Galvanic interactions between metal sulfide minerals in a flowing system: Implications for mines environmental restoration

Managing mine water that has been contaminated with metal sulfide minerals due to galvanic corrosion is becoming an increasingly important environmental problem. Here, galvanic corrosion was investigated by studying galvanic interactions between pyrite–chalcopyrite and pyrite–galena in flowing mediums such as mine discharge water and flowing rainwater. The results showed that the corrosion current density of pyrite–galena is greater than that of pyrite–chalcopyrite under identical conditions. The corrosion current density of the galvanic cell tends to increase with increasing concentrations of strongly oxidizing ions (e.g., Fe3+) in the flowing medium, whereas the existence of non-oxidizing and non-reducing ions (e.g., Na+) have no obvious influence on the galvanic cell. In addition, the corrosion current density increases with increasing flow rate. Using the galvanic model, mixed potential theory and Butler–Volmer equation, the experimental results were explained theoretically. Because these experiments were performed under conditions very similar to those seen in mine discharge water and flowing rainwater, these results have direct implications for the future management and control of environmental pollution from mining operations.