Evaluation of trace elements in U.S. coals using the USGS COALQUAL database version 3.0. Part I: Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY)
Abstract
Coal is a potential source of valuable elements such as rare earth elements and yttrium (REY). In this work, REY concentrations in U.S. domestic coals were evaluated using data from the USGS COALQUAL Database Version 3.0. The database contains a total of 7657 non-weathered, full-bed coal samples. The number of samples containing REY data points varies among elements. Assessment of data quality indicates that some of the REY data are semi-quantitative and should be used with caution. Different analytical instruments and methods with varying accuracies and precisions are thought to be the main sources of errors. Inclusion of qualified data also accounts for the sawtooth pattern of the UCC-normalized REY distribution. A new set of Q factor values was thus proposed to adjust qualified data. Consequently, mean concentrations of REY in U.S. coals were obtained with a total REY concentration of 65.5 ppm on a moisture-free whole coal basis. Further evaluation of REY in 5378 selected coal samples indicates that about 9–13% of the samples fall into the combined category of promising and highly promising coals for REY, according to the classification of Dai et al. (2017). Taking sampling bias into consideration, we further found that bituminous coal, particularly frommore »
- Authors:
-
- National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1476998
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1548667
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- International Journal of Coal Geology
- Additional Journal Information:
- [ Journal Volume: 192; Journal Issue: C]; Journal ID: ISSN 0166-5162
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; REE; US coal; Coal; COALQUAL; Lanthanides; Rare earth elements; Yttrium
Citation Formats
Lin, Ronghong, Soong, Yee, and Granite, Evan J. Evaluation of trace elements in U.S. coals using the USGS COALQUAL database version 3.0. Part I: Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY). United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004.
Lin, Ronghong, Soong, Yee, & Granite, Evan J. Evaluation of trace elements in U.S. coals using the USGS COALQUAL database version 3.0. Part I: Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY). United States. doi:10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004.
Lin, Ronghong, Soong, Yee, and Granite, Evan J. Sun .
"Evaluation of trace elements in U.S. coals using the USGS COALQUAL database version 3.0. Part I: Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY)". United States. doi:10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1476998.
@article{osti_1476998,
title = {Evaluation of trace elements in U.S. coals using the USGS COALQUAL database version 3.0. Part I: Rare earth elements and yttrium (REY)},
author = {Lin, Ronghong and Soong, Yee and Granite, Evan J.},
abstractNote = {Coal is a potential source of valuable elements such as rare earth elements and yttrium (REY). In this work, REY concentrations in U.S. domestic coals were evaluated using data from the USGS COALQUAL Database Version 3.0. The database contains a total of 7657 non-weathered, full-bed coal samples. The number of samples containing REY data points varies among elements. Assessment of data quality indicates that some of the REY data are semi-quantitative and should be used with caution. Different analytical instruments and methods with varying accuracies and precisions are thought to be the main sources of errors. Inclusion of qualified data also accounts for the sawtooth pattern of the UCC-normalized REY distribution. A new set of Q factor values was thus proposed to adjust qualified data. Consequently, mean concentrations of REY in U.S. coals were obtained with a total REY concentration of 65.5 ppm on a moisture-free whole coal basis. Further evaluation of REY in 5378 selected coal samples indicates that about 9–13% of the samples fall into the combined category of promising and highly promising coals for REY, according to the classification of Dai et al. (2017). Taking sampling bias into consideration, we further found that bituminous coal, particularly from the central Appalachian region, has the highest probability of being a source for beneficial recovery of REY. More specifically, bituminous coal from eastern Kentucky is likely to be the best option. Lastly, we conclude that U.S. domestic coal is a promising, alternative source for beneficial recovery of REY to meet the U.S. REY demand for economic growth.},
doi = {10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004},
journal = {International Journal of Coal Geology},
number = [C],
volume = [192],
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {4}
}
Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journalWeb of Science
Figures / Tables:
Table 1: World REY mine production and reserves (Ober, 2017)
Figures / Tables found in this record: