Selenium and tellurium resources in Kisgruva Proterozoic volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit (Norway)
Selenium and tellurium resources in Kisgruva Proterozoic volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit (Norway)
The former mining site at Kisgruva near Kongsberg, Norway, is primarily composed of worked sulphide ore deposits, of hydrothermal origin, which occur within Precambrian metamorphic basement. Though the original targets at the Kisgruva mine site were extraction of copper (Cu), sulphur (S) and iron (Fe), the sulphide ore also contains exceptionally high concentrations of selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te), hosted within selenides (clausthalite and minor naumannite) and tellurides (hessite and minor altaite and tellurobismuthite). Both Se and Te are also present within the sulphide ore in pyrite and chalcopyrite, which contain exceptionally high concentrations of up to 688 ppm Se and 81 ppm Te. Additionally, oxidative weathering of the exposed bedrock has resulted in the accumulation of hyper-enriched, unconsolidated weathered crust deposits at surface (Se up to 1590 ppm; Te up to 63 ppm), containing selenite (SeO3 2−) and tellurite (TeO3 2−) ions. Concentrations of Se and Te are subsequently higher in the weathering products than in the sulphide ore, due to fixation on to organic matter (∼0.4% in weathered ore crusts), jarosite (formed from oxidation of sulphides from the primary ore), ferric oxide and hydroxide phases (goethite and haematite). Increasing demand for Se and Te to use in green technologies has led to the reassessment of these orebodies and their associated weathered ore crust deposits. Though these elements are currently considered mining contaminants, this and similar sites may be of future economic importance, particularly as demand for Se and Te continues to rise.
Norway, Pyrite, Selenium, Sulphide ore, Tellurium, VMS
411-424
Bullock, Liam A.
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Perez, Magali
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Armstrong, Joseph G.
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Parnell, John
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Still, John
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Feldmann, Joerg
301ee755-b3df-4b0e-9c5e-3ca0f7d1ccc5
1 August 2018
Bullock, Liam A.
c6ffb9b0-0a54-4ab2-9edb-f97280e6ce2d
Perez, Magali
496b62b9-ca3a-4b78-aaf7-4d14627f5771
Armstrong, Joseph G.
e787408b-d6cd-4355-963e-8590a0ce11db
Parnell, John
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Still, John
e88c315d-f701-4a00-a86c-2471c8559ba7
Feldmann, Joerg
301ee755-b3df-4b0e-9c5e-3ca0f7d1ccc5
Bullock, Liam A., Perez, Magali, Armstrong, Joseph G., Parnell, John, Still, John and Feldmann, Joerg
(2018)
Selenium and tellurium resources in Kisgruva Proterozoic volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit (Norway).
Ore Geology Reviews, 99, .
(doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2018.06.023).
Abstract
The former mining site at Kisgruva near Kongsberg, Norway, is primarily composed of worked sulphide ore deposits, of hydrothermal origin, which occur within Precambrian metamorphic basement. Though the original targets at the Kisgruva mine site were extraction of copper (Cu), sulphur (S) and iron (Fe), the sulphide ore also contains exceptionally high concentrations of selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te), hosted within selenides (clausthalite and minor naumannite) and tellurides (hessite and minor altaite and tellurobismuthite). Both Se and Te are also present within the sulphide ore in pyrite and chalcopyrite, which contain exceptionally high concentrations of up to 688 ppm Se and 81 ppm Te. Additionally, oxidative weathering of the exposed bedrock has resulted in the accumulation of hyper-enriched, unconsolidated weathered crust deposits at surface (Se up to 1590 ppm; Te up to 63 ppm), containing selenite (SeO3 2−) and tellurite (TeO3 2−) ions. Concentrations of Se and Te are subsequently higher in the weathering products than in the sulphide ore, due to fixation on to organic matter (∼0.4% in weathered ore crusts), jarosite (formed from oxidation of sulphides from the primary ore), ferric oxide and hydroxide phases (goethite and haematite). Increasing demand for Se and Te to use in green technologies has led to the reassessment of these orebodies and their associated weathered ore crust deposits. Though these elements are currently considered mining contaminants, this and similar sites may be of future economic importance, particularly as demand for Se and Te continues to rise.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 28 June 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 7 July 2018
Published date: 1 August 2018
Keywords:
Norway, Pyrite, Selenium, Sulphide ore, Tellurium, VMS
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 422706
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/422706
ISSN: 0169-1368
PURE UUID: 3b5f3eb7-4a48-4910-9769-98158414897d
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Date deposited: 31 Jul 2018 16:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 12:08
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Contributors
Author:
Liam A. Bullock
Author:
Magali Perez
Author:
Joseph G. Armstrong
Author:
John Parnell
Author:
John Still
Author:
Joerg Feldmann
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