scholarly journals Copper slag as a potential source of critical elements - A case study from Tsumeb, Namibia

Author(s):  
S. Lohmeier ◽  
B.G. Lottermoser ◽  
T. Schirmer ◽  
D. Gallhofer

SYNOPSIS At a time of resource consumption, it is important to study the chemical composition of mining and metallurgical wastes to prevent the dissipative loss of metals and metalloids from the mining value chain. In particular, the recovery of critical elements from wastes is an option to increase the resources of such materials that are economically significant and have an overall supply risk. In this paper we report on the chemical composition, in particular the critical element content, of granulated slag originating from historical smelting activities in the Tsumeb area, Namibia. Laboratory-based inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses as well as portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) demonstrate that the slags are on average enriched in base metals (Cu 0.7 wt%, Pb 2.7 wt%, Zn 4.7 wt%), trace metals and metalloids (Cd approx. 50 mg/kg, Mo approx. 910 mg/kg) as well as critical elements (As approx. 6300 mg/kg, Bi approx. 3 mg/kg, Co approx. 200 mg/kg, Ga approx. 100 mg/kg, In approx. 9 mg/kg, Sb approx. 470 mg/kg). While metals and metalloids such as As, Mo and Pb can be determined reliably using pXRF instruments, the technique has inherent limitations in evaluating the contents of certain critical elements (Ga, Sb). However, there are positive correlations between the As, Mo, and Pb contents determined by pXRF and the Ga and Sb contents obtained through ICP-MS and XRF. Thus, quantitative pXRF analysis for As, Mo, and Pb allows calculation of Ga and Sb abundances in the slags. This work demonstrates that pXRF analysers are a valuable tool to screen smelting slags for their chemical composition and to predict the likely contents of critical elements. Keywords: base metal slag, portable XRF, critical elements, secondary resource.

Author(s):  
Radosław Rogoziński ◽  
Alina Maciejewska

AbstractVarved clay deposits from ice-dammed lakes are a particularly important and broadly applied raw material used for the production of high-quality ceramics (red bricks, roof tiles, etc.), but the mineralogy and geochemistry of these sediments are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical and mineralogical composition of ice-dammed lake sediments of the Lębork deposit. Major-element analysis of the compositions of selected samples from the ice-dammed lake clays was performed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and trace elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The mineralogical composition of clay samples was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Analyses of the chemical composition of the ice-dammed lake clays of the Lębork deposit showed that the dominant component was SiO2 with a mean content of 56.13 wt.%; the second most abundant component was Al2O3, with a mean content for the entire deposit of 11.61 wt.%. Analysis by ICP-MS indicated the presence of rare earth elements (REE), e.g. cerium, neodymium, lanthanum, and praseodymium; their mean contents are: 56.9, 27.0, 26.3, and 7.3 ppm, respectively. Mineralogical analysis of the varved clays identified quartz, muscovite, calcite, and clay minerals – illite, kaolinite, and montmorillonite. The material filling the Lębork basin is characterized by small lateral and vertical variability in chemical composition. The results of the present study may be of considerable importance in determining the parent igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, the weathering products of which supplied material to the ice-dammed lake, as well as in determining the mechanisms and character of the sedimentation process itself.


Agrociencia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-434
Author(s):  
Juliana Padilla-Cuevas ◽  
Hernani T. Yee-Madeira ◽  
Agustín Merino-García ◽  
Claudia Hidalgo ◽  
Jorge D. Etchevers

Las técnicas para analizar los elementos esenciales o tóxicos para las plantas y los seres humanos, ha experimentado un acelerado desarrollo en los últimos tiempos, tanto en las convencionales o clásicas, que requieren la solubilización de la muestra, como en otras emergentes que no la requieren. Las técnicas convencionales avanzadas y las no destructivas se usan poco por los investigadores en genética, agronomía, nutrición, fisiología, biología, para evaluar la composición y calidad nutrimental de alimentos, cuantificar elementos metálicos esenciales y tóxicos, diagnosticar el estado nutrimental de los cultivos y estudiar alimentos funcionales. Estas técnicas analíticas se pueden aplicar, además, a suelos, abonos y fertilizantes. El objetivo de este ensayo es difundir las posibilidades de aplicación y los principios básicos de estas técnicas analíticas emergentes. La espectrometría de emisión por atomización con plasma inductivamente acoplado (ICP, Inductively coupled plasma) y la de ICP masas (ICP-MS, Mass spectrometry with inductive coupling plasma) tienen mayor interés que las técnicas clásicas usadas en los laboratorios de los países de escaso desarrollo, como las espectrometrías de emisión (AES, Atomic emission spectrometry) y absorción atómica (AAS, Atomic absorption spectrometry), que requieren solubilización de la matriz. La ICP-MS y la ICP tienen ventajas para el análisis simultáneo de contenidos totales de la mayoría de los elementos esenciales para el crecimiento de los vegetales. Entre las técnicas no destructivas de la matriz, la mayoría de las consideradas en este ensayo se basan en la interacción de los rayos X con la materia, como fotoemisión de rayos X (XPS, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry), emisión de rayos X inducida por partículas (PIXE, Particle induced X-ray emission), fluorescencia de rayos X (XRF, X-ray fluorescence) y espectrometría de dispersión de energía de rayos X (EDS, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), similares en sus fundamentos. Estas técnicas, a diferencias de las anteriores, no requieren solubilizar la muestra o su preparación es mínima. Otras ventajas son su rapidez, la realización de análisis multielemental simultáneo, tamaño pequeño de muestra, adquisición de la distribución de elementos químicos en la muestra y generar mapas en dos dimensiones. Las cuatro técnicas descritas más arriba analizan contenidos totales. PIXE y XRF presentan mayor sensibilidad que las otras dos para cuantificar elementos traza en concentraciones de partes por millón, y estas dos más EDS se pueden acoplar a microscopios ad hoc para obtener la distribución de elementos químicos y hacer mapeos. La técnica XPS permite analizar fracciones iónicas en estudios de estados de oxidación de los elementos, pero las concentraciones en las muestras deben ser superiores a 0.1% en peso. Las aplicaciones de las técnicas no destructivas generan información complementaria a las clásicas y aportan conocimiento básico. Otras ventajas es que la preparación de las muestras requiere menos tiempo, excepto cuando se requieren mapeos. Su capacidad para ejecutar multianálisis permite reducir costos. En México y otros países hay grupos de investigación especializados en estas técnicas, pero es necesario desarrollar e implementar aplicaciones para realizar análisis de matrices biológicas como vegetales (semillas, hojas, etc.), alimentos, abonos y matriz orgánica de los suelos. Un conocimiento más profundo de estas técnicas permitirá la interacción de grupos de investigación y generar información para estudios de ciencia básica en agronomía y alimentos.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 551-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Yuan ◽  
Yanheng Li ◽  
Jingsen Fan

In this paper, the geochemical characteristics of the trace elements of the No. 6 coal seam from Tanggongta mine, Jungar Coalfield, were studied using the methods of an energydispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometric (XRF) techniques. The content of sulfur ranges from 0.09% to 2.83% (1.09% on average). The ash is from 11.70% to 31.47% (20.72% on average), and the moisture is from 2.72% to 6.82% (4.72% on average). The main minerals are kaolinite, carbonate minerals and pyrite. Compared with the average values of Chinese coal, the contents of Ga, Cd, Tl, Li, Sr, and Ag are high. Compared with the values of world coal, Li and Sr are found at high levels. The distribution mode of the REE shows that LREE is concentrated, but HREE is relatively low. The Yinshan Oldland should be the most likely source of the coal’s Li. The bauxite of the Benxi formation could be another source of the coal’s Li in the NE Jungar Coalfield.


Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1086
Author(s):  
Bin Chen ◽  
Yanyan Wang ◽  
Marco Franceschi ◽  
Xiong Duan ◽  
Kuizhou Li ◽  
...  

Since the Quaternary period, tectonic uplift and river erosion in the northeastern Ordos Basin (northwest China) have exhumed numerous coal seams, creating the conditions for the development of coal fires following their spontaneous combustion or other types of ignition (e.g., lightning strikes). Coal fires activity is testified by the widespread occurrence of combustion metamorphic rocks. In this study, thin section analyses, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to investigate in detail the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of combustion metamorphic rocks in the Jurassic succession of the northeastern Ordos Basin. The samples collected in localities distributed over an area of about 8000 km2 were analyzed to determine their mineral association, revealing the presence of tridymite, cristobalite, mullite, and cordierite that are typically produced in pyrometamorphic reactions. XRF and ICP-MS analyses revealed that combustion metamorphic rocks are iron-enriched. Investigations in the study area also highlighted the occurrence of a peculiar, porous, and permeable white sandstone that appears often associated with clinkers or coal seams. It is composed of quartz and feldspar grains and cemented by kaolinite. It is here suggested that the white color of this sandstone could be due to coal fire-related kaolinization of a sandstone protolith produced by the acidic low-temperature hydrothermal circulation of rain waters during times of coal fire activity.


Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanos Karampelas ◽  
Fatima Mohamed ◽  
Hasan Abdulla ◽  
Fatema Almahmood ◽  
Latifa Flamarzi ◽  
...  

The present study applied Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on a large number of natural and cultured pearls from saltwater and freshwater environments, which revealed that freshwater (natural and cultured) pearls contain relatively higher quantities of manganese (Mn) and barium (Ba) and lower sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg) and strontium (Sr) than saltwater (natural and cultured) pearls. A few correlations between the host animal’s species and chemical elements were found; some samples from Pinctada maxima (P. maxima) are the only studied saltwater samples with 55Mn >20 ppmw, while some P. radiata are the only studied saltwater samples with 24Mg <65 ppmw and some of the P. imbricata are the only studied saltwater samples with 137Ba >4.5 ppmw. X-ray luminescence reactions of the studied samples has confirmed a correlation between its yellow-green intensity and manganese content in aragonite, where the higher Mn2+ content, the more intense the yellow-green luminescence becomes. Luminescence intensity in some cases is lower even if manganese increases, either because of pigments or because of manganese self-quenching. X-ray luminescence can be applied in most cases to separate saltwater from freshwater samples; only samples with low manganese content (55Mn <50 ppmw) might be challenging to identify. One of the studied natural freshwater pearls contained vaterite sections which react by turning orange under X-ray due to a different coordination of Mn2+ in vaterite than that in aragonite.


2021 ◽  
pp. geochem2020-043
Author(s):  
Madison A. Schmidt ◽  
Matthew I. Leybourne ◽  
Jan M. Peter ◽  
Duane C. Petts ◽  
Simon E. Jackson ◽  
...  

There is increasing acceptance of the presence of variable magmatic contributions to the mineralizing fluids in the formation of volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. The world-class Windy Craggy Cu-Co-Au deposit (>300 MT @ 2.12 wt.% Cu) in northwestern British Columbia is of interest because, unlike most VMS deposits, quarts fluid inclusions from within the deposit range from relatively low to intermediate salinity (most 6-16 wt.% equivalent). In this study we used an excimer (193 nm) laser ablation system interfaced to a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer to quantify key metals and metalloids that are considered by many to be indicative of magmatic contributions to hydrothermal ore deposits. Although LA-ICP-MS signals from these low-salinity inclusions are highly transient, we were able to quantify Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, Sn, Ba, Ce, Pb and Bi consistently – of the 34 elements that were monitored. Furthermore, Cl, Sb, Cd, Mo, Rb, Br, and As were also measured in a significant number of inclusions. Comparison of the fluid inclusion chemistry with unaltered and altered mafic volcanic and sedimentary rocks and mineralized samples from the deposit indicate that enrichment in the main ore metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb) in the inclusions reflects that of the altered rocks and sulfides. Metals and metalloids that may indicate a magmatic contribution typically show much greater enrichments in the fluid inclusions much greater over the host rocks at the same Cu concentration; in particular Bi, Sn and Sb are significantly elevated when compared to the host rock samples. These data are consistent with the ore-forming fluids at Windy Craggy having a strong magmatic contribution.


2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (02) ◽  
pp. 135-140
Author(s):  
Mei-Ju Hou ◽  
Chi-Jen Shih

The main objective of this study is to characterize the in vitro osteo inductive behavior of pearl nano crystallites. The results obtained from X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, and inductively coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS) analysis demonstrate that the pearls can induce the formation of a hydroxyl apatite (HA) layer on their surface in simulated body fluid (SBF), even after only short soaking periods. Further, MC3T3-E1 cells can easily attach and spread on the pearl powders after 1 h of cultivation.


Resources ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Barbara Bielowicz

The chemical composition of coal ash and the content of the critical elements Ga, Sc, and V in coal and ash are examined herein. In this study, lignite and bituminous coal from Polish deposits were used. The coals were subjected to ultimate and proximate analysis; the petrographic composition was determined based on maceral groups. The chemical composition of ash and the content of critical elements were determined using ICP-MS. The obtained results were correlated and Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient was determined. Based on the correlation analysis, the relationship between the chemical composition of ash and the proximate and ultimate analyses was demonstrated. The content of selected critical elements in the tested deposits was lower than the Clarke value in coal. However, in some deposits these contents are much higher in coal ashes. The higher levels of Ga, V, and Sc in the ash are associated with Al2O3. Therefore, it can be stated that ashes can be a potential source of some raw materials. The highest concentrations of critical elements in coal and ash were recorded in the Lublin Coal Basin. Supra-Clarke contents of Ga, V, and Sc were recorded in the Bogdanka coal mine.


2007 ◽  
Vol 361-363 ◽  
pp. 737-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Sovar ◽  
C. Ducu ◽  
D. Iordachescu ◽  
Ioana Demetrescu

The present work is focused on the stability of bioactivated CoCr alloy in biological environment (buffered saline solution (PBS), lactic acid, citric acid). The chemical and electrochemical deposition was characterized by electrochemical methods (open circuit potential, cyclic voltametry), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), x-ray diffractometer (XRD), inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) and citotoxicity test. The results prove a good electrochemical stability in all cases.


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