Mineralogy of a rare earth element-rich Manchester coal lithotype, Clay County, Kentucky

James C. Hower; Dali Qian; Nicolas J. Briot; Madison M. Hood; Cortland F. Eble

doi:10.1016/j.coal.2020.103413

Mineralogy of a rare earth element-rich Manchester coal lithotype, Clay County, Kentucky

James C. Hower, Dali Qian, Nicolas J. Briot, Madison M. Hood, Cortland F. Eble

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

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many Eastern Kentucky coals have high-REE contents, with lithotypes of the Pennsylvanian-age Manchester coal rivaling some of the richest concentrations in the Fire Clay coal, arguably the premier resource in terms of concentration and aerial extent. A > 2000-ppm-REE + Y (REY; ash basis; 2.13% ash) Manchester coal lithotype, analyzed first by scanning electron microscopy, was selected for detailed transmission electron microscopy/ energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy/ fast Fourier transform/ selected area electron diffraction investigation (TEM/EDS/FFT/SAED). The mineral grains extracted from the coal, seemingly fragments of one or more 2- to 3-μm spherical nodules, proved to have a phosphate (rhabdophane?) rim with a light REE (La through Sm) and Gd association. The core of the nodule and the region surrounding the nodule is Al[sbnd]Si rich but the mineralogy could not be determined. The nodule may be a mineralized coprolite, the product of the microfauna inhabiting the peat.

Original language	English
Article number	103413
Journal	International Journal of Coal Geology
Volume	220
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2020.103413
State	Published - Mar 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0029007 to the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center with a subcontract to the University of Kentucky. Access to characterization instruments and staff assistance was provided by the Electron Microscopy Center at the University of Kentucky, supported in part by the National Science Foundation/EPSCoR Award No. 1355438 and by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We thank editor Shifeng Dai and our reviewers for their constructive comments. This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy contract DE-FE0029007 to the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center with a subcontract to the University of Kentucky. Access to characterization instruments and staff assistance was provided by the Electron Microscopy Center at the University of Kentucky, supported in part by the National Science Foundation/EPSCoR Award No. 1355438 and by the Commonwealth of Kentucky . We thank editor Shifeng Dai and our reviewers for their constructive comments.

Funders	Funder number
National Science Foundation/EPSCoR
National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program
U.S. Department of Energy EPSCoR	DE-FE0029007
U.S. Department of Energy EPSCoR
Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research	1355438
Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
University of Kentucky

Keywords

Coprolite
Electron microscopy
Lanthanides
Phosphate
Rare earth elements
Rhabdophane

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Fuel Technology
Geology
Economic Geology
Stratigraphy

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10.1016/j.coal.2020.103413

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title = "Mineralogy of a rare earth element-rich Manchester coal lithotype, Clay County, Kentucky",

abstract = "Many Eastern Kentucky coals have high-REE contents, with lithotypes of the Pennsylvanian-age Manchester coal rivaling some of the richest concentrations in the Fire Clay coal, arguably the premier resource in terms of concentration and aerial extent. A > 2000-ppm-REE + Y (REY; ash basis; 2.13% ash) Manchester coal lithotype, analyzed first by scanning electron microscopy, was selected for detailed transmission electron microscopy/ energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy/ fast Fourier transform/ selected area electron diffraction investigation (TEM/EDS/FFT/SAED). The mineral grains extracted from the coal, seemingly fragments of one or more 2- to 3-μm spherical nodules, proved to have a phosphate (rhabdophane?) rim with a light REE (La through Sm) and Gd association. The core of the nodule and the region surrounding the nodule is Al[sbnd]Si rich but the mineralogy could not be determined. The nodule may be a mineralized coprolite, the product of the microfauna inhabiting the peat.",

keywords = "Coprolite, Electron microscopy, Lanthanides, Phosphate, Rare earth elements, Rhabdophane",

author = "Hower, {James C.} and Dali Qian and Briot, {Nicolas J.} and Hood, {Madison M.} and Eble, {Cortland F.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2020",

month = mar,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.coal.2020.103413",

language = "English",

volume = "220",

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AU - Hower, James C.

AU - Qian, Dali

AU - Briot, Nicolas J.

AU - Hood, Madison M.

AU - Eble, Cortland F.

PY - 2020/3/1

Y1 - 2020/3/1

N2 - Many Eastern Kentucky coals have high-REE contents, with lithotypes of the Pennsylvanian-age Manchester coal rivaling some of the richest concentrations in the Fire Clay coal, arguably the premier resource in terms of concentration and aerial extent. A > 2000-ppm-REE + Y (REY; ash basis; 2.13% ash) Manchester coal lithotype, analyzed first by scanning electron microscopy, was selected for detailed transmission electron microscopy/ energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy/ fast Fourier transform/ selected area electron diffraction investigation (TEM/EDS/FFT/SAED). The mineral grains extracted from the coal, seemingly fragments of one or more 2- to 3-μm spherical nodules, proved to have a phosphate (rhabdophane?) rim with a light REE (La through Sm) and Gd association. The core of the nodule and the region surrounding the nodule is Al[sbnd]Si rich but the mineralogy could not be determined. The nodule may be a mineralized coprolite, the product of the microfauna inhabiting the peat.

AB - Many Eastern Kentucky coals have high-REE contents, with lithotypes of the Pennsylvanian-age Manchester coal rivaling some of the richest concentrations in the Fire Clay coal, arguably the premier resource in terms of concentration and aerial extent. A > 2000-ppm-REE + Y (REY; ash basis; 2.13% ash) Manchester coal lithotype, analyzed first by scanning electron microscopy, was selected for detailed transmission electron microscopy/ energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy/ fast Fourier transform/ selected area electron diffraction investigation (TEM/EDS/FFT/SAED). The mineral grains extracted from the coal, seemingly fragments of one or more 2- to 3-μm spherical nodules, proved to have a phosphate (rhabdophane?) rim with a light REE (La through Sm) and Gd association. The core of the nodule and the region surrounding the nodule is Al[sbnd]Si rich but the mineralogy could not be determined. The nodule may be a mineralized coprolite, the product of the microfauna inhabiting the peat.

KW - Coprolite

KW - Electron microscopy

KW - Lanthanides

KW - Phosphate

KW - Rare earth elements

KW - Rhabdophane

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Mineralogy of a rare earth element-rich Manchester coal lithotype, Clay County, Kentucky

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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