He sulfur is found in natural reserves, adjacencies of thermal waters and volcanic zones. It is also found in natural gas, fossil fuels, some foods, and mines of cinnabar, pyrite, stibnite, galena and sphalerite.
Sulfur is a very abundant macro-mineral in the earth's crust and its presence can be in the form of sulphides or sulfates. It is the ninth element with the greatest presence in nature.
This element has a very characteristic smell that many relate to the smell of a rotten egg. In its solid state it has a yellowish hue that can turn orange.
Sulfur is essential for the proper functioning of living beings. Minerals are necessary for the production of hormones and the formation of bones, among other vital functions.
The 6 main sources of sulfur
1- Volcanic areas
Volcanic regions are a natural source of sulfur, given the high activity of this type of geological formations.
In active volcanoes, sulfur dioxide and sulfur dioxide gases arise from the interior of the volcano and react with each other, to generate sulfur and water as byproducts of the process.
2- Natural gas
Another way to get sulfur is by breaking up the natural gas: from the natural gas, the hydrogen sulfide is extracted. This process is known as desulfurization of natural gas.
Subsequently the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized and, after being burned, sulfur is obtained.
3- Natural mines of sulphides and sulfates
One of the greatest sources of sulfur is sulfide mines, such as pyrite, sphalerite, stibnite, cinnabar, chalcopyrite and galena; as well as sulfates such as mineral gypsum, also known as aljez.
More than 50% of the composition of pyrite is sulfur-based, and the main deposits of this sulfur are found in Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and the United States.
4- Fossil fuels
To a lesser extent, sulfur is also present in fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. The combustion of these materials produces sulfur dioxide.
In addition, sulfur is also found in the rocks of oil fields. An important volume of the world production of sulfur is obtained by melting these rocks.
5- Food
Sulfur is found in the vast majority of proteins of animal origin, such as eggs, cheeses and red meats.
Sulfur has an important participation in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats in the human body; therefore, its intake is indispensable in a moderate way as part of the daily diet.
Other foods that are an important source of sulfur are vegetables, legumes and seafood (fish, seafood, among others).
6- Natural reserves of sulfur
On the planet there are more than 5 billion tons of sulfur, distributed in natural reserves.
In these reserves the sulfur is extracted through a process known as the Frasch process, through which the sulfur found in deep deposits is melted.
References
- Food rich in sulfur (s.f.). Retrieved from: botanical-online.com
- Sulfur (s.f.). Havana Cuba. Retrieved from: ecured.cu
- Sulfur (s.f.). WebConsultas Healthcare, S.A. Retrieved from: webconsultas.com
- Sulfur (2017). Feature Encyclopedia Recovered from: caracteristicas.co
- The thermal waters and their healing properties (2014). Retrieved from: geosalud.com
- Massol, A. (s.f.). Biology Manual. University of Puerto Rico. Mayagüez University Campus. Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Retrieved from: uprm.edu
- Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2017). Sulfur. Retrieved from: en.wikipedia.org