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Pyrite and Arsenopyrite

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Coal Geological Materials 14 plain 2022-08-02T20:11:50+00:00
These pages summarize the coal-related ideas explored in Geology of Energy & Extraction:

Most coal formed during the Carboniferous
- The Carboniferous is actually pretty recent [see The Geologic Timescale]
- Coal required specific biologic conditions [see Carboniferous Coal Forests]
- Coal required specific geochemical conditions [see The Coal Grades]
- Coal required specific tectonic conditions [see Appalachian Coal]
When coal is mined, its sulfide minerals degrade
- Pyrite is the major sulfide in coal [see Pyrite Samples]
- Mining allows water to infiltrate [see Coal Flowers]
- Bacteria are involved [see Bacteria and Sulfides]
When sulfides degrade, they cause "Acid Mine Drainage" (AMD)
- AMD is especially common PA [see Photographs of Silver Creek AMD Remediation Site]
AMD can be remediated
- Limestone can be used [see Our pH readings]
- Limestone affects the water quality [see Our ICP-MS readings]
- Remediation degrades over time [see Limestone Armoring]
- We can harvest these for art [see Our AMD Art]
Pyrite ( FeS2) Pyrite (FeS₂) is a sulfide mineral created from the leftover sulfur in the ancient organisms that created coal. When coal is exposed to water and oxygen, the sulfide minerals contained in it oxidize and disintegrate according to the following chemical reaction:
2 FeS2+7 O2+2 H2O → 2 FeSO4+2 H2SO4
This process releases dissolved sulfuric acid into surrounding water, among whatever other element was contained in the sulfide compound. In the case of pyrite, this includes the heavy metal iron (Fe). In the case of arsenopyrite (the rightmost sample in the photo below), the element released is arsenic (As).

This contaminated water, known as Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), is responsible for poisoning watersheds surrounding abandoned mining facilities across the globe.

Cundy, A. “Sulfide Minerals.” Sulfide Minerals - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/sulfide-minerals.