Abstract
The physico-chemical mechanism of coal desulphurization by aqueous leaching is reported. The electrochemical behaviour of coal pyrite in the presence of oxalic (H 2C 2O 4) and succinic (H 6C 4O 4) acids was investigated for two coal pyrite samples from Pennsylvania State, USA. A general trend observed in the polarization curves is that the rest potentials become nobler, i.e. attain more positive values in the presence of organic acids. From analysis of polarization results it can be concluded that oxalic acid and iron form a strong non-porous film, probably β-FeC 2O 4.2H 2O, on the pyrite surface which may be responsible for the observed decrease in the anodic current and could reduce the surface reactivity of coal pyrite during a coal desulphurization process.
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