In this study, we report combined Tl isotopic and Tl mineralogical and speciation data from a set of Tl-rich sulfide concentrates and technological wastes from hydrometallurgical Zn extraction. We also present the first evaluation of Tl isotopic ratios over a cycle of sulfide processing, from the ore flotation to pyro- and hydrometallurgical stages. The results demonstrate that the prevailing Tl form in all samples is Tl(I), without any preferential incorporation into sulfides or Tl-containing secondary phases, indicating an absence of Tl redox reactions. Although the Tl concentrations varied significantly in the studied samples (~9–280 mg/kg), the overall Tl isotopic variability was small, in the range of −3.1 to −4.4 ± 0.7 (2σ) ε²⁰⁵Tl units. By combining present ε²⁰⁵Tl results with the trends first found for a local roasting plant, it is possible to infer minimum Tl isotopic effects throughout the studied industrial process. As a result, the use of Tl isotopic ratios as a source proxy may be complicated or even impossible in areas with naturally high/extreme Tl background contents. On the other hand, areas with two or more isotopically contrasting Tl sources allow for relatively easy tracing, i.e., in compartments which do not suffer from post-depositional isotopic redistributions.

在这项研究中，我们报告了来自一组富铊硫化物精矿和湿法冶金锌提取工艺废物的 Tl 同位素和 Tl 矿物学和物种形成数据。我们还首次评估了从矿石浮选到火法和湿法冶金阶段的硫化物加工循环中的 Tl 同位素比率。结果表明，所有样品中的主要 Tl 形式是 Tl(I)，没有任何优先掺入硫化物或含 Tl 的第二相，表明不存在 Tl 氧化还原反应。尽管研究样品中的 Tl 浓度差异很大（~9–280 mg/kg），但总体 Tl 同位素变异性很小，在 -3.1 到 -4.4 ± 0.7 (2σ) ε ²⁰⁵ Tl 单位的范围内。通过结合现在的 ε ²⁰⁵Tl 结果与首次在当地焙烧厂发现的趋势相结合，可以推断出整个研究工业过程中的最小 Tl 同位素效应。因此，在具有天然高/极端 Tl 背景含量的地区，使用 Tl 同位素比率作为源代理可能会很复杂，甚至是不可能的。另一方面，具有两个或多个同位素对比的Tl源的区域允许相对容易的追踪，即，在不受沉积后同位素重新分布影响的隔室中。