C) on the oxidation of pyrite in coal was not significant, nor was the effect of pretreatment with 0.1N hydrochloric acid. Approximately half of the detected ferric iron reduction was attributable to pyrite oxidation; the balance arises from other coal reactions.

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