Trace element compositions of pyrite and stibnite:implications for the genesis of antimony mineralization in the Yangla Cu skarn deposit,Northwestern Yunnan,China

The Yangla Cu skarn deposit is located in the central part of the Jinshajiang Suture Zone,southwest China,with a total reserve of 150 Mt Cu@1.03%.The newly discovered antimony orebodies at the depth of Yangla are strictly controlled by the stratum,structure,and lithology,which are lenticular and vein-like within the marble fracture zone,which can provide a window into multistage miner-alization and ore genesis at Yangla.Mineralization can be divided into three types,Cu–Pb–Zn(skarn)pyrite,galena,and sphalerite,Cu(porphyry)chalcopyrite and pyrite,and Sb(hydrothermal)stibnite and pyrite.The mineral assem-blages were stibnite+pyrite+calcite+quartz±minor scheelite in antimony ores.This study presents quantitative measurements of the trace element compositions of pyrite and stibnite from the Yangla antimony ores.Analysis of pyrite with electron probe microanalysis(EPMA)showed enrichment in Co,Ni,Sb,As,and Mo,and deficit in its S and Fe contents when compared to the stoichiometric con-centrations of S and Fe in pyrite.The Sb-related pyrite may belong to sedimentary-reworked genesis and may be modi-fied by hydrothermalfluids,thereby presenting a certain dif-ference(i.e.,crystal morphology,texture,and chemical com-position)compared to the skarn and porphyry Cu-related pyrite in the Yangla Cu skarn deposit.Analysis of stibnite with EPMA and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrom-etry showed enrichment in As,Pb,Sn,Pb,Cu,and Zn,and presented much higher Sb contents and slightly lower S con-tents when compared to the stoichiometric concentrations of Sb and S in stibnite.Statistical analysis of the stibnite trace elements showed correlations for the elemental pairs Cu–Pb,As–Sb,and Sn–Pb,and the coupled substitution equations Sb^(3+)↔Cu^(+)+Pb^(2+),Sb^(3+)↔As^(3+),and Sn^(2+)↔Pb^(2+)may be the major factors governed the incorporating Cu,Pb,As and Sn within the stibnite.Moreover,this study preliminary shows that the antimony mineralization may belong to a car-bonate replacement hydrothermal genesis at Yangla.

Unlocking the potential of ultra-thin two-dimensional antimony materials:Selective growth and carbon coating for efficient potassium-ion storage

Antimony-based anodes have attracted wide attention in potassium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical specific capacities(∼660 mA h g^(-1))and suitable voltage platforms.However,severe capacity fading caused by huge volume change and limited ion transportation hinders their practical applications.Recently,strategies for controlling the morphologies of Sb-based materials to improve the electrochemical performances have been proposed.Among these,the two-dimensional Sb(2D-Sb)materials present excellent properties due to shorted ion immigration paths and enhanced ion diffusion.Nevertheless,the synthetic methods are usually tedious,and even the mechanism of these strategies remains elusive,especially how to obtain large-scale 2D-Sb materials.Herein,a novel strategy to synthesize 2D-Sb material using a straightforward solvothermal method without the requirement of a complex nanostructure design is provided.This method leverages the selective adsorption of aldehyde groups in furfural to induce crystal growth,while concurrently reducing and coating a nitrogen-doped carbon layer.Compared to the reported methods,it is simpler,more efficient,and conducive to the production of composite nanosheets with uniform thickness(3–4 nm).The 2D-Sb@NC nanosheet anode delivers an extremely high capacity of 504.5 mA h g^(-1) at current densities of 100 mA g^(-1) and remains stable for more than 200 cycles.Through characterizations and molecular dynamic simulations,how potassium storage kinetics between 2D Sb-based materials and bulk Sb-based materials are explored,and detailed explanations are provided.These findings offer novel insights into the development of durable 2D alloy-based anodes for next-generation potassium-ion batteries.

Soil Profile Concentration Distributions of Antimony and Bismuth across Southeastern Missouri (USA)

Recent research has suggested that increased industrial and technological utilization of antimony and bismuth necessitates greater research to determine the soil and water chemistry and the environmental risks associated with these elements. The near-total soil profile concentrations of antimony and bismuth were determined for key soil series across southeastern Missouri. The antimony concentrations ranged from 0.65 to 0.08 mg kg−1, whereas the bismuth soil profile concentrations ranged from 0.92 to 0.03 mg kg−1. Most pedons showed antimony concentrations ranging from 20 to 30 mg kg−1, whereas bismuth concentrations were commonly 10 to 20 mg kg−1. For soils having argillic horizons, antimony and bismuth concentrations were greater for the illuvial horizons than the eluvial horizons, whereas Entisols, Inceptisols, and one Vertisol showed rather uniform antimony and bismuth concentrations, features paralleling the soil texture distribution. Both antimony and bismuth showed significant correlations with iron.

Growth and Antimony Bioconcentration Characteristics of Wild Ramie(Boehmeria nivea)under Sb Stress in Different Valence States

[Objectives] To explore the effects of antimony(Sb) in different valence states on the growth and Sb bioconcentration and transfer of wild ramie(Boehmeria nivea). [Methods] A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of Sb(Ⅲ) and Sb(Ⅴ) stress on plant height, biomass, leaf SPAD value, Sb contents in various organs, Sb bioconcentration and transfer factors, and other indexes. [Results] Both kinds of Sb treatments showed a trend of "first increasing and then decreasing" in plant height as Sb concentration increased. The plant heights in Sb(Ⅲ) treatments with a concentration lower than 1 000 mg/kg and Sb(Ⅴ) treatments with concentrations lower than 4 000 mg/kg were significantly higher than that of the control check(CK);and the Sb(Ⅲ) treatment of the high concentration(4 000 mg/kg) resulted in a significant decrease in plant height, while the 8 000 mg/kg Sb(Ⅴ) treatment still showed an increase in plant height, indicating that the toxicity of Sb(Ⅴ) to wild ramie was significantly lower than that of Sb(Ⅲ). The Sb(Ⅲ) treatments with a concentration lower than 2 000 mg/kg had little effect on the dry weight of the aboveground part, while the treatment with a higher concentration showed a significant decrease;and the dry weights in various concentrations of Sb(Ⅴ) treatments showed no significant differences, but they were significantly higher than the CK and corresponding concentration of Sb(Ⅲ) treatment. Both types of Sb stress could promote the increase of SPAD value in wild ramie leaves, and the performance was significantly higher than the CK. As the concentration of Sb treatment increased, the Sb content in both the aboveground and underground parts showed a significant increase;and the comparison of Sb content under corresponding concentrations of the two types of Sb treatments showed that in the aboveground part, Sb(Ⅲ) was higher than Sb(Ⅴ), while in the underground part, the opposite was true. The bioconcentration factor(BF) of Sb decreased with the increase of Sb treatment concentration overall, and the value of Sb(Ⅴ) was smaller than that of Sb(Ⅲ), but both kinds of Sb stress were significantly smaller than the CK. The transfer factor(TF) of Sb in wild ramie showed a trend of "increasing first and then decreasing" with the concentration of Sb treatment, and various treatments of Sb(Ⅲ) were higher than the CK, with significant differences, while among various treatments of Sb(Ⅴ), except treatment B3, the reduction of which was not significant, other Sb(Ⅴ) treatments showed significant decreases. Comparing the two types of Sb treatments, the BF and TF values of Sb in wild ramie under Sb(Ⅲ) treatments were higher than those under Sb(Ⅴ) treatments, and the TF reached a significant level, indicating that the Sb transport ability of wild ramie under Sb(Ⅲ) treatments was stronger. [Conclusions] This study provides a theoretical basis for the mining of wild ramie Sb restoration genes and the application of large-scale cultivation in ecological restoration.

Unraveling the influence of interface defects on antimony trisulfide solar cells

Antimony trisulfide(Sb_(2)S_(3)) solar cells suffer from large open circuit voltage deficits due to their intrinsic defects which limit the power conversion efficiency.Thus,it is important to elucidate these defects’ origin and defects at the interface.Here,we discover that sulfide radical defects have a significant impact on the performance of Sb_(2)S_(3)solar cells.Moreover,it has been illustrated that these defects at the CdS/Sb_(2)S_(3)interface can be reduced by optimizing the deposition process.A trap distribution model is used to quantify the defect density at the CdS/Sb_(2)S_(3)interface.It shows that the interface defects can be reduced by24% by improving the deposition process.This work reveals the importance of interface defects and guides the future optimization of Sb_(2)S_(3)solar cells.

Effect of thickness of antimony selenide film on its photoelectric properties and microstructure

Antimony selenide(Sb2Se3) films are widely used in phase change memory and solar cells due to their stable switching effect and excellent photovoltaic properties. These properties of the films are affected by the film thickness. A method combining the advantages of Levenberg–Marquardt method and spectral fitting method(LM–SFM) is presented to study the dependence of refractive index(RI), absorption coefficient, optical band gap, Wemple–Di Domenico parameters, dielectric constant and optical electronegativity of the Sb2Se3films on their thickness. The results show that the RI and absorption coefficient of the Sb2Se3films increase with the increase of film thickness, while the optical band gap decreases with the increase of film thickness. Finally, the reasons why the optical and electrical properties of the film change with its thickness are explained by x-ray diffractometer(XRD), energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer(EDS), Mott–Davis state density model and Raman microstructure analysis.

Effects of Antimony Stress on Root Growth,Antimony Accumulation and Physiological Characteristics of Ramie(Boehmeria nivea(L.) Gaudich.)

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the toxicity of heavy metal antimony(Sb) to ramie(Boehmeria nivea(L.) Gaudich.) and the tolerance response in ramie. [Methods] A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of Sb stress on root growth and Sb accumulation and transport of the root system of cultivated ramie Zhongzhu No.1, as well as on the physiological characteristics of ramie leaves. [Results] The plant height and root dry weight and volume of Zhongzhu No.1 showed an effect of "promoting at low concentrations and inhibiting at high concentrations" with the increase of Sb concentration, and decreased significantly at the concentration of 4 000 mg/kg, but no obvious toxic growth symptoms were observed. The content of Sb in roots(289.7-508.6 mg/kg) and the root-shoot transfer factor(0.09-0.57) of Zhongzhu No.1 increased with the increase of soil Sb concentration, but the change of Sb bioconcentration factor in roots was opposite, indicating that high concentrations of Sb in soil could promote the absorption of Sb in roots and the transport of Sb to the aboveground part, but the Sb enrichment capacity of roots was relatively reduced with the increase of soil Sb. Sb stress had a certain impact on the physiological characteristics of ramie leaves. With the increase of Sb treatment concentration, MDA, POD and SOD showed a change trend of "first increasing and then decreasing", while CAT gradually increased, indicating that Sb stress caused changes in the physiological characteristics of ramie leaves, thereby affecting plant growth and development. [Conclusions] This study provides a theoretical basis for ecological restoration of ramie in mining areas.

POLYMORPH CONTROL OF ANTIMONY WHITE(Sb_2O_3)PREPARED BY HYDROMETALLURGY METHOD

The effects of reaction solvent, the properties of Sb 4O 5Cl 2 material and the ligand additives on the reaction rate and polymorph of antimony white(Sb 2O 3) in the reaction of Sb 4O 5Cl 2 transforming into Sb 2O 3 have been investigated by XRD and IR method. It is revealed that the reaction solvent and the properties of Sb 4O 5Cl 2 are the key factors affecting the reaction rate. The polymorph of antimony trioxides is determined by the reaction mechanism, i.e. the coordination state of the antimony activated complex. Adding a little ligand such as EDTA is the most economical and effective method of synthesizing cubic antimony white(Sb 2O 3)in hydrometallurgical transformation process.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DI(2,4,6-TRIBROMOPHENOXY)TRIPHENYL-ANTIMONY

The synthetic method and characterization of di(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)triphenyl antinony are reporledin this paper.This compound is prepared by reacting dihalotripheny-antimony with tribromophenol under defi-nite conditions and its yield is 70-80%.Relow 250℃,the product has good lhernal stability.It makes alavorable flame resisting effect on polyethylene.while the addition is ouly l0 Phr without using animeny1rioxide,the oxygen index of the polymer increases from 18.51o 26.5,and there are no adverse effects on themechanical properties of polyelhylene.

Role of trivalent antimony in the removal of As, Sb, and Bi impurities from copper electrolytes

The role of trivalent antimony was investigated in removing As, Sb, and Bi impurities from a copper electrolyte. Puri- fication experiments were carried out by adding a various concentrations of Sb（III） ions in a synthetic electrolyte containing 185 g/L sulfuric acid, 45 g/L Cu2＋, 10 g/L As, and 0.5 g/L Bi under stirring at 65℃ for 2 h. The electrolyte was filtered, and the structure, morphology and composition of the precipitate were analyzed by means of chemical analysis, scanning electron mi- croscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, and IR spectroscopy. The precipitate is composed of irregular lumps which are agglomerated by fine dendritic and floccus particles, and it mainly consists of As, Sb, Bi, and O elements. Characteristic bands in the IR spectra of the precipitate are As-OX （X=As, Sb, Bi）, Sb-OY （Y=Sb, Bi）, O-As-O1 As-OH, Sb-OH, and O-H. The precipitate is a mixture of microcrystalline SbAsQ, （Sb,As）203, and amorphous phases. As, Sb, and Bi impurities are effectively removed from the copper electrolyte by Sb（III） ions attributing to these pre- cipitates.

Re–Os Dating of Bitumen from Paleo–Oil Reservoir in the Qinglong Antimony Deposit, Guizhou Province, China and Its Geological Significance

Abundant organic inclusions are present in the Qinglong antimony deposit. However, the source rocks of these organic matters have not been reliably identified. Recently, a paleo--oil reservoir was found in the Qinglong antimony deposit. In view of similar components of gaseous hydrocarbon, we propose that the organic matters observed in inclusions in Qinglong antimony deposit would come from this paleo-oil reservoir. We used the Re-Os dating method to determine the age of the bitumen from this paleo-oil reservoir, and obtained an isochron age of 254.3~2.8 Ma. The age indicates that the oil- generation from source rock occurred in the early Late Permian, earlier than the Sb mineralization age （-148~8.5 Ma） in the Qinglong antimony deposit area. After oil generation from Devonian source rock, first and secondary migration, the crude oil have probably entered into the fractures and pores of volcanic rocks and limestone and formed a paleo-oil reservoir in the western wing of Dachang anticline. As burial process deepened, the crude oil has turned into natural gas, migrates into the core of Dachang anticline and formed a paleo-gas reservoir. The hydrocarbons （including CH4） in the reservoirs can serve as reducing agent to provide the sulfur required for Sb mineralization through thermal chemical reduction of sulfates. Therefore, the formation of oil-gas in the area is a prerequisite for the Sb mineralization in the Qinglong antimony deposit.

Separation and Concentration of Indium from Leaching Solution Containing Indium, Antimony and Iron Ions

Processing conditions of effectively separating indium from the leaching solution of a smelting antimony slag were studied. For the leaching solution containing indium and antimony and iron ions, indium was separated by extracting with HDEHP kerosine solution, washing antimony and iron ions with oxalic acid solution and stripping indium with a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid. InCl 3 solution with purity above 90% is obtained. Indium can be enriched through a circulation of stripping with a dilute HCl solution. The concentration of InCl 3 solution is about 25～30 g/L.

Influence of cooling rate and antimony addition content on graphite morphology and mechanical properties of a ductile iron

Cooling rate and inoculation practice can greatly affect the graphite morphology of ductile irons.In the present research,the effects of the cooling rate and antimony addition on the graphite morphology and mechanical properties of ductile irons have been studied.Three ductile iron castings were prepared through solidification under cooling conditions S(slow),M(medium)and F(fast).The cooling rates around the equilibrium eutectic temperature (1,150℃)for these cooling conditions(S,M and F)were set at 0.21℃·min -1 ,0.32℃·min -1 and 0.37℃·min -1 , respectively.In addition,four ductile iron castings were prepared by adding 0.01%,0.02%,0.03%and 0.04%(by weight)antimony,respectively under the slow cooling condition.The results show that the nodularity index,tensile strength and hardness of the ductile iron castings without antimony addition are all improved with the increase of cooling rate,while the ductile iron casting solidified under the medium cooling rate possesses the largest number of graphite nodules.Furthermore,for the four antimony containing castings,the graphite morphology and tensile strength are also improved by the antimony additions,and the effect of antimony addition is intensified when the addition increases from 0.01%to 0.03%.Moreover,the rare earth elements(REE)/antimony ratio of 2 appears to be the most effective for fine nodular graphite formation in ductile

Fractal Feature of Western Fracture Zone in Xikuangshan Antimony Mine and its Geological Significance

In Xikuangshan antimony ore field, the western fracture zone is a composite of major fault, F 75 , and its secondary faults, such as F 71 , F 72 and F 3 etc.. On plane, the fracture zone scatters from southwest to northeast, and concentrates from upper to deeper level on profile. All ore bodies exist in the carbonate of footwall of the major fault or that of the footwall of its secondary faults. From 480 m and 320 m to 120 m level, the fractal dimensional number of the fault system decreases from 1 482 2 and 1 448 6 to 1 339 2, which indicates the form of fracture zone becoming more simple at deeper level. And in five sub ranges, the Ⅲ and Ⅳ sub ranges are the known area, and the Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅴ sub ranges are unknown. The fractal studies of the western fracture zone in these sub ranges show that the fractal dimensional numbers of the Ⅰ and Ⅱ, being 1 201 5 and 1 278 0, respectively, are smaller than that of the Ⅲ and Ⅳ, being 1 475 9 and 1 576 9, respectively; and that of the Ⅴ, being 1 571 2, keeps with that of the Ⅲ, Ⅳ sub ranges. So mineralization is not well in Ⅰ and Ⅱ sub ranges, and Ⅴ sub range is the best to benefit mineralization.

TENSILE PROPERTIES AND CREEP RESISTANCE OF AZ91 ALLOY CONTAINING ANTIMONY

Small amount of antimony addition to the Mg-9Al-0.8Zn-0.2Mn(AZ91) alloy results in the obvious increase of tensile strength at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The creep resistance at the temperatures up to 200°C is also improved significantly by antimony addition. Microstructural observations revealed that the addition of antimony modifies morphology of the β(Mg17Al12) phase and causes the formation of some rod-shaped precipitates Mg3Sb2 at grain boundaries. These precipitates have high thermal stability and play an important role for strengthening grain boundaries at elevated temperatures.

SYNTHESIS，PROPERTY AND HEAT STABILITY FO RPOLYVINYLCHLORIDSOFANTIMONYTRIS（MERCAPTOACIDESTER）

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Nuclear Factor-κB Signaling Mediates Antimony-induced Astrocyte Activation

Objective Antimony(Sb)has recently been identified as a novel nerve poison,although the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its neurotoxicity remain unclear.This study aimed to assess the effects of the nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathway on antimony-induced astrocyte activation.Methods Protein expression levels were detected by Western blotting.Immunofluorescence,cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions separation were used to assess the distribution of p65.The expression of protein in brain tissue sections was detected by immunohistochemistry.The levels of mRNAs were detected by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)and reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results Antimony exposure triggered astrocyte proliferation and increased the expression of two critical protein markers of reactive astrogliosis,inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP),indicating that antimony induced astrocyte activation in vivo and in vitro.Antimony exposure consistently upregulated the expression of inflammatory factors.Moreover,it induced the NF-κB signaling,indicated by increased p65 phosphorylation and translocation to the nucleus.NF-κB inhibition effectively attenuated antimony-induced astrocyte activation.Furthermore,antimony phosphorylated TGF-β-activated kinase 1(TAK1),while TAK1 inhibition alleviated antimonyinduced p65 phosphorylation and subsequent astrocyte activation.Conclusion Antimony activated astrocytes by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

AN EFFICIENT ACTIVATIOR ON FLOTATION OF FINE ANTIMONY OXIDE

The effects of Mn2+ on the flotation behaviour of fine refractory antimony oxide and its flotationseparation from silicified limestone were studied. The principal gangue mineral, under the condition of PH7. 5 and in the presence of modified water glass through flotability test, measurements of inter facial potentialand adsorption, and X-ray diffraction technique were describled. The activation mechanism of Mn2+ in antimony oxide flotation is fully discussed via modern molecular orbit theory.

Development of antimony sulfide–selenide Sb2(S,Se)3-based solar cells

Antimony sulfide–selenide Sb2（S,Se）3,including Sb2S3and Sb2Se3,can be regarded as binary metal chalcogenides semiconductors since Sb2S3and Sb2Se3are isomorphous.They possess abundant elemental storage,nontoxicity,good stability with regard to moisture at elevated temperatures and suitable physical parameters for light absorption materials in solar cells.To date,quite a few attempts have been conducted in the materials synthesis,photovoltaic property investigation and device fabrication.Benefiting from previous investigation in thin film solar cells and new generation nanostructured solar cells,this class of materials has been applied in either sensitized-architecture or planar heterojunction solar cells.Decent power conversion efficiencies from 5%to 7.5%have been achieved.Apparently,further improvement on the efficiency is required for future practical applications.To give an overview of this research field,this paper displays some typical researches regarding the methodologies toward the antimony sulfide–selenide synthesis,development of interfacial materials and device fabrications,during which we highlight some critical findings that promote the efficiency enhancement.Finally,this paper proposes some outstanding issue regarding fundamental understanding of the materials,some viewpoints for the efficiency improvement and their future challenges in solar cell applications.

Analysis of Total Antimony in Fresh Fruit and Pollution Evaluation in Hunan Province

[ Objective] The content of total antimony （Sb） in fresh fruit was investigated and its pollution was evaluated, to provide the basic data for diet exposure evaluation. [ Method] The content of total Sb in 194 samples was detected by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry （HG-AFS）, and the Sb pollution in several fruits was evaluated by the method of single factor pollution index. [ Result ] The mean of total Sb was 0. 005 6 mg/kg, and the median was 0.003 8 mg/kg. The minimum value was not detected while the maximum value was O. 21 mg/kg, and the confidence interval was ND-O. 019 mg/kg （PS-P95）. The medi- ans of total Sb content in different fruits successively were dragon fruit （0.011 0 mg/kg） 〉 kiwi fruit （0.008 0 mg/kg） 〉 peach （0.006 0 mg/kg）. According to the method of single factor pollution index, the index from all samples was less than 0.2, suggesting that the samples involved were under the normal background value. [ Conclusion ] The Sb was detected in all samples but under the background value, and it was concluded that there was no Sb pollution in fresh fruit in Hunan Province.