COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MINES AND MINERAL SCIENCES

METALLURGY DEPARTMENT

MT412/MT520 ASSIGNMENT 1 JANUARY, 2021

POTENTIAL – pH DIAGRAMS & LEACHING KINETICS – PROBLEMS

(R = 8.314 J K-1 mol, 1 Faraday = 96500 coulombs mol-1,ln X = 2.303 log10X, 273K =
0oC)

Problem 1

(a) Draw a potential – pH diagram for the Fe – H2O system at 25oC and 1 atmospheric
pressure. Consider only the species given in table 1. Take Fe 2+ = 10-4M, Fe3+ = 10-4M.
Show also the upper and lower stability limits of water. (Please use graph paper or
excel)

Table 1. Gibbs energy of formation data.

Species ΔGof (KJ mol-1)
Fe (s) 0
Fe(OH)2 (s) - 484
Fe(OH)3 (s) - 695
2+
Fe (aq) -85.0
Fe3+ (aq) -10.5
H2O (l) - 237
-
OH (aq) - 157
H+ (aq) 0
H2 (g) 0

(b) Use your diagram to answer the following questions:

(i) Is Fe stable in the presence of water at any pH values?
(ii) What is the lowest pH value at which Fe(OH)3 is stable in the presence of Fe3+
(aq) at a concentration of 10-4 mole/litre?

1
 (iii) What is the lowest pH value at which Fe(OH)2 is stable in the presence of Fe2+
(aq) at a concentration of 10-4 mole/litre?
(iv) If the pH were lowered what would actually happen to Fe(OH)3?

Problem 2

(a) Take [Fe2+] = [Fe3+] = 10-2 mol/litre. Calculate logPO2 at pH = 2 for the following
reactions:
(i) 2Fe + 4H+ + O2 → 2Fe2+ + 2H2O
(ii) 4Fe2+ +4H+ + O2 → 4Fe3+ + 2H2O
Data: R = 8.314Jmol-1K-1, T = 298K
Gibbs energy of formation data.
Species ΔGof (KJ mol-1)
Fe (s) 0
2+
Fe (aq) -85.0
Fe3+ (aq) -10.5
H2O (l) - 237
H+ (aq) 0
O2 (g) 0

Due on 2nd July, 2021

THE END