IChO 1992 · Theory problem 2

Acid mine drainage: oxidation of pyrite

Many streams drain in areas where coal or metallic ores are mined. These streams have become acidic and contain high concentrations of dissolved iron and sulphate, due to sulphur-containing ores being exposed to the atmosphere or to oxygenated waters. The most common sulphur-containing mineral is pyrite, \(\ce{FeS2}\), in which the oxidation state of iron is +2. As the iron-rich streams mix with other waters, the dissolved iron precipitates as goethite, \(\ce{FeO(OH)}\), which coats the stream bottom while the water remains acidic.

2.1 Draw the electron dot structure that illustrates the bonding in the ion \(\ce{S2^2-}\), showing all valence electrons.

2.2 Write a balanced chemical equation to show how hydrogen ions (\(\ce{H+}\)) are generated during the oxidation of pyrite to form a solution of iron(II) and sulphate ions.

2.3 Write a balanced equation to show how many additional moles of hydrogen are generated when iron(II) ions are oxidized to form the mineral goethite, \(\ce{FeO(OH)}\).

2.4 Calculate how many moles of pyrite would be required to bring \(1.0\ \mathrm{dm^3}\) of pure water to a pH of 3.0 if the pyrite was completely converted into \(\ce{FeO(OH)}\) and \(\ce{H+}\) ions. Neglect the formation of \(\ce{HSO4-}\).

2.5 The concentration of iron as \(\ce{Fe(II)}\) in a stream is 0.00835 M. At a very narrow point in the stream it empties into a large pond, with a flow rate of 20.0 l each minute. The water in this stream is sufficiently aerated that 75 % of the \(\ce{Fe(II)}\) is oxidized to \(\ce{Fe(III)}\). The pH of the pond is high enough (> 7) that the iron(III) precipitates immediately as \(\ce{Fe(OH)3}\) which on aging becomes \(\ce{Fe2O3}\). What mass of \(\ce{Fe2O3}\) will be deposited on the bottom of the pond in two years?

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 2.1 The disulfide ion, [S-][S-], has one single bond between the sulfur atoms and three lone pairs on each sulfur. Each sulfur has formal charge \(-1\); there are 14 valence electrons in total.
  • 2.2 \[ \boxed{\ce{2FeS2 + 7O2 + 2H2O -> 2Fe^2+ + 4SO4^2- + 4H+}} \] This generates 2 mol of hydrogen ions per mole of pyrite.
  • 2.3 \[ \boxed{\ce{4Fe^2+ + O2 + 6H2O -> 4FeO(OH) + 8H+}} \] This generates 2 additional mol of hydrogen ions per mole of iron(II).
  • 2.4 \[ \boxed{n(\ce{FeS2})=2.5\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}} \]
  • 2.5 Approximately \[ \boxed{m(\ce{Fe2O3})=1.05\times10^4\ \mathrm{kg}=10.5\ \mathrm{t}} \] or \(11\ \mathrm{t}\) when rounded to two significant figures.

Solution

The following names and SMILES identify the species used below. For the extended solids, the disconnected SMILES describe ionic formula units only; they do not represent the crystal lattices or iron coordination geometries.

Species SMILES
Disulfide ion, \(\ce{S2^2-}\) [S-][S-]
Dioxygen, \(\ce{O2}\) O=O
Water, \(\ce{H2O}\) O
Hydrogen ion (proton), \(\ce{H+}\) [H+]
Iron(II) ion, \(\ce{Fe^2+}\) [Fe+2]
Iron(III) ion, \(\ce{Fe^3+}\) [Fe+3]
Sulphate ion, \(\ce{SO4^2-}\) [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-]
Hydroxide ion, \(\ce{OH-}\) [OH-]
Pyrite, \(\ce{FeS2}\) [Fe+2].[S-][S-]
Goethite, \(\ce{FeO(OH)}\) [Fe+3].[O-2].[OH-]
Iron(III) hydroxide, \(\ce{Fe(OH)3}\) [Fe+3].[OH-].[OH-].[OH-]
Iron(III) oxide, \(\ce{Fe2O3}\) [Fe+3].[Fe+3].[O-2].[O-2].[O-2]

2.1

Each sulfur atom contributes six valence electrons, and the dianionic charge supplies two more:

\[ N_{\mathrm{valence}}=2(6)+2=14. \]

A single bond uses two electrons. The remaining twelve electrons form six lone pairs, three on each sulfur, giving both atoms complete octets.

The formal charge on each sulfur is

\[ \mathrm{FC}=6-\left(6+\frac{2}{2}\right)=-1. \]

To draw the electron-dot structure, place two sulfur symbols side by side with one shared pair of dots between them. Place three lone pairs around each sulfur: one above, one below, and one on its outer side. Enclose the whole structure in brackets labelled \(2-\). The SMILES records the bond and charges; the lone pairs must be shown explicitly in the drawing.

2.2

Because iron in pyrite is \(+2\), the sulfur pair has total oxidation state \(-2\), so each sulfur is at \(-1\). In sulphate, sulfur is at \(+6\). Thus each sulfur loses seven electrons, and each formula unit of pyrite releases fourteen electrons. Iron remains at \(+2\).

The oxidation half-equation is

\[ \ce{FeS2 + 8H2O -> Fe^2+ + 2SO4^2- + 16H+ + 14e-}. \]

Oxygen is reduced according to

\[ \ce{O2 + 4H+ + 4e- -> 2H2O}. \]

Multiplying the first half-equation by 2 and the second by 7, then adding and cancelling, gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{2FeS2 + 7O2 + 2H2O -> 2Fe^2+ + 4SO4^2- + 4H+}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \frac{n(\ce{H+})}{n(\ce{FeS2})}=2. \]

2.3

Goethite contains one oxide ion and one hydroxide ion per iron, so its iron has oxidation state \(+3\).

Oxidation of iron(II) by oxygen is

\[ \ce{4Fe^2+ + O2 + 4H+ -> 4Fe^3+ + 2H2O}. \]

Formation of goethite from iron(III) releases hydrogen ions:

\[ \ce{Fe^3+ + 2H2O -> FeO(OH) + 3H+}. \]

Multiplying the second equation by 4 and combining gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{4Fe^2+ + O2 + 6H2O -> 4FeO(OH) + 8H+}}. \]

Oxidation consumes one hydrogen ion per iron, whereas goethite formation releases three. The net production is therefore two additional hydrogen ions per iron, or \(2\ \mathrm{mol}\) per mole of original pyrite.

2.4

Combining the reactions from 2.2 and 2.3 gives the overall conversion:

\[ \ce{4FeS2 + 15O2 + 10H2O -> 4FeO(OH) + 8SO4^2- + 16H+}. \]

Thus complete conversion generates four moles of hydrogen ions per mole of pyrite.

Using the dilute-solution approximation,

\[ [\ce{H+}]=10^{-\mathrm{pH}} =10^{-3.0}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

In \(1.0\ \mathrm{dm^3}\), the required amount is

\[ n(\ce{H+}) =(10^{-3.0}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}) (1.0\ \mathrm{dm^3}) =1.0\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Water autoionization is negligible at this pH, and sulphate protonation is neglected as instructed. Hence

\[ \boxed{ n(\ce{FeS2}) =\frac{1.0\times10^{-3}}{4} =2.5\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol} }. \]

2.5

The oxidized iron precipitates as iron(III) hydroxide:

\[ \ce{Fe^3+ + 3OH- -> Fe(OH)3}. \]

On aging,

\[ \ce{2Fe(OH)3 -> Fe2O3 + 3H2O}. \]

Consequently, every two moles of precipitated iron produce one mole of iron(III) oxide.

Taking one year as 365 days, the elapsed time is

\[ t=2(365)(24)(60)=1\,051\,200\ \mathrm{min}. \]

The amount of iron entering the pond is

\[ \begin{aligned} n_{\mathrm{Fe,in}} &=(0.00835\ \mathrm{mol\,L^{-1}}) (20.0\ \mathrm{L\,min^{-1}}) (1\,051\,200\ \mathrm{min})\\ &=175\,550.4\ \mathrm{mol}. \end{aligned} \]

Only \(75\%\) is oxidized and precipitated, so

\[ n(\ce{Fe2O3}) =\frac{0.75}{2}\,n_{\mathrm{Fe,in}} =65\,831.4\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

Using standard atomic molar masses of \(55.85\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) for iron and \(16.00\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) for oxygen,

\[ M(\ce{Fe2O3}) =2(55.85)+3(16.00) =159.70\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \begin{aligned} m(\ce{Fe2O3}) &=(65\,831.4\ \mathrm{mol}) (159.70\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}})\\ &=1.051327\times10^7\ \mathrm{g}\\ &\approx \boxed{1.05\times10^4\ \mathrm{kg}=10.5\ \mathrm{t}}. \end{aligned} \]

Rounding to the two significant figures of the stated \(75\%\) gives \(1.1\times10^4\ \mathrm{kg}\), or \(11\ \mathrm{t}\).

The solution was checked against the official solution.