Trace Elements in West Virginia Coals

Stratigraphic Distribution of Hafnium (Hf)

The stratigraphic Distribution of Hafnium (Hf) shows that coals of the upper Kanawha Formation and Allegheny Group contain the highest average hafnium contents. These coals tend to be high in ash yield, and therefore are expected to have higher zircon contents. Generally higher ash coals of the Upper Pennsylvanian, however, only show moderate hafnium contents. A comparison of the stratigraphic distribution of hafnium with that of ash yield in West Virginia coals shows a poor relationship, indicating that hafnium content may not be exclusively related to ash yield or zircon content of the coal.

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Page last revised: March 2, 2002

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