GOLD IN PYRITE FORMATION PROCESSES: 3. MöSSBAUER STUDY OF SYNTHETIC GOLD-BEARING IRON SULFIDES

Abstract

A Mössbauer spectroscopic (MS) study of synthetic gold-bearing iron sulfides (hydrotroilite and pyrite) prepared by reacting iron(III) hydroxide with hydrogen sulfide in neutral aqueous solutions is reported. It is shown that gold in hydrotroilites is mainly Au+, and its structural surrounding approaches that of gold in Au2S. Gold in pyrites occurs in a chemically bonded form that differs both from Au2S and Au2S3 and from metallic gold.