Distribution and occurrence of trace elements in the No.14 coal from the Huolinhe mine

Optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with energy dispersed X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX), have been used to study the minerals and the concentrations of 12 trace elements in the No.14 coal from the Huolinhe mine, Inner Mongolia China. The distribution, affinity and removability of the trace elements were studied by float-sink experiments and petrological methods. A high mineral content, dominated by clay minerals, was found in the No.14 coal from the Huolinhe mine. The concentrations of As, Sb and Hg are relatively high compared to the average values for Chinese coals. As, Cr, Hg, Li, Mn, Pb are mainly associated with the minerals while Cd, Co, Ni, Sb, and Se are evenly distributed between the minerals and the organic matter. Be and Ba are mainly distributed in the minerals with a minor proportion in the organic matter. Most elements have a low organic affinity, although Sb, Se, Co, Cd, Ni are closely integrated with the organic matter. High theoretical removabilities are indicated for most trace elements. So it may be possible to lower the concentrations of trace elements during coal preparation. © 2017, The Author(s).