Probing ore deposits formation: New insights and challenges from synchrotron and neutron studies

Abstract

The understanding of the physico-chemical processes leading to the formation and weathering of ore deposits plays an increasingly important role in mineral exploration. Synchrotron, neutron, and nuclear radiation are contributing to this endeavour in many ways, including (i) support the modelling of ore transport and deposition, by providing molecular-level understanding of solvent-solute interaction and thermodynamic properties for the important metal complexes in brines, vapours, and supercritical fluids over the range of conditions relevant for the formation of ore deposits (i.e., temperature 25-600 °C; pressure 1-109 Pa; and fluid compositions varying from hypersaline (e.g., >50 wt% NaCl..