Jarosite inclusion of fluoride and its potential significance to bioleaching of sulphide minerals

Incorporation of fluoride ions into the structure of jarosite, a common precipitate in bioleaching, was studied. Crystalline jarosite was synthesized in the presence of various concentrations of fluoride ions and characterized by spectroscopic- and chemical analysis.The results showed that substantial amounts of fluoride were sorbed to jarosite, increasing with pH and fluoride concentration. FTIR, XRD and Mössbauer analysis supported a structural incorporation of the fluoride. Due to the size similarity between fluoride and hydroxide ions, a probable mechanism is an exchange of hydroxide ions and fluoride ions within the jarosite, giving the composition KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 − xFx(s). For the maximum concentration of fluoride used during synthesis, 200 mM, about 25% of the hydroxide ions were exchanged for fluoride ions. The mass of jarosite precipitated shown to be highly dependent on the fluoride concentration, with approximately half the yield using 200 mM potassium fluoride compared to in the absence of fluoride ions.To test the influence on toxicity of the incorporation of fluoride in jarosite, a bioleaching study was performed at 65 °C. A suspension of pyrite concentrate with 4% solid content (w/v) in the modified 9 K medium was bioleached under additions of potassium fluoride. The results indicated a higher tolerance for fluoride ions, as compared to earlier reported studies on fluoride toxicity during bioleaching.