Leaching behaviors of high-sulfur coal wastes from two Appalachian coal-preparation plants
We have completed an assessment of the environmental behaviors of high-sulfur coal wastes obtained from two coal preparation plants located in northern Appalachia. Leachates obtained from these materials are often very acidic, with pH values sometimes less than 2, and contain high concentrations of a number of chemical elements. Aluminum, manganese, iron, nickel, and sometimes copper, zinc, and cadmium are released in environmentally harmful concentrations according to the Environmental Protection Agency Multimedia Environmental Goals/Minimum Acute Toxicity Effluent (MEG/MATE) system of evaluation. Iron is the worst case, with concentrations typically more than 30 times the acceptable level. In terms of leaching behavior, these wastes are very similar to the Illinois Basin coal wastes that we have studied in the past. Unless properly disposed of, these wastes may cause serious environmental degradation as a result of contaminated drainages. Studies of the chemical composition and morphology of these coal wastes reveal that many of the environmentally important elements leached from the solid wastes in high percentages (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se) tend to reside among either mixed-layer clays or pyritic mineral phases. Elements associated with quartz or more orderly clays, such as kaolinite or illite, are generally leached in lower percentages. Important determinants of coal waste leaching behavior are pyrite, which determines the acid generating potential of the waste, calcite, which determines the capacity of the waste to self-neutralize the acids released by oxidation of pyrite, and the clay minerals, which serve as reservoirs for many of the leachable trace elements.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 5318721
- Report Number(s):
- LA-9356-MS; ON: DE82019488
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Leaching behaviors of low-sulfur coals and coal wastes from three Western coal-preparation plants
Toxic Substances from Coal Combustion - Forms of Occurrence Analyses
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COAL PREPARATION PLANTS
MINERAL WASTES
LEACHATES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
LEACHING
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ALUMINIUM
APPALACHIA
ARSENIC
CADMIUM
CALCITE
CLAYS
COBALT
COPPER
CORRELATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GYPSUM
ILLITE
IRON
KAOLINITE
MANGANESE
MARCASITE
MINERALS
MONTMORILLONITE
NICKEL
PH VALUE
PYRITE
QUANTITY RATIO
QUARTZ
SELENIUM
SPOIL BANKS
SULFUR
ZINC
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM SILICATES
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SOLID WASTES
SOLUTIONS
SULFATE MINERALS
SULFATES
SULFIDE MINERALS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WASTES
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
013000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Transport
Handling
& Storage
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)