Simultaneous Partitioning of Divalent Metal Ions between Alabandite and 1 mol/L (Ni, Mg, Co, Zn, Fe)Cl2 Aqueous Solutions under Supercritical Conditions

Abstract

To clarify the element partitioning behavior between minerals and aqueous chloride solutions, we conducted experiments to investigate simultaneous partitioning of Ni2+, Mg2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, and Mn2+ ions between alabandite (MnS) and 1 mol/L (Ni, Mg, Co, Zn, Fe)Cl2 aqueous solutions at 500–800 °C and 100 MPa. The bulk partition coefficients calculated using the following equation were in the order of Fe2+ > Co2+ > Ni2+ ≈ Zn2+ > Mn2+ >> Mg2+; KPN = (xMeS/mMeaq)/(xMnS/mMnaq). A partition coefficient-ionic radius (PC-IR) curve was plotted with the logarithmic value of the partition coefficient on the y-axis and the ionic radius at the six-fold coordinated site on the x-axis. The peak of this curve was located near the ionic radius of Fe2+ and not near the ionic radius of Mn2+. Zn2+ showed a slight negative partitioning anomaly, which increased in the order of sulfide minerals < arsenic sulfide minerals < arsenide minerals as the covalent bond became stronger. Ni2+ showed a positive partitioning anomaly, which indicated that it preferred an octahedral structure. The width of the PC-IR curve decreased in the order of sulfide minerals > arsenic sulfide minerals > arsenide minerals as the covalent bond became stronger, that is, the ion selectivity became stronger.