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THE COMPOSITION OF COEXISTING JAROSITE-GROUP MINERALS AND WATER FROM THE RICHMOND MINE, IRON MOUNTAIN, CALIFORNIA

Heather E. Jamieson^1,, Clare Robinson¹, Charles N. Alpers², D. Kirk Nordstrom³, Alexei Poustovetov⁴ and Heather A. Lowers⁵

¹ Department of Geological Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
² U.S. Geological Survey, Placer Hall, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, California 95819, U.S.A.
³ U.S. Geological Survey, 3215 Marine Street, Boulder, Colorado 80303, U.S.A.
⁴ Department of Geological Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
⁵ U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Mail Stop 973, Denver, Colorado 80225, U.S.A.

E-mail address: jamieson{at}geol.queensu.ca

Jarosite-group minerals accumulate in the form of stalactites and fine-grained mud on massive pyrite in the D drift of the Richmond mine, Iron Mountain, California. Water samples were collected by placing beakers under the dripping stalactites and by extracting pore water from the mud using a centrifuge. The water is rich in Fe³⁺ and SO₄ ^2–, with a pH of approximately 2.1, which is significantly higher than the extremely acidic waters found elsewhere in the mine. Electron-microprobe analysis and X-ray mapping indicate that the small crystals (<10 µm in diameter) are compositionally zoned with respect to Na and K, and include hydronium jarosite corresponding to the formula (H₃O)_0.6K_0.3Na_0.1Fe₃ ³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH)₆. The proton-microprobe analyses indicate that the jarosite-group minerals contain significant amounts of As, Pb and Zn, and minor levels of Bi, Rb, Sb, Se, Sn and Sr. Speciation modeling indicates that the drip waters are supersaturated with respect to jarosite-group minerals. The expected range in composition of jarosite-group solid-solution in equilibrium with the pore water extracted from the mud was found to be consistent with the observed range in composition.

Keywords: jarosite, acid mine-drainage, aqueous speciation, solid solution, Richmond mine, California.

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