An application of the U.S. Geological Survey COALQUAL database for the National Coal Assessment: Data observations from the Pittsburgh Coal bed
- Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
The US Geological Survey (USGS) Open File Report 94-205, Coal Quality Database (COALQUAL): Version 1.3, is a CD-ROM that includes 7,400 coal quality data records that represent full-bed coal samples from the US. As many as 136 attributes are stored for each record. Attributes include geologic, stratigraphic, and geographic data, ultimate and proximate analysis, forms of sulfur, grindability and free swelling indexes, ash fusion temperatures, calorific value, major elements in the ash reported as oxides, and concentrations of an additional 63 major-, minor-, and trace-elements. The USGS is currently conducting a five-year National Coal Assessment program to assess the top producing coal beds in five high-priority regions: (1) Colorado Plateau, (2) Rocky Mountain and Northern Great Plains, (3) Gulf Coast, (4) Illinois Basin and (5) Northern and Central Appalachian Basin. The Pittsburgh Coal bed, which extends over an area covering 50 counties in PA, OH, WV, and MD, is being assessed as part of the new National Coal Assessment. COALQUAL will be one of the sources used to map coal quality trends for the assessment. Trends of the geochemistry of the Pittsburgh Coal bed have been examined by using approximately 150 total samples. Preliminary mapping indicates higher calorific values (12--14,000 BTU/lb, as received) in the eastern part of the basin and lower values (10--12,000 BTU/lb) in the western part, which corresponds to higher ash and total sulfur values in the west. Trace element concentrations appear to roughly correlate with higher sulfur values. Chlorine, an element often linked to boiler corrosion, is highest in the northern part of the basin and in Marion County, WV. Although some of these trends may be due to the inclusion of data from a coal bed immediately overlying the Pittsburgh Coal bed, the Pittsburgh rider, preliminary regional observations support more localized studies that show that sulfur and ash yields increase from east to west.
- OSTI ID:
- 257095
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950952-; TRN: IM9631%%301
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 12. annual international Pittsburgh coal conference, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 11-15 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Twelfth annual international Pittsburgh coal conference: Proceedings. Coal -- Energy and the environment; PB: 1248 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
99 MATHEMATICS
COMPUTERS
INFORMATION SCIENCE
MANAGEMENT
LAW
MISCELLANEOUS
PENNSYLVANIA
COAL DEPOSITS
OHIO
WEST VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
GEOCHEMISTRY
COAL
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
STRATIGRAPHY
SULFUR CONTENT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
MINERALS
C CODES
MAPPING
ASH CONTENT