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

James C. Hower; John G. Groppo; Heileen Hsu-Kim; Ross K. Taggart

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990

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

James C. Hower, John G. Groppo, Heileen Hsu-Kim, Ross K. Taggart

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Scopus citations

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 Eu_N/Eu_N*, 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 Eu_N/Eu_N*, 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 Eu_N/Eu_N* and a sharp Gd peak. 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.

Original language	English
Article number	119990
Journal	Fuel
Volume	289
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990
State	Published - Apr 1 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was completed as part of U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0026952 and National Science Foundation grants CBET-1510965 and CBET-1510861 to Duke University and the University of Kentucky, respectively.

Funding Information:
This study was completed as part of U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0026952 and National Science Foundation grants CBET-1510965 and CBET-1510861 to Duke University and the University of Kentucky, respectively. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. All authors were responsible for the writing and editing of the manuscript. Hower and Groppo, among others at the CAER, collected the samples; Hower managed the CAER-based portion of the project; Hsu-Kim managed the Duke University portion of the project; and Taggart was responsible for the ICP-MS analyses.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Coal
Critical materials
Energy resources
Fly ash
Lanthanides

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemical Engineering (all)
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Organic Chemistry

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10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990

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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. 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.",

keywords = "Coal, Critical materials, Energy resources, Fly ash, Lanthanides",

author = "Hower, {James C.} and Groppo, {John G.} and Heileen Hsu-Kim and Taggart, {Ross K.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was completed as part of U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0026952 and National Science Foundation grants CBET-1510965 and CBET-1510861 to Duke University and the University of Kentucky, respectively. Funding Information: This study was completed as part of U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0026952 and National Science Foundation grants CBET-1510965 and CBET-1510861 to Duke University and the University of Kentucky, respectively. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. All authors were responsible for the writing and editing of the manuscript. Hower and Groppo, among others at the CAER, collected the samples; Hower managed the CAER-based portion of the project; Hsu-Kim managed the Duke University portion of the project; and Taggart was responsible for the ICP-MS analyses. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Ltd",

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doi = "10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119990",

language = "English",

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T1 - Distribution of rare earth elements in fly ash derived from the combustion of Illinois Basin coals

AU - Hower, James C.

AU - Groppo, John G.

AU - Hsu-Kim, Heileen

AU - Taggart, Ross K.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was completed as part of U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0026952 and National Science Foundation grants CBET-1510965 and CBET-1510861 to Duke University and the University of Kentucky, respectively. Funding Information: This study was completed as part of U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0026952 and National Science Foundation grants CBET-1510965 and CBET-1510861 to Duke University and the University of Kentucky, respectively. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. All authors were responsible for the writing and editing of the manuscript. Hower and Groppo, among others at the CAER, collected the samples; Hower managed the CAER-based portion of the project; Hsu-Kim managed the Duke University portion of the project; and Taggart was responsible for the ICP-MS analyses. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2021/4/1

Y1 - 2021/4/1

N2 - 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. 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.

AB - 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. 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.

KW - Coal

KW - Critical materials

KW - Energy resources

KW - Fly ash

KW - Lanthanides

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

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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