Pyrite passivation by humic acid investigated by inverse liquid chromatography

Passivation of pyrite surface by adsorption of humic acids was studied for differently conditioned samples by the method of inverse liquid chromatography. The adsorption of humic acids was almost irreversible and blocked the electrochemical activity of pyrite. In some cases, breakthrough curves had unusual, two-wave shapes which were successfully described with a mathematical model. This model was based on first-order irreversible kinetics of blocking of three kinds of adsorption sites in permanent evolution.