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Pyrite oxidation is sufficiently exothermic that underground coal mines in high-sulfur coal seams have occasionally had serious problems with spontaneous combustion. [47] The solution is the use of buffer blasting and the use of various sealing or cladding agents to hermetically seal the mined-out areas to exclude oxygen.
The strong acidification of the medium caused by pyrite oxidation releases bicarbonate ions (HCO − 3) or carbon dioxide (CO 2) along with calcium (Ca 2+) and sulfate ions (SO 2− 4). Full pyrite oxidation can be schematized as: 2 FeS 2 + 7.5 O 2 + 4 H 2 O → Fe 2 O 3 + 4 H 2 SO 4. The sulfuric acid released by pyrite oxidation then reacts ...
Several theories have been proposed for the formation of early diagenetic marcasite, including: partial oxidation of primary pyrite by molecular oxygen infiltrating from the overlying water column, [11] and rapid anoxic organic matter decomposition and organic acid generation by fermentation and methanogenesis. [12]
On Earth, jarosite is mainly associated with the ultimate stage of pyrite oxidation in clay environment, and can also be found in mine tailings waste where acidic conditions prevail. Against all expectations, jarosite has also been fortuitously discovered in minute quantities in the form of small dust particles in ice cores recovered from a ...
Pyrite oxidation is often the cause of coal's spontaneous ignition in old mine tailings. Pistachio nuts are highly flammable when stored in large quantities, and are prone to self-heating and spontaneous combustion. [8] Large manure piles can spontaneously combust during conditions of extreme heat. Cotton and linen can ignite when they come ...
After being exposed to air and water, oxidation of metal sulfides (often pyrite, which is iron-sulfide) within the surrounding rock and overburden generates acidity. Colonies of bacteria and archaea greatly accelerate the decomposition of metal ions, although the reactions also occur in an abiotic environment.
Consequently, acid sulfate soil samples should be immediately cooled to < 4°C to slow oxidation; and samples containing monosulfidic material should be immediately frozen (e.g., using a portable freezer or liquid nitrogen). [31] The use of dry ice is recommended as the gaseous carbon dioxide should further hinder oxidation.
[1] [2] It is shale or clay slate containing pyrite. Decomposition of pyrite by weathering forms sulfuric acid, which acts on potash and alumina constituents to form alum, which often occurs as efflorescences on the rock outcrop. As the formation contains kerogen originated from algae, it is also classified as marinite-type oil shale.