Magnitude of Minor Element Reduction through Beneficiation of Central Appalachian Coals

Arsenic-bearing pyrite and marcasite in the Fire Clay coal bed, Middle Pennsylvanian Breathitt Formation, eastern Kentucky

“…Most of the As-bearing Fe-disulfides are porous, have a high surface area, and contain extraneous atoms in the lattice making them highly susceptible to oxidation and leaching (Huggins, 2002). Hower et al (1998) investigated the minor element geochemistry of a series of run-of-mine and clean coals from Eastern Kentucky and Virginia preparation plants and observed that the As content of clean Fire Clay coal samples (0.30 ppm, wcb) is higher than the mean average for other clean Central Appalachian coals (0.21 ppm, wcb, includes Fire Clay coals). It is likely that the Fire Clay coal retains small, Asbearing pyrite grains incorporated in larger coal particles, which lack sufficient mass to place them in the coal refuse stream (Hower et al, 1998).…”

Partitioning of elements and macerals during preparation of Antaibao coal

“…However, in addition to the 12 HAP elements, other elements, such as Ba, Br, Cu, Mo, P, Th, U, V, Zn, etc., considered by Swaine (1990) and Finkelman (1995) to be of environmental concern should also be studied for their removal behavior during coal cleaning. Unfortunately, there are relatively few studies concerning the partitioning of macerals and bulk major and trace elements during coal preparation (Wang et al, 2006;Vassilev et al, 2001;Hower et al, 1998Hower et al, , 1986Garcia and Martinez-Tarazona, 1993;Hower and Wild, 1991;Conzemius et al, 1988), especially for these elements in the middlings and coal slime byproducts of coal preparation. With an increasingly urgent energy situation, even if the middlings and slime contain more hazardous components, they may have to be used after deep processing.…”