OXIDATION OF PYRITE SURFACES - A PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY

Surfaces of pyrite (FeS2) differently prepared in situ and ex situ have been studied before and after contact to air and air-saturated aqueous solutions of 4 less-than-or-equal-to pH less-than-or-equal-to 10 by means of photoelectron spectroscopy. Pyrite surfaces fractured or scraped in situ revealed FeS-like species concentrated in the surface region. Preparation (polishing, grinding, powdering) and prolonged oxidation in air mainly resulted in basic iron sulphate and iron oxide/hydroxide. A promoting effect of an increased surface roughness due to the preparation was observed for the formation of iron oxide/hydroxide compared with sulphate in contrast to the natural oxidation process. Oxidation in air also led to sulphur-rich species identified as iron-deficient regions below monolayer coverage. Similar regions were present at ground surfaces exposed to air-saturated solution of pH4 and pH5. In near-neutral to alkaline solution mainly iron hydroxy-oxide is formed the layer thickness of which was estimated in the range of 0.5 nm (pH5) to 1.7 nm (pH10).