The mechanisms of pyrite oxidation and leaching: A fundamental perspective

Spatially resolved surface characterisation of fresh and reacted pyrite surfaces is needed to identify site specific chemical processes. Scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM) and photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) are two synchrotron based surface spectromicroscopic and microspectroscopic techniques that use XPS- and XANES-imaging to correlate chemistry with topography at a submicron scale. Recent data collected with these two techniques suggests that species are heterogeneously distributed on the surface and oxidation to be highly site specific.