Oznaczenie celestynu w rudzie siarkowej rejonu Tarnobrzega

Abstract

DETERMINATION OF CELESTINE IN SULPHUR ORE FROM THE TARNOBRZEG AREA

Summary

Celestine that accompanies sulphur is the main source of strontium. This latter commonly occurs in an isomorphically dissemlinated state, its highest concentrations being found in such minerals as celestine and strontianite. In the region of Tarnobrzeg, celestine occurs along with sulphur, or it appears in post-gypsum limestones.
Mineralogic-petrographical examinations have been made on compact, sulphur-bearing limestones to explain if, apart from pores and nests, the strontium can also be found in limestones. On account of an isomorphism of strontium with barium, and of similar optical properties sulphates, any mineralogical identification based on a different value of optic axial angle could not have been executed. Specific gravity has been determined by separating in heavy liquids, and index of refraction – in immersion liquids. Of 45 samples prepared in thin slides, 32 have been selected for mciroscope examinations. Their carbonates have been dissolved using 10% HCI, the sulphur – by means of sodium polysulfide, and the rest (9 samples) have been separated in bromoform (specific weight 2.89). Both Celestine and barite have been deposited on the bottom of separator. Then, these minerals have been distinguished using an immersion liquid characterized by a refraction index amounting to 1.635 (refraction index of celestine – 1.631, that of barite – 1.648), additionally with the aid of the properties of Becke line.
Among 9 preparations under examinations only 5 reveal the presence of celestine in a small amount, whereas barite have been encountered in all the samples examined. This demonstrates that in the limestones in study the celestine occurs in a small amount only, its main concentrations being found in nests and veinlets.