Both initial concentrations of Fe(II) and monovalent cations jointly determine the formation of biogenic iron hydroxysulfate precipitates in acidic sulfate-rich environments

In order to accurately predict the types of biogenic iron hydroxysulfate precipitates in acidic, sulfate-rich environments facilitated by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, different initial concentrations of Fe2 +, K+, Na+, and NH4+ are selected and tested in batch experiments for the formation of the precipitates. The critical equations of jarosite formation in FeSO4–K2SO4–H2O system or FeSO4–(NH4)2SO4–H2O system could be described as Y = − 22120.8077 − 0.04257x + 0.006170x2 (R2 = 0.9979) or Y = 0.03540 − 0.002950x + 7.407E − 5x2 (R2 = 0.9934), respectively, where Y is the threshold or critical values of the molar ratio of Fe/K or Fe/NH4 for jarosite formation, and x (mmol/L) is the initial concentration of Fe(II). Schwertmannite is the sole biogenic secondary ferric mineral when molar ratio of Fe/K or Fe/NH4 is higher than Y in the system with a given initial Fe(II) concentration. The precipitates are an admixture of schwertmannite and jarosite, or pure jarosite when the Fe/M molar ratio is lower than Y. The crystallinity of the secondary ferric minerals increased with the increase of initial Fe(II) concentration in the medium with a fixed K+ concentration. It is observed that the capacity of monovalent cation in promoting jarosite formation is K+ > NH4+ > Na+, as exhibiting that the capacity of K+ in this process is about 75 and 200 times greater than NH4+ and Na+, respectively. Obviously, both the initial concentration of Fe(II) and molar ratio of Fe to monovalent cation determine the types of biogenic iron hydroxysulfate precipitates.