Enrichment of Nb-Ta-Zr-W-Li in the Late Carboniferous Coals from the Weibei Coalfield, Shaanxi, North China

Jing Li, Xinguo Zhuang, Xavier Querol, Natalia Moreno, Guanghua Yang, Lei Pan, Baoqing Li, Yunfei Shangguan, Zhejun Pan and Bo Liu
Additional contact information
Jing Li: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Lumo Road 388, Wuhan 430074, China
Xinguo Zhuang: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Lumo Road 388, Wuhan 430074, China
Xavier Querol: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Lumo Road 388, Wuhan 430074, China
Natalia Moreno: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Guanghua Yang: Xi’an Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Western Duling Road 56, Xi’an 710100, China
Lei Pan: Xi’an Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Western Duling Road 56, Xi’an 710100, China
Baoqing Li: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Lumo Road 388, Wuhan 430074, China
Yunfei Shangguan: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Lumo Road 388, Wuhan 430074, China
Zhejun Pan: CSIRO Energy Business Unit, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
Bo Liu: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Lumo Road 388, Wuhan 430074, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-26

Abstract: Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of coals provide crucial information on their potential clean, efficient, and integrated utilization. In this paper, the mineralogical and geochemical behaviors of the No. 5 coals of the Taiyuan Formation in the Weibei Coalfield, North China, were investigated, and their geological controlling factors were subsequently discussed. The minerals in the Weibei coals mainly consist of kaolinite (8.3%), calcite (5.0%), and pyrite (3.1%), with minor proportions of tobelite (2.9%), dolomite (1.7%), quartz (1.8%), and traces of siderite (0.4%) and gypsum (0.6%). Several critical elements, including Nb (19.8 mg/kg), Ta (3.6 mg/kg), Zr (71.0 mg/kg) and Li (32.3 mg/kg), occur at concentrations higher than those averages for world hard coals, making the Weibei coals potential sources of these critical elements. Several factors, terrigenous material, seawater invasion, and hydrothermal fluids are responsible for these mineralogical and geochemical characteristics. The L-type rare earth elements and yttrium (REE-Y) enrichment in the roofs and partings, Al 2 O 3 -TiO 2 and Zr/TiO 2 -Nb/Y plots, and negative Eu and weak negative Ce anomalies in the Weibei coals indicate a felsic-intermediate dominated sediment provenance primarily derived from the Qilian-Qinling Oldland on the South. Marine bioclastic limestone, negative Ce and positive Y anomalies in coals imply the influence of seawater on the Weibei coals. Last but not least, the cleat-infilling and/or fracture-infilling calcite, pyrite, barite, and tobelite as well as the positive Eu and Gd anomalies, H-type, and M-type REE-Y enrichment patterns suggest the influence of hydrothermal fluids, which lead to re-distribution of some critical elements from roof and parting to the underlying coal seam.

Keywords: critical elements; mineralogy; geochemistry; hydrothermal fluids; Weibei coalfield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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