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Minerals
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Critical Metal Minerals in Coal
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Critical Metal Minerals in Coal

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Deposits".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 9391

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wenfeng Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221000, China
Interests: critical metals in coal; trace element geochemistry; mineralogy of coal; coal petrology
Dr. Xin He

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Coal Processing & Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: sodium occurrence and removal in high alkali coal; coal maceral groups separation; occurrence and extraction of critical elements in coal
Dr. Piaopiao Duan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Resource and Geosciences, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: distribution, mode of occurrence, and enrichment mechanisms of critical metals in coal and coal-bearing sequences; metallogenic mechanism of critical metals in coal-bearing sequences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Critical metals (minerals) have unique material properties and irreplaceable major applications in new energy, information technology, aerospace and other cutting-edge industries, and have become an international frontier research direction. However, with the continuous reduction in traditional endogenetic metallic deposits and the increasing difficulty of discovery, the critical metals from coal in the exogenic geological process will become a new and important source. In the early stage of discovery, scholars in various countries found some critical minerals in coal, such as germanium, gallium, uranium, niobium, zirconium, rare earth elements, etc. Furthermore, different from the traditional solid metal minerals, the critical metals in coal can be enriched in coal ash for a second time. However, the research on the distribution, occurrence, metallogenic mechanism, effective exploration, efficient separation, and mining and utilization theory and technology of critical minerals in coal is still not systematic and detailed. Therefore, Minerals plans to publish the Special Issue titled "Critical Metal Minerals in Coal" in 2023. The themes of the Special Issue are as follows:

  1. Distribution and occurrence of critical metals in coal.
  2. Enrichment and mineralization mechanism of critical metals in coal.
  3. High-efficient exploration technology for critical metal minerals in coal.
  4. Mining technology of critical metal minerals in coal.
  5. Separation and extraction of critical metals from coal and coal ash.

The issue takes lithium, gallium, germanium, niobium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium, uranium, rare earth and other critical metals in coal as research objects; discusses their distribution laws, occurrence modes and metallogenic theories; and studies the exploration, mining and separation technologies of critical metal minerals in coal.

Prof. Dr. Wenfeng Wang
Dr. Xin He
Dr. Piaopiao Duan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • coal
  • critical metals
  • minerals
  • distribution
  • occurrence
  • mineralization
  • exploration
  • mining
  • extraction

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 6396 KiB  
Article
Enrichment Characteristics and Mechanisms of Lithium, Gallium, and Rare Earth Elements (REY) within Late Permian Coal-Bearing Strata in Wanfu Mine, Xian’an Coalfield, Guangxi Province, Southwest China
by Degao Zhang, Xiaoyun Yan, Baoqing Li, Jie Sun, Li Zhang, Xiangcheng Jin, Xiaotao Xu, Shaobo Di and Shaoqing Huang
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 853; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090853 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 601
Abstract
The study of lithium (Li), gallium (Ga), and rare earth elements (REY) within coal-bearing strata represents a cutting-edge concern in coal geology, ore deposit studies, and metallurgy research. With the rapid advancement of technology and emerging industries, the global demand for Li-Ga-REY has [...] Read more.
The study of lithium (Li), gallium (Ga), and rare earth elements (REY) within coal-bearing strata represents a cutting-edge concern in coal geology, ore deposit studies, and metallurgy research. With the rapid advancement of technology and emerging industries, the global demand for Li-Ga-REY has significantly escalated. Several countries worldwide are facing immense pressure due to shortages in Li-Ga-REY resources. Coal-associated Li-Ga-REY depositions have emerged as a pivotal direction for augmenting Li-Ga-REY reserves. To ascertain the enrichment distribution patterns and genetic mechanisms of Li-Ga-REY within the coal-bearing strata of the late Permian Heshan Formation in Wanfu mine, Xian’an Coalfield, Guangxi Province, this study carried out comprehensive testing and analysis on Li-Ga-REY enriched in the mineralized layers within the strata. The Heshan Formation in Wanfu mine presents four layers of Li-Ga-REY-enriched mineralization, labeled from bottom to top as mineralized layers I, II, III, and IV, corresponding to coal seams K5, K4, K3, and K2. These critical metals are predominantly hosted within clay minerals (kaolinite, illite/smectite, and chlorite). The enrichment of critical metals within the Heshan Formation is closely related to terrigenous detrital materials from the Daxin paleocontinent, volcanic detrital materials induced by the Emeishan mantle plume and the Yuenan magmatic arc. The accumulation of Li-Ga-REY and other critical elements within the mineralized layers is the result of inputs from terrestrial and volcanic detrital sources, interactions between peatification and diagenesis stages, and occasionally the input of metal-enriched fluids. In the mineralized layers I, II, and III, the content of lithium oxide (Li2O) surpasses the boundary grade, and the levels of REY, Ga, and (Nb,Ta)2O5 are close to boundary grades, indicating promising exploration prospects. The Wanfu mine in the Xian’an Coalfield can be considered a primary target zone for the exploration and development of coal-associated critical metal resources in Guangxi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Metal Minerals in Coal)
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12 pages, 1315 KiB  
Article
Precise Determination of Eu Concentration in Coal and Sedimentary Rock Samples Using High-Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS)
by Shumao Zhao, Jingjing Liu, Rongkun Jia, Jiawei Feng, Kaiyan Teng, Qiuchan Han and Niande Shang
Minerals 2024, 14(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14010008 - 19 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1195
Abstract
Europium (Eu) in coal and sedimentary rocks has important mineral resource potential as well as being a crucial parameter in geochemical studies that can represent changes in the depositional environment during coal deposition and identify the depositional source region. Therefore, it is essential [...] Read more.
Europium (Eu) in coal and sedimentary rocks has important mineral resource potential as well as being a crucial parameter in geochemical studies that can represent changes in the depositional environment during coal deposition and identify the depositional source region. Therefore, it is essential to realize the precise measurement of Eu in coal as this could be a useful parameter for paleoenvironmental reconstruction studies and the exploration of mineral resources. During inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis, polyatomic ions of Ba may interfere with Eu, causing the observed value to be higher than the actual value. This paper develops a new approach for Eu determination by using a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS). The mass spectral interference and correction of Eu in the coal and sedimentary rock samples at low, medium, and high resolutions were investigated. The results showed that in the high-resolution mode (resolution = 10,000 amu), the interference of polyatomic ions of Ba could be distinguished from Eu; hence, Eu was determined under this circumstance. Under the optimal experimental circumstances, the detection limit was 0.006 μg/mL, the relative standard deviation was 0.80%–1.22%, and the linear correlation coefficient of the standard curve was over 0.9999. The recoveries of the 103Rh internal standard solution ranged from 94.41% to 100.10%. This method was verified using standard reference materials and selected samples, which demonstrated its high sensitivity, accuracy, and reliability, and a low detection limit, making it appropriate for detecting Eu in samples of coal and sedimentary rocks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Metal Minerals in Coal)
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14 pages, 13311 KiB  
Article
Rare Earth Element Characteristics in Coal Ash from the Jungar Energy Gangue Power Plant, Inner Mongolia, China
by Shaoqing Huang, Shuzheng Ning, Degao Zhang, Yuan Cai, Xiaoyun Yan, Kang Liu and Xiaotao Xu
Minerals 2023, 13(9), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13091212 - 15 Sep 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1695
Abstract
The coal and coal-bearing measures in the Jungar Coalfield in Inner Mongolia are characterized by rare earth element (REE) enrichment. Combustion in coal-fired power plants can lead to further enrichment of REEs in coal ash, which serves as a new potential source for [...] Read more.
The coal and coal-bearing measures in the Jungar Coalfield in Inner Mongolia are characterized by rare earth element (REE) enrichment. Combustion in coal-fired power plants can lead to further enrichment of REEs in coal ash, which serves as a new potential source for REE extraction and smelting. Further, investigating the content, modes of occurrence, and transformation behavior of REEs during coal combustion may help in better understanding REE differentiation during coal combustion and facilitate the development of economically feasible REE recovery technologies. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed coal ash from the Jungar Energy Gangue Power Plant in Inner Mongolia via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Our results showed that the REE content of the feed coal was 220 μg/g, slightly higher than the average for global coal. Additionally, fly ash had a higher REE content (898 μg/g) than bottom ash, and its rare earth oxide content was approximately 1152 μg/g, which meets the industrial requirements. Bottom and fly ashes contained similar minerals; however, their relative abundances were different. Specifically, mullite, quartz, calcite, and gypsum were slightly more abundant in fly ash than in bottom ash, whereas amorphous solids were slightly more abundant in bottom ash than in fly ash. Furthermore, fly ash, dominated by Si- and Al-rich minerals, was composed of irregular particles of different shapes and sizes. It also contained monazite and REE fluoro-oxides, which possibly originated from the feed coal and had mineral structures that remained unchanged during coal combustion. Thus, the REE fluoro-oxides possibly resulted from the conversion of bastnaesite in the feed coal during combustion and thereafter became attached to the edge of the Si–Al minerals in the fly ash. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Metal Minerals in Coal)
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17 pages, 3427 KiB  
Article
Mode of Occurrence and Distribution of Critical Metal Lithium and Other Trace Elements during Coal Preparation from Jiashun High-Sulfur Coal in Guizhou Province, China
by Yuxuan Zhu, Piaopiao Duan, Wenfeng Wang and Aleksei Kholodov
Minerals 2023, 13(7), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13070969 - 21 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1408
Abstract
During the Late Permian period, the coal from the Jiashun Mine in Xingren City, Guizhou Province, China, is characterized by a high sulfur (5.84%) and lithium (Li) (94.5 μg/g) content. Lithium is a critical metal in the context of global energy transition. Considering [...] Read more.
During the Late Permian period, the coal from the Jiashun Mine in Xingren City, Guizhou Province, China, is characterized by a high sulfur (5.84%) and lithium (Li) (94.5 μg/g) content. Lithium is a critical metal in the context of global energy transition. Considering the importance of environmental protection and resource utilization, the mode of occurrence and distribution of trace elements in different coal preparation products were investigated. The obtained results indicated the following: (1) The minerals in Jiashun coal were mainly composed of veined and epigenetic pyrite, quartz, and kaolinite. Most of the minerals could be effectively removed from the cleaned coal through gravity separation. (2) The mode of occurrence of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) in the coal was relatively complex, and they were mainly found in middlings from gravity separation and in flotation tailings. (3) The mode of occurrence of the trace elements in the coal significantly influenced their removal rate. The removal rate was significantly higher for trace elements removed through gravity separation compared to those removed using flotation. The trace elements mainly found in fine-grained minerals wrapped by organic matter or combined with organic portions had better removal results through flotation. The trace elements that occurred both in the minerals and organic matters had low removal rates (<25%) using two coal preparation methods. (4) Li was more enriched in the middlings from gravity separation (98 μg/g) and in flotation tailings (102 μg/g), reaching the marginal grade (80 μg/g) of Li in coal. (5) Li in Jiashun coal may be derived from intermediate-felsic rocks at the top of the Kangdian Upland and late hydrothermal solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Metal Minerals in Coal)
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28 pages, 14604 KiB  
Article
Geochemistry, Mineralogy, and Coal Petrology of No. 4 Coal in Sandaoling Mine, Turpan-Hami Basin, Northwest China: Provenance and Peat Depositional Environment
by Jinhao Wei, Yingchun Wei, Guohong Qin, Shuzheng Ning, Daiyong Cao and Anmin Wang
Minerals 2023, 13(7), 837; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13070837 - 21 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1724
Abstract
The Turpan-Hami Basin is one of the three coal-accumulating basins in Xinjiang. There is coal, natural gas, petroleum, sandstone-type uranium ore, and other ore resources in the Jurassic strata developed inside. This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the formation process [...] Read more.
The Turpan-Hami Basin is one of the three coal-accumulating basins in Xinjiang. There is coal, natural gas, petroleum, sandstone-type uranium ore, and other ore resources in the Jurassic strata developed inside. This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the formation process of ore resources in the Turpan-Hami Basin by studying the provenance and depositional environment of No. 4 coal in the Sandaoling Mine. The results show that No. 4 coal is extra-low ash yield and extra-low sulfur coal. Compared with common Chinese coals and world hard coals, the trace element content in No. 4 coal is normal or depleted. The minerals in coal are mainly clay minerals, silica and sulfate minerals, and carbonates. The diagrams of Al2O3, TiO2, Sr/Y, L,a/Yb, and the REY geochemical features indicate that the Paleozoic intermediates and felsitic igneous rocks in Harlik Mountain and Eastern Bogda Mountain are the main provenance of No. 4 coal. The syngenetic siderite, Sr/Ba, Th/U, total sulfur content, and maceral indices indicate that No. 4 coal was formed in a salt-lake environment, and the climate changed from dry and hot to warm and humid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Metal Minerals in Coal)
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15 pages, 3877 KiB  
Article
Are Coal-Hosted Gallium-Rich Ores Elastically Detectable: A Rock-Physics Modeling Perspective
by Tongjun Chen and Xiong Song
Minerals 2022, 12(12), 1619; https://doi.org/10.3390/min12121619 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1728
Abstract
Coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are mainly explored with geochemical analyses, and their elasticities lack research. This paper incorporated core testing, rock-physics modeling, and Monte Carlo simulations to characterize the elastic parameters of gallium-rich cores and discuss whether coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are elastically detectable. The [...] Read more.
Coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are mainly explored with geochemical analyses, and their elasticities lack research. This paper incorporated core testing, rock-physics modeling, and Monte Carlo simulations to characterize the elastic parameters of gallium-rich cores and discuss whether coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are elastically detectable. The measured cores from No. 6 coal in the Heidaigou mine showed that the gallium contents strongly correlate to the boehmite contents with a 0.96 correlation coefficient. The rock-physics modeling results showed that mineral compositions and contents are critical factors influencing elastic parameters, and elastic parameters in No. 6 coal showed profound heterogeneities as mineral compositions and contents. The preferred parameters for classifying and grouping different mineral-rich cores are the bulk modulus and moduli ratio. Cross-plotting bulk modulus vs. moduli ratio can qualitatively group measured cores and Monte-Carlo simulated realizations into different mineral-rich and saturation states properly. Concerning the factors of boehmite content, porosity, and saturation state, an interpretation template for boehmite-rich coal was proposed and used. As the template interpreted readings close to the measured contents, the built templates can quantitatively interpret boehmite and gallium contents in coal-hosted ores with high precision. In summary, the coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are elastically detectable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Metal Minerals in Coal)
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