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Upon exposure to oxygen (O 2) and water (H 2 O), metal sulfides undergo oxidation to produce metal-rich acidic effluent. If the pH is low enough to overcome the natural buffering capacity of the surrounding rocks (‘calcium carbonate equivalent’ or ‘acid neutralising capacity’), the surrounding area may become acidic, as well as contaminated with high levels of heavy metals.
Metal mines may generate highly acidic discharges where the ore is a sulfide mineral or is associated with pyrite. In these cases the predominant metal ion may not be iron but rather zinc, copper, or nickel. The most commonly mined ore of copper, chalcopyrite, is itself a copper
Collecting drainage in the Iron Mountain Mine. The mine is located at in the Klamath Mountains of Shasta County, about 9 miles northwest of ReddingThe mine area is drained by several creeks which ultimately enter the Spring Creek Reservoir, formed by the Spring Creek Dam, and finally the Keswick Reservoir formed by a dam across the Sacramento River.
Sulfide deposition within the trap zone occurs when metal-carrying sulfate, sulfide, or other complexes become chemically unstable due to one or more of the following processes; falling temperature, which renders the complex unstable or metal insoluble; loss of pressure, which has the same effect
Volcanogenic massive sulfide ore deposits, also known as VMS ore deposits, are a type of metal sulfide ore deposit, mainly copper-zinc which are associated with and produced by volcanic-associated hydrothermal events in submarine environments. [2] [3] [4] These deposits are also sometimes called volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposits
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In an ideal exhalative model, hot dense brines flow to depressed areas of the ocean topography where they mix with cooler, less dense, sea water, causing the dissolved metal and sulfur in the brine to precipitate from solution as a solid metal sulfide ore, deposited as layers of sulfide sediment. [1]
VMS deposits tend to be of great size since they form over a long period of time and have a relatively high grade in valuable minerals. The main minerals in this deposit are sulphide minerals such as pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and galena. The term “massive sulfide” deposit refers to any deposit containing more than 50% sulfide minerals.