Relation of pH and oxidation potential to sedimentary iron mineral formation

Other| August 01, 1953 Relation of pH and oxidation potential to sedimentary iron mineral formation Norman King Huber; Norman King Huber Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert Minard Garrels Robert Minard Garrels Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Norman King Huber Robert Minard Garrels Publisher: Society of Economic Geologists First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1554-0774 Print ISSN: 0361-0128 GeoRef, Copyright 2006, American Geological Institute. Abstract, Copyright, Society of Economic Geologists. Reference includes data from Bibliography and Index of North American Geology, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, United States Economic Geology (1953) 48 (5): 337–357. https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.48.5.337 Article history First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Norman King Huber, Robert Minard Garrels; Relation of pH and oxidation potential to sedimentary iron mineral formation. Economic Geology 1953;; 48 (5): 337–357. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gsecongeo.48.5.337 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEconomic Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract This paper reports the results of a series of experiments performed to test the validity of the theoretical relations among several iron minerals. Equilibrium diagrams are drawn showing stability fields of hematite, siderite, and pyrite as functions of pH and oxidation potential for various low temperature environments, such as sea water or other relatively dilute salt solutions. The experiments show that ferric hydroxide (ferric oxide) comes to equilibrium with its environment in a few hours, ferrous carbonate requires several weeks, but reacts at an easily detectable rate; ferrous sulfide is not formed in detectable quantities over a period of several weeks by a change from an oxidizing to a reducing environment in an inorganic system. Ferrous hydroxide is easily precipitated from deoxygenated solutions; it oxidizes very rapidly to ferric hydroxide in air. The theoretical and empirical chemical relations of these iron compounds seem applicable to natural conditions; observed iron mineral associations have a reasonable interpretation within this framework. The work indicates that iron, if transported in solution to the site of deposition, is carried in mildly acid waters, and that any deficiency in aeration of these waters contributes further to iron solubility. Another implication is that the accumulation of thick layers of iron-rich rocks requires a trap between the source of iron and the depositional area if associated elastics are to be removed from iron-rich waters. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.