Structural, microstructural, and thermal characterizations of a chalcopyrite concentrate from the Singhbhum shear zone, India

Abstract

The structural and morphological characterizations of a chalcopyrite concentrate, collected from the Indian Copper Complex, Ghatshila, India, were carried out by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The concentrate powder was composed mainly of free chalcopyrite and low quartz in about 3:1 weight ratio. The particle size was about 100 μm. Spectroscopic studies (FTIR, Raman, UV-visible) of the concentrate supported the XRD findings, and also revealed a marginal oxidation of the sulfide phase. The energy band gap of the sulfide was found to be 3.4 eV. Differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry of the concentrate showed a decomposition of chalcopyrite at 658 K with an activation energy of 208 kJ·mol⁻¹, and two successive structural changes of silica at 848 K and 1145 K.

Keywords

chalcopyrite / structural properties / microstructure / thermal characteristics

References

[1] Nesse WD. Introduction to Mineralogy, 2000, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1.

[2] Baba AA, Ayinla KI, Adekola FA, Bale RB, Ghosh MK, Alabi AGF, Sheik AR, Folorunso IO. Hydrometallurgical application for treating a Nigerian chalcopyrite ore in chloride medium: Part I. Dissolution kinetics assessment. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2013, 20(11): 1021.

[3] Chatterjee R, Ghosh D. Characterization of Cu-SiO₂ composite synthesized by hydrogen reduction of chalcopyrite concentrate followed by acid leaching. Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 2013, 44(5): 1049.

[4] Baba AA, Ayinla KI, Adekola FA, Ghosh MK, Ayanda OS, Bale RB, Sheik AR, Pradhan SR. A review on novel techniques for chalcopyrite ore processing. Int. J. Min. Eng. Miner. Process., 2012, 1(1): 1.

[5] Bail A L, Duroy H, Fourquet JL. Ab-initio structure determination of LiSbWO₆ by X-ray powder diffraction. Mater. Res. Bull., 1988, 23(3): 447.

[6] Petricek V, Dusek M, Palatinus L. JANA2006 The Crystallographic Computing System, 2011, Praha, Czech Republic, Institute of Physics

[7] Baláž P. Mechanochemistry in Nanoscience and Minerals Engineering, 2008 136.

[8] Omori K. Science Reports, 1964 65.

[9] Omori K. Science Reports, 1961, 7, 101.

[10] Leppinen J. FTIR and flotation investigation of the adsorption of ethyl xanthate on activated and non-activated sulfide minerals. Int. J. Miner. Process., 1990, 30(3–4): 245.

[11] Sepehrian DH, Khanchi AR, Rofouei MK, Husain SW. Non-thermal synthesis of mesoporous zirconium silicate and its characterization. J. Iran. Chem. Soc., 2006, 3, 253.

[12] Gadsen JA. Infrared Spectra of Minerals and Related Inorganic Compounds, 1975, London, Butterworths, 46.

[13] Ishizaki T, Saito N, Inoue Y, Bekke M, Takai O. Fabrication and characterization of ultra-water-repellent alumina-silica composite films. J. Phys. D., 2007, 40, 192.

[14] Beran A, Giester G, Libowitzky E. The hydrogen bond system in natrochalcite-type compounds: an FTIR spectroscopic study of the H₃O₂ unit. Mineral. Petrol., 1997, 61(1–4): 223.

[15] Appl. Phys. Lett., 2011, 98(18)

[16] Reddy G U, Seshamaheswaramma K, Nakamura Y, Reddy S L, Frost RL, Endo T. Electron paramagnetic resonance, optical absorption and Raman spectral studies on a pyrite/chalcopyrite mineral. Spectrochim. Acta Part A, 2012, 96, 310.

[17] Ozin GA. The single-crystal Raman spectrum of rhombic sulphur. J. Chem. Soc. A, 1969 116.

[18] Harvey PD, Butler IS. Raman spectra of orthorhombic sulfur at 40 K. J. Raman Spectrosc., 1986, 17(4): 329.

[19] Gillet P, Le Cléac’h A, Madon M. High-temperature Raman spectroscopy of SiO₂ and GeO₂ polymorphs: anharmonicity and thermodynamic properties at high-temperatures. J. Geophys. Res., 1990, 95(B13): 21635.

[20] Hemley RJ. Pressure dependence of Raman spectra of SiO₂ polymorphs: alpha-quartz, coesite and stishovite. High-Pressure Research in Mineral Physics: a Volume in Honor of Syun-iti Akimoto, 2013 347.

[21] Disale SD, Garje SS. A convenient synthesis of nanocrystalline chalcopyrite, CuFeS₂ using single-source precursors. Appl. Organomet. Chem., 2009, 23(12): 492.

[22] Prameena B, Anbalagan G, Gunasekaran S, Ramkumaar GR, Gowtham B. Structural, optical, electron paramagnetic, thermal and dielectric characterization of chalcopyrite. Spectrochim. Acta Part A, 2014, 122, 348.

[23] Sherman DM, Waite TD. Electronic spectra of Fe3+ oxides and oxide hydroxides in the near IR to near UV. Am. Mineral., 1985, 70(11–12): 1262.

[24] Roine A. Outokumpu HSC Chemistry for Windows: Chemical Reaction and Equilibrium Software with Extensive Thermochemical Database, Pori, Finland, 1999

[25] Okamoto H. O-Si (oxygen-silicon). J. Phase Equilib.Diffus., 2007, 28, 309.

[26] Kim S, Park JK. Characterization of thermal reaction by peak temperature and height of DTG curves. Thermochim. Acta, 1995, 264, 137.

[27] Flynn JH, Wall LA. General treatment of the thermogravimetry of polymers. J. Res. Natl. Bur. Stand., 1966, 70A(6): 487.