Abstract
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies have been carried out on the reactions between natural pyrite with Cu(II) and xanthate ions in air-saturated solutions. The Cu 2p binding energies point out that Cu(II) ions are inserted into the pyrite surface during the activation changing their oxidation state to Cu(I). Chemical shifts and intensity variations of the C 1s, O 1s and Fe 2p spectra provide evidence that a xanthate surface species on pyrite is formed in potassium ethyl xanthate solutions with 6 ≤ pH < 10. In accord with thermodynamic calculations no indication has been found for chemisorption of dixanthogen under these conditions. Anodic oxidation of xanthate ions at potentials close to 200 mV versus SCE gives rise to chemisorption of dixanthogen which has been identified by C 1s and S 2p signals from cooled samples vanishing after warming up to ambient temperature.
Published Version
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