Javier Flores-Badillo

This study investigates the mineralogical, physicochemical, thermal, and microstructural variability of materials from the Santa Julia Norte tailings dam in the Pachuca–Real del Monte mining district, Mexico, and examines its implications for construction-material valorization. Representative samples were collected from slope and valley microsites, differentiating between underlying tailings and overlying soil. The materials were characterized through physical and thermal testing, particle-size distribution analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence. The results revealed systematic variations linked to both microsite and stratigraphic position. Underlying fractions were generally finer and exhibited higher firing shrinkage and water absorption, whereas overlying fractions showed lower values, particularly in the valley microsite. Mineralogical analysis indicated that the underlying materials were enriched in quartz together with zeolitic and phyllosilicate phases, while the overlying fractions were dominated by feldspars, mainly orthoclase and albite. SEM observations further supported this distinction, showing more cohesive textures in the underlying materials and looser particle arrangements in the overlying ones. Although bulk chemistry remained relatively uniform, all samples displayed high combined SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3 contents, supporting their potential for construction-related applications. The findings demonstrate that microsite-scale heterogeneity provides a technically meaningful basis for selective valorization, although direct performance validation is still required.

In this work, the electrochemical behavior of potassium jarosite-type solid solutions synthesized via a controlled hydrothermal method was evaluated. Structural characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of potassium jarosite. FTIR spectra complemented these findings, revealing bands characteristic of Fe–O metal coordination (625 and 505 cm⁻¹). Voltammetric tests evidenced redox processes attributable to the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ couple, suggesting that iron within the jarosite framework contributes electrochemically to the observed conductivity. The assembled galvanic cells demonstrated the capability for electrical energy microgeneration, and the presence of jarosite was found to enhance ionic transport within the system. Overall, these results suggest an intergranular ionic-conduction mechanism, possibly facilitated by the mineral matrix, which would act as a structural medium enabling the mobility of charged species.

The capacitive behavior and structural characterization of xenotime located in the Atotonilco el Grande Formation, Hidalgo, Mexico, were investigated. The study area is associated with an extensional rift environment known as the Molango Rift, where tectonic and volcanic processes facilitated the concentration of strategic minerals such as xenotime.Xenotime was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The identified crystalline phases include xenotime-(Y) (PDF 96-101-1144) and xenotime-(Yb) (PDF 96-152-9051). The xenotime particles exhibit subhedral morphologies, along with mineral phases such as zirconium pyrophosphate (ZrP2O7, PDF 96-153-4358) and pretulite (ScPO4, PDF 96-900-1950), which may be remnants of diffusive metasomatic processes that promoted isomorphic substitution of rare earth elements within a phosphorus- and zirconium-rich matrix. Electrical tests demonstrated that xenotime behaves as a high-pass filter (HPF), with efficient signal response above 100 kHz, suggesting its potential use in high-frequency electronic devices. Thermal characterization revealed high dielectric constants (~500) and two ferroelectric transitions (at 70 °C and 300 °C), indicative of a Class I dielectric material with Class II ferroelectric stability. These findings position xenotime as a promising material for the technology sector, particularly in the development of high-stability capacitors, energy storage devices, and solid-state rectifiers. Furthermore, the study underscores the relevance of rift systems as favorable geological environments for the concentration of strategic critical elements in Mexico, encouraging new exploration strategies for high-tech mineral resources. Key Words: Rift, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Xenotime mineralization, Metasomatic, Thermal and electrical characterization.

From an industrial perspective, palygorskite exhibits promising potential as a catalytic support, adsorbent, and cementitious additive. Dolomite complies with national and international standards for use in cement, metallurgy, and agriculture. Siderite constitutes a viable ferrous iron source, although its suitability in ordinary Portland cement requires further evaluation. Palygorskite, dolomite, and siderite from the Atotonilco el Grande Formation (Hidalgo, Mexico), located in a Pliocene rift-type geodynamic setting, were mineralogically characterized. Indirect exploration methods and advanced analytical techniques were employed, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gravity separation using a Wilfley shaking table. The results confirmed the presence of fibrous monoclinic palygorskite (PDF 96-901-0433), dominant dolomite (PDF 96-900-3518), and minor siderite (PDF 96-901-5686). XPS analysis revealed lithium (~0.3?%) in the palygorskite matrix, representing a novel finding for rift-related environments in Mexico. Gravity separation enabled effective isolation of each mineral phase based on density, facilitating detailed individual characterization. This work represents a pioneering contribution to the study of lithium-bearing clays and industrial carbonates in Mexican rift environments, with potential applications in strategic sectors such as catalysis, energy, metallurgy, environmental remediation, and construction. Key Words: Mineralization; Palygorskite; Atotonilco el Grande Formation; Catalysis; Rift.

El acelerado consumo de bienes actualmente, ha incrementado la cantidad de desechos en el mundo, especialmente desechos electrónicos, lo cual hace del reuso y reciclaje un factor importante para remediar la contaminación. Este estudio investiga la lixiviación de residuos de chatarra electrónica en medio H2SO4-O3. Los resultados muestran que la cinética de lixiviación de Cu, Ni y Zn está controlada por la difusión. Los valores de energía de activación (Ea) son 0.815, 3.42 y 0.171 kJ/mol para Cu, Ni y Zn, respectivamente. De igual modo, los órdenes de reacción son prácticamente 0 para los tres metales (-0.049 Cu, 0.14 Ni, y -0.0181 Zn), sugiriendo que la reacción es fácil de iniciar y puede ser controlada por difusión o por un paso limitante que no involucra la concentración de los reactantes. Por lo tanto, estos resultados indican que la lixiviación es un proceso eficiente para recuperar metales contenidos en residuos de la chatarra electrónica. Las máximas recuperaciones encontradas, fueron de 96.5 % de Cu, 98.67 % de Ni y 98.10 % de Zn.

Los desechos minero metalúrgicos, constituyen un impacto medioambiental negativo en las zonas donde se almacenan. En busca de disminuir su impacto, y ya que estos residuos aún tienen propiedades fisicoquímicas y mineralógicas que pueden ser aprovechadas, de este modo en este trabajo se propone su uso como materia prima para la generación de energía. Es por ello, que se realizaron las evaluaciones del potencial eléctrico mediante diferentes ensayos, en los que se encontraron la concentración para su optimización y las curvas de descarga para identificar así su rendimiento. Los resultados más importantes encontrados, indican que al construir un sistema con este residuo, se puede generar la energía suficiente como para encender un dispositivo que requiera de 1.5 V. De este modo, se puede concluir que el reaprovechamiento de desechos de la industria del zinc, puede generar energía y ser el punto de partida para posteriores estudios relacionados con la eficiencia y rendimiento de este tipo de dispositivos.

In the mining industry, key unit operations such as grinding, flotation, thickening, and tailings transport are negatively affected by the presence of clay minerals, which impart complex rheological behaviors to mineral suspensions by increasing their rheological properties. This deterioration arises from specific physicochemical characteristics of clay minerals such as fine particle size, anisotropic character, laminar morphology, and swelling capacity. This work reviews the effects of various rheology-modifying reagents on clay suspensions including kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite. The reviewed reagents include inorganic salts, pH modifiers, polymers, surfactants, and nanoparticles. Their mechanisms of interaction with solid particles are analyzed, highlighting their influence on the degree of dispersion or aggregation. Furthermore, this review proposes research opportunities focused on the formulation of hybrid reagents, modified biopolymers, and the development of reagents effective under adverse conditions such as high salinity or elevated temperatures. This review provides a comprehensive basis for optimizing the use of rheological additives through more efficient and sustainable strategies for managing clay-rich suspensions in the mining industry.

The mining process has always generated residues that often still contain valuable metals. This work focuses on the re-processing of these residues by evaluating and comparing two reagents that can extract valuable silver from tailings. A preliminary kinetic study of silver leaching was conducted in both cyanide and thiosulfate media, and a comparative analysis was performed to determine the optimal leaching conditions. The mining residue was found to contain 83 g/ton of Ag and 0.28 g/ton of Au. This study, carried out for both cyanide and thiosulfate, involved determining the effects of the reagent concentration, temperature, and pH. For the reagent concentration, apparent reaction orders of n = 0.0531 and n = 0.41 were determined for cyanide and thiosulfate, respectively. The apparent activation energies were E_a = 21.7 kJ/mol for cyanide and E_a = 23.13 kJ/mol for thiosulfate, indicating mixed-control kinetics in both systems. Under the conditions studied, maximum silver recoveries of 92% and 93% were achieved using cyanide at 323 K and thiosulfate at 328 K, respectively. Notably, pH had no significant effect on the cyanide system, whereas for thiosulfate, the reaction order was n = 3.27. The results show similar behavior in both systems, but the thiosulfate system is more attractive due to its non-toxic nature and lower cost.

The global problem of water scarcity is exacerbated by the continued contamination of potable water sources. This preliminary study investigates the potential of a hazardous industrial jarosite waste to adsorb As(V) and Cr(III) from contaminated waters. The results showed that this mining waste effectively adsorbed both As(V) and Cr(III), demonstrating its potential as a low-cost and sustainable solution for water remediation along with the use of a hazardous waste that also contaminates. The adsorption process was optimized, and the effects of various parameters on the adsorption capacity were investigated. The findings of this study suggest that the use of toxic mining residues in porous concrete could provide a promising approach for the removal of toxic heavy metals from polluted water sources, contributing to the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly water treatment technologies. A maximum adsorption of 90.6% of As(V) and 96.3% of Cr(III) was achieved, and it was verified that the industrial jarosite initially contained about 0.44% As, which was later leached during decomposition; again, the industrial jarosite was able to re-adsorb both As(V) and Cr(III).