Evaluation of pyritic oxidation by nuclear methods

Laboratory studies demonstrated the feasibility of using the Mossbauer effect and a backscattering mode of detecting 14.4 Kev gamma rays to spectroscopically monitor the oxidation processes taking place on pyrite materials. A cobaltous oxide form of cobalt-57 was the radiation source. Spectra were obtained of pyritic surfaces under 2 mm of water. Differentiation of nonoxidized and oxidized pyritic surfaces was possible with further separation of the spectra to show individual oxidation product peaks suggesting ferric hydroxide and ferric sulfate.