Antimony isotopes as monitors of ore formation and oxidative weathering processes

The investigations of isotope fractionation of non-traditional stable isotopes have been proven as a powerful tool for understanding ore formation and weathering processes over the past years. Understanding these processes for antimony (Sb) provides new opportunities for identifying new resources and limiting environmental pollution in the future. As Sb is redox-sensitive, Sb isotopes could be used to monitor the weathering processes of Sb deposits which cause environmental damage through the release of Sb and other toxic elements. This thesis explores the application of the Sb isotope system as a potential tool to better understand and manage ore mineralization and environmental processes related to the impact of mine tailings. For this reason, a new ion-exchange-chromatography method has been developed and tested to determine the Sb isotopic composition of the bulk silicate Earth (BSE). Knowledge of the isotopic composition of the BSE provides important insights into the Sb migration of the mantle to the crust and the formation of Sb mineralization processes on the Earth. In addition, a new in situ fs-LA-MC-ICP-MS analytical technique was developed and tested to analyse the Sb isotopes in a range of Sb-rich sulfides, sulfosalts, and oxides by analysing Sb isotopic composition in situ, and cross-calibrating it with solution MC-ICP-MS on aliquots of the same chemically homogeneous material. The new in situ method was applied to primary and secondary minerals in a well-characterised deposit camp in combination with trace element determination and petrographic observations to explore the potential of Sb isotope ratios to unravel how ore formation processes work and to understand the Sb behaviour during weathering processes under oxidative environmental conditions.