Trace Elements in West Virginia Coals

Niobium (Nb) Summary Statistics

Niobium averaged 3.21 ppm (± 3.64 ppm) in West Virginia coals with a histogram strongly skewed toward lower values and showing a significant tail toward higher values and a maximum value of 33.00 ppm in a bench of the Bakerstown coal (see cautionary note page) with the No. 5 Block and Coalburg coals also containing high Nb values. Niobium correlated slightly with ash yield but well with the ash related elements zirconium (Zr), tantalum (Ta), chromium (Cr), hafnium (Hf), vanadium (V), thorium (Th), lithium (Li), scandium (Sc), lead (Pb) and tin (Sn). Niobium also correlated with rare earth elements found in the detrital mineral monazite, especially neodymium (Nd), dysprosium (Dy), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce) and erbium (Er).

**Spearman Correlation Coefficients (r) with Niobium**
Ash Yield	Zr	Ta	Cr	Hf	V	Th	Li
+0.6541	+0.8429	+0.7531	+0.7429	+0.7424	+0.7170	+0.7104	+0.6871
n = 832	n = 735	n = 453	n = 831	n = 498	n = 831	n = 810	n = 832
Nd	Sc	Dy	La	Pb	Ce	Sn	Er
+0.6760	+0.6505	+0.6365	+0.6298	+0.6291	+0.6262	+0.6209	+0.6141
n = 417	n = 832	n = 77	n = 533	n = 829	n = 534	n = 541	n = 203

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Page last revised: March 2, 2002

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