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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)

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 » 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.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
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  1. 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.
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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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004
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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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1476998.
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@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}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.04.004
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Cited by: 11 works
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Figures / Tables:

Table 1 Table 1: World REY mine production and reserves (Ober, 2017)
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Works referenced in this record:

Utilization of coal ash: Is vermitechnology a sustainable avenue?
journal, May 2016

Elemental concentrations in the National Bureau of Standards' environmental coal and fly ash Standard Reference Materials
journal, June 1975

  • Ondov, J. M.; Zoller, W. H.; Olmez, Ilhan.
  • Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 47, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1021/ac60357a007

Distributions of minor and trace elements in Chinese coals
journal, June 1999

Mercury concentration in coal—unraveling the puzzle
journal, January 1999

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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Nano-Scale Rare Earth Distribution in Fly Ash Derived from the Combustion of the Fire Clay Coal, Kentucky
    journal, March 2019

    • Hower, James; Qian, Dali; Briot, Nicolas
    • Minerals, Vol. 9, Issue 4
    • DOI: 10.3390/min9040206
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      Figures / Tables found in this record:

      Table 1 (p. 5)table
      Table 2 (p. 7)table
      Figure 1 (p. 9)figure
      Figure 2 (p. 10)figure
      Table 3 (1) (p. 11)table
      Table 3 (2) (p. 12)table
      Table 4 (p. 13)table
      Table 4 (p. 14)table
      Figure 3 (p. 17)figure
      Figure 4 (p. 18)figure
      Figure 5 (p. 18)figure
      Figure 6 (p. 19)figure
      Table 6 (1) (p. 20)table
      Figure 7 (p. 21)figure
      Table 6 (2) (p. 21)table
      Figure 8 (p. 23)figure
      Table 7 (p. 24)table
      Figure 9 (p. 25)figure
      Figure 10 (p. 26)figure
      Table 8 (p. 26)table
      Table 9 (p. 26)table
      Table 10 (p. 27)table
      Table 11 (p. 28)table
      Table 12 (p. 28)table
      Figure 11 (p. 29)figure
      Figure 12 (p. 31)figure
      Table 13 (p. 34)table
      Figure 13 (p. 35)figure
      Figure 14 (p. 35)figure
      Figure 15 (p. 36)figure
      Figure 16 (p. 36)figure
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