Mechanism of dissolution and oxidation of stibnite mediated by the coupling of iron and typical antimony oxidizing bacteria

Antimony oxidizing bacteria (SbOB) and iron oxides are the main driving factors to the weathering dissolution and oxidation of stibnite (Sb2S3) waste ore. The characteristics of the dissolution and oxidation process of stibnite in the absence of strain AO-1 and iron oxides, Pseudomonas sp. AO-1-mediated (AO-1-mediated), Fe (Fe, Fe2(SO4)3, and FeS2) -mediated, and coupled-mediated groups (Fe+AO-1, Fe2(SO4)3+AO-1, FeS2+AO-1) under various pH values were examined through sequential batch experiments. The results showed that all the AO-1-mediated, Fe-mediated and coupled-mediated can promote the dissolution and oxidation of stibnite, and the promotion effect increased with the rise of pH. The order of contribution to the dissolution of stibnite under the coupling mediation is as follows: coupling effect (42.4-78.2%) > chemical effect (19.4-56.6%) > biological effect (0.9-2.4%). In addition, the dissolution and oxidation mechanisms of stibnite were further investigated and analyzed in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This study has important implications for elucidating the source control and geochemical behavior of antimony pollution in antimony mining areas.