WVGES Trace Elements in West Virginia Coals

Click Here To Go To Trace Elements Framed Home Page Ash Yield Distribution in West Virginia Coals

Click on image for larger viewAsh Yield stratigraphic distribution in West Virginia coals shows low ash in coals of the Pocahontas through lower Kanawha Formations, then a gradual increase in average ash yields in coals from the upper Kanawha Formation through the Dunkard Group, with lower ash yield in coals of the Monongahela Group.  Statistical correlations between ash yield and trace elements revealed that chromium (Cr) correlated well and other elements correlated moderately.  Elements that correlated with ash yield were generally associated with clays and monazite. Rare earth elements (REE), despite their association with the detrital mineral monazite, correlated poorly with ash yield.
 
 
Spearman Correlation Coefficients (r) with Ash Yield
Element
Cr
Th
Sc
Cs
Rb
Li
V
Hf
Ce
La
r
+0.8348
+0.7912
+0.7691
+0.7623
+0.7473
+0.7393
+0.7304
+0.7058
+0.6875
+0.6738
# samples
n = 844
n = 822
n = 845
n = 781
n = 403
n = 845
n = 844
n = 509
n = 546
n = 545
Mineral association
clays and chromite
monazite
clays and phosphates
clays
clays
clays
clays
zircon
monazite
monazite
Group
               
 REE
 REE
Element
Zr
Ta
Nb
Dy
Ho
Pb
Sm
Eu
Ga
Te
r
+0.6705
+0.6576
+0.6541
+0.6462
+0.6451
+0.6440
+0.6349
+0.6177
+0.6159
+0.6078
# samples
n = 747
n = 462
n = 832
n = 78
n = 48
n = 842
n = 538
n = 540
n = 844
n = 113
Mineral association
zircon
zircon
rutile?
monazite
monazite
galena & clausthalite
monazite
monazite
clays & sulfides
 
Group
     
REE
REE
 
REE
REE
   

 
 
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