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Microelectronic junctions in arsenian pyrite due to impurity and mixed sulfide heterogeneity
Citation
Laird, JS and MacRae, CM and Halfpenny, A and Large, R and Ryan, CG, Microelectronic junctions in arsenian pyrite due to impurity and mixed sulfide heterogeneity, American Mineralogist, 100, (1) pp. 26-34. ISSN 0003-004X (2015) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2015 Mineralogical Society of America
Abstract
Impurities and crystal defects within the semiconducting bulk of a metal sulfide introduce energy levels within the forbidden
bandgap. These levels in turn control semiconducting type and local electrical properties within single and multi-phased sulfide
assemblages. Heterogeneity in sulfide semiconductivity linked to these impurities can lead to p-n micro-junction formation and potential distributions near the surface that may alter redox reactivity. Secondary gold ore
genesis via a micro-galvanic effect related to heterogeneity has in the past been hypothetically linked to such micro-junctions.
Understanding these regions and their interaction with weathering fluids in the regolith for example requires large-scale
imaging of potential distributions associated with near-surface micro-junctions and correlation with the responsible elemental
distributions. Here we investigate the existence of micro-electronic junctions in a mixed sulfide assemblage using scanning
laser beam induced current (LBIC) and correlate them with pyrite-chalcopyrite interfaces mapped using combined energy-dispersive
spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) on an electron hyper-probe. Junctions in a natural assemblage
are positively identified for the first time.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | pyrite, heterogeneity, semiconductors, electrical properties, micro-junction, heterojunction, chalcopyrite, laser beam induced current, elemental mapping, metal ore genesis, electrochemical |
| Research Division: | Earth Sciences |
| Research Group: | Geology |
| Research Field: | Resource geoscience |
| Objective Division: | Mineral Resources (Excl. Energy Resources) |
| Objective Group: | Other mineral resources (excl. energy resources) |
| Objective Field: | Other mineral resources (excl. energy resources) not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Large, R (Professor Ross Large) |
| ID Code: | 98219 |
| Year Published: | 2015 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 5 |
| Deposited By: | Centre for Ore Deposit Research - CODES CoE |
| Deposited On: | 2015-02-05 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-11-02 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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