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Title: Distribution of rare earth elements in fly ash derived from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals

Abstract

This study examined rare earth element (REE) trends for Illinois Basin coal-sourced fly ashes, with the goal of understanding the elemental composition and resource potential for various fly ash fractions. Illinois Basin coals have a high volatile C through A bituminous rank with a moderate ash content (slightly>12% ash (dry basis)), about 3% sulfur, and, in general, lower concentrations of hazardous and other trace elements than many Central Appalachian coals. Fly ash from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals tends to have a high Fe2O3 content owing to the amount of pyrite in the feed coals. The rare earth element (REE) concentrations in Illinois Basin coal-sourced fly ashes are less than that for fly ashes from the combustion of Central Appalachian coals. The Upper continental crust-corrected fly ashes show an H-type enrichment, a positive EuN/EuN*, and, in some cases, a sharp Gd peak. For comparison, a suite of fly ashes from the combustion of a blend of eastern Kentucky coals had an H-type enrichment, a positive EuN/EuN*, but only a minimal Gd peak. In contrast, fly ash from the combustion of the Fire Clay coal, a REE-rich coal, had a negative EuN/EuN* and a sharp Gd peak. Finally, these resultsmore » highlight the importance of feed coal composition on trace element contents of respective combustion fly ash fractions and also the unique REE enrichment patterns of the Illinois Basin fly ashes relative to the better studied fly ashes of eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Center for Applied Energy Research; Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences
  2. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Center for Applied Energy Research; Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Dept. of Mining Engineering
  3. Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1849205
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1775786
Grant/Contract Number:  
FE0026952; CBET-1510965; CBET-1510861
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Fuel
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 289; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-2361
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 42 ENGINEERING; Energy & fuels; Engineering; Lanthanides; Critical materials; Energy resources; Coal; Fly ash

Citation Formats

Hower, James C., Groppo, John G., Hsu-Kim, Heileen, and Taggart, Ross K. Distribution of rare earth elements in fly ash derived from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990.
Hower, James C., Groppo, John G., Hsu-Kim, Heileen, & Taggart, Ross K. Distribution of rare earth elements in fly ash derived from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990
Hower, James C., Groppo, John G., Hsu-Kim, Heileen, and Taggart, Ross K. Thu . "Distribution of rare earth elements in fly ash derived from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1849205.
@article{osti_1849205,
title = {Distribution of rare earth elements in fly ash derived from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals},
author = {Hower, James C. and Groppo, John G. and Hsu-Kim, Heileen and Taggart, Ross K.},
abstractNote = {This study examined rare earth element (REE) trends for Illinois Basin coal-sourced fly ashes, with the goal of understanding the elemental composition and resource potential for various fly ash fractions. Illinois Basin coals have a high volatile C through A bituminous rank with a moderate ash content (slightly>12% ash (dry basis)), about 3% sulfur, and, in general, lower concentrations of hazardous and other trace elements than many Central Appalachian coals. Fly ash from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals tends to have a high Fe2O3 content owing to the amount of pyrite in the feed coals. The rare earth element (REE) concentrations in Illinois Basin coal-sourced fly ashes are less than that for fly ashes from the combustion of Central Appalachian coals. The Upper continental crust-corrected fly ashes show an H-type enrichment, a positive EuN/EuN*, and, in some cases, a sharp Gd peak. For comparison, a suite of fly ashes from the combustion of a blend of eastern Kentucky coals had an H-type enrichment, a positive EuN/EuN*, but only a minimal Gd peak. In contrast, fly ash from the combustion of the Fire Clay coal, a REE-rich coal, had a negative EuN/EuN* and a sharp Gd peak. Finally, these results highlight the importance of feed coal composition on trace element contents of respective combustion fly ash fractions and also the unique REE enrichment patterns of the Illinois Basin fly ashes relative to the better studied fly ashes of eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia.},
doi = {10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990},
journal = {Fuel},
number = C,
volume = 289,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2020},
month = {Thu Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2020}
}

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