Surface Area/Grain Size Relations

Surface Area/Grain Size Relations

Changes in Surface Area as a Function of Grain Size

Influence of Grain Mineralogy on Surface Area

Influence of Coatings on Surface Area

• Sand-sized and Larger seds.: grain coatings composed of carbonates, Fe & Mn oxides and hydroxides, and organic matter are rough in comparison to surface of the underlying particles.

• Coatings may comprise <5% by weight, but account for significant portion of the total surface area.

Grain Size vs. Concentration

• Semi-systematic increase in concentration with finer-grained material

Grain Size vs. Concentration

Metals per unit Mass

• Some deposits may contain so little fine-grained material that the bulk of the metal contaminant per unit mass is found in the sand-sized fraction.