“…4), indicating that the sulfate-to-oxide phase transition of sphalerite (ZnS) also occurred at a faster pace during MR. Given that most sulfide minerals are good microwave absorbers [42], such fast and selective heating during MR is expected to give a similar effect to chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) and galena (PbS) as the respective main Cu and Pbbearing minerals in the tailings.…”