Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation
Abstract Understanding elements uptake and release from minerals in source rocks is crucial for comprehending critical metals accumulation, yet the mechanisms and kinetics of element mobilization at the atomic scale remain mostly unknown. Here, we analyzed the distribution of cobalt (Co) in natural...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57171-4 |
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| _version_ | 1849724014738538496 |
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| author | Zheng-Jie Qiu Yanlu Xing Joël Brugger Barbara Etschmann Zsanett Pintér Denis Fougerouse Jing Xu Zhiyang Yu Guang-Jun Guo Hong-Rui Fan |
| author_facet | Zheng-Jie Qiu Yanlu Xing Joël Brugger Barbara Etschmann Zsanett Pintér Denis Fougerouse Jing Xu Zhiyang Yu Guang-Jun Guo Hong-Rui Fan |
| author_sort | Zheng-Jie Qiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Understanding elements uptake and release from minerals in source rocks is crucial for comprehending critical metals accumulation, yet the mechanisms and kinetics of element mobilization at the atomic scale remain mostly unknown. Here, we analyzed the distribution of cobalt (Co) in natural pyrite from a Cu-Co ore deposit and found that metals distribution is best described by steady-state diffusion with constant flux and concentration-dependent diffusivities, rather than transient-state diffusion with time-evolving concentrations. First-principles calculations and diffusion modelling further demonstrate that this diffusion is accelerated by vacancy pathways and is far more efficient than traditional vacancy-mediated lattice diffusion, with element transfer rates higher by almost two orders of magnitude. We conclude that steady-state lattice diffusion induced by vacancies in the presence of fluid can be an efficient mechanism promoting the preferential release of metals into ore fluids and the accumulation of metals during ore formation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5518bf52d5b44382be08b131c232a2c6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-5518bf52d5b44382be08b131c232a2c62025-08-20T03:10:52ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-57171-4Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulationZheng-Jie Qiu0Yanlu Xing1Joël Brugger2Barbara Etschmann3Zsanett Pintér4Denis Fougerouse5Jing Xu6Zhiyang Yu7Guang-Jun Guo8Hong-Rui Fan9State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric and Environmental Coevolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesCSIRO, Mineral ResourcesSchool of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash UniversitySchool of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash UniversityCSIRO, Mineral ResourcesSchool of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin UniversityZijin School of Geology and Mining, Fuzhou UniversityState Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou UniversityCollege of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Lithospheric and Environmental Coevolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Understanding elements uptake and release from minerals in source rocks is crucial for comprehending critical metals accumulation, yet the mechanisms and kinetics of element mobilization at the atomic scale remain mostly unknown. Here, we analyzed the distribution of cobalt (Co) in natural pyrite from a Cu-Co ore deposit and found that metals distribution is best described by steady-state diffusion with constant flux and concentration-dependent diffusivities, rather than transient-state diffusion with time-evolving concentrations. First-principles calculations and diffusion modelling further demonstrate that this diffusion is accelerated by vacancy pathways and is far more efficient than traditional vacancy-mediated lattice diffusion, with element transfer rates higher by almost two orders of magnitude. We conclude that steady-state lattice diffusion induced by vacancies in the presence of fluid can be an efficient mechanism promoting the preferential release of metals into ore fluids and the accumulation of metals during ore formation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57171-4 |
| spellingShingle | Zheng-Jie Qiu Yanlu Xing Joël Brugger Barbara Etschmann Zsanett Pintér Denis Fougerouse Jing Xu Zhiyang Yu Guang-Jun Guo Hong-Rui Fan Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation Nature Communications |
| title | Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation |
| title_full | Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation |
| title_fullStr | Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation |
| title_short | Vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid-induced solid-state diffusion and critical metals accumulation |
| title_sort | vacancies in sulfides facilitate fluid induced solid state diffusion and critical metals accumulation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57171-4 |
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