Minerals 2016, 6(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/min6020028
Geochemical Characteristics of Trace Elements in the No. 6 Coal Seam from the Chuancaogedan Mine, Jungar Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China
1
Key Laboratory of Resource Exploration Research of Hebei Province, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
2
Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center of Coal Exploitation, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
3
Department of Resources and Earth Science, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Shifeng Dai and Dimitrina Dimitrova
Received: 19 November 2015 / Revised: 26 January 2016 / Accepted: 23 February 2016 / Published: 30 March 2016
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Minerals in Coal)
Abstract
Fourteen samples of No. 6 coal seam were obtained from the Chuancaogedan Mine, Jungar Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China. The samples were analyzed by optical microscopic observation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) methods. The minerals mainly consist of kaolinite, pyrite, quartz, and calcite. The results of XRF and ICP-MS analyses indicate that the No. 6 coals from Chuancaogedan Mine are higher in Al2O3, P2O5, Zn, Sr, Li, Ga, Zr, Gd, Hf, Pb, Th, and U contents, but have a lower SiO2/Al2O3 ratio, compared to common Chinese coals. The contents of Zn, Sr, Li, Ga, Zr, Gd, Hf, Pb, Th, and U are higher than those of world hard coals. The results of cluster analyses show that the most probable carrier of strontium in the coal is gorceixite; Lithium mainly occurs in clay minerals; gallium mainly occurs in inorganic association, including the clay minerals and diaspore; cadmium mainly occurs in sphalerite; and lead in the No. 6 coal may be associated with pyrite. Potentially valuable elements (e.g., Al, Li, and Ga) might be recovered as byproducts from coal ash. Other harmful elements (e.g., P, Pb, and U) may cause environmental impact during coal processing. View Full-Text
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Xiao, L.; Zhao, B.; Duan, P.; Shi, Z.; Ma, J.; Lin, M. Geochemical Characteristics of Trace Elements in the No. 6 Coal Seam from the Chuancaogedan Mine, Jungar Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China. Minerals 2016, 6, 28.
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