THERMAL SCIENCE

International Scientific Journal

Željana Novković

,

Nenad Nikolić

,

Nevena Andrić-Tomašević

,

Violeta Gajić

,

Mercedes Suárez

,

Emilia García-Romero

,

Vladimir Simić

,

Dragana Životić

MINERALOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND DISTRIBUTION OF SELECTED TRACE ELEMENTS IN COAL AND SHALE FROM THE IBAR BASIN (SOUTH SERBIA)

ABSTRACT
Coal samples from the Jarando, Tadenje, and Progorelica mines and organic-rich shale samples from the Piskanja boron deposit, all located in the Tertiary Ibar Basin, were studied using several methods such as transmitted light microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry for evaluating their mineralogical and geochemical compositions. The Ibar Basin hosts high-volatile bituminous coal de-posits and boron mineralisations. The mineralogical and geochemical data indicated that the main minerals in coals are quartz, pyrite, with a variable amount of clay (kaolinite, montmorillonite, illite), calcite and sulphates, while borates occur in low amounts. Framboidal pyrite is the main form of sulphur in coals. Clay and carbonate are often associated with macerals in mineral-bituminous groundmass, implying high ash yield and limited possibilities of coal cleaning treatment. Very high content of As, Co, Cu, Cr, and Ni was detected in high temperature coal ash (HTCA), especially in the Tadenje deposit. Contents of Mo, Sb, Pb, V, and Zn are slightly higher than the relevant Clarke values for bituminous coal ash. The shale samples from the Piskanja deposit mostly consist of a mixture of quartz, dolomite, and clay minerals (illite and chlorite) with variable amount of plagioclase, K-feld-spar, and mica. Lead, Zn, and Cu sulphides, gypsum, celestine, barite, rutile, and apatite were detected in low amounts.
KEYWORDS
Ibar Basin, Bituminous coal, shale, mineralogy, trace elements
PAPER SUBMITTED: 2024-04-05
PAPER REVISED: 2024-05-07
PAPER ACCEPTED: 2024-05-27
PUBLISHED ONLINE: 2024-06-22
DOI REFERENCE: https://doi.org/10.2298/TSCI240405143N
CITATION EXPORT: view in browser or download as text file
THERMAL SCIENCE YEAR 2024, VOLUME 28, ISSUE Issue 5, PAGES [4131 - 4151]
REFERENCES
  1. Dai, S., et al., Inorganic Geochemistry of Coal, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2023
  2. Miller, B. G. Clean coal engineering technology, 2nd edn. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2016
  3. Hower, J. C., et al., Understanding Coal Quality and the Critical Importance of Comprehensive Coal Anal-yses, International Journal of Coal Geology, 263 (2022), 104120
  4. Ercegovac, M., et al., Petrological and Geochemical Studies of the Coals of the Ibar River Basin (Yugo-slavia) (in German), International Journal of Coal Geology, 111 (1991), 19, pp. 5-22
  5. Obradović, J., Vasić, N., Neogene Lacustrine Basins from Serbia, Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, Belgrade, Serbia 2007
  6. Andrić, N., et al., The Thermal History of the Miocene Ibar Basin (Southern Serbia): New Constraints from Apatite and Zircon Fission Track and Vitrinite Reflectance Data, Geologica Carpatica, 66 (2015), 1, pp. 37-50
  7. Đorđević, Ž., Das Tertiäre Ibar-Becken (in Serbian), Proceedings of the Serbian Geological Society, Bel-grade, Serbia, pp. 97-100, 1954
  8. Pantić, N., Age of the Coal-Bearing Sedimentary Series near JARANDOL (valley of the river Ibar) on the Basis of the Latest Paleofloral Data (in Serbian), Bulletin of Institute for geological and geophysical ex-ploration, XIX (1961), A, pp. 287-297
  9. Ćirić, A., Über den Fund der Art Mastodon (Bunolophodon) Angustidens Cuv. F. Subtapirodea Schles. in der Braunkohlengrube Jarando bei Raška (in Serbian and German), Bulletin of Institute for geological and geophysical exploration, XX (1962), A, pp. 103-106
  10. ***, Basic Geologic Map of Serbia, section K34-18, geoliss.mre.gov.rs/prez/OGK/ RasterSrbija
  11. ***, Basic Geologic Map of Serbia, section K34-30, geoliss.mre.gov.rs/prez/OGK/ RasterSrbija
  12. Harzhauser, M., Mandić, O., Neogene Lake Systems of Central and South-Eastern Europe: Faunal Diver-sity, Gradients and Interrelations, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 260 (2008), 3-4, pp. 417-434
  13. Andrić-Tomašević, et al., An Arid Phase in the Internal Dinarides During the Early to Middle Miocene: Inferences from Mg-Clays in the Pranjani Basin (Serbia), Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeo-ecology, 562 (2021), 110145
  14. Schmid, S. M., et al., The Alpine-Carpathian-Dinaridic Orogenic System: Correlation and Evolution of Tectonic Units, Swiss Journal of Geosciences, 101 (2008), Mar., pp. 139-183
  15. Stojadinović, U., et al., The Balance between Orogenic Building and Subsequent Extension during the Tertiary Evolution of the NE Dinarides: Constraints from Low-Temperature Thermochronology, Global and Planetary Change 1, 103 (2013), Apr., pp. 19-38
  16. Andrić, N., et al., The Link between Tectonics and Sedimentation in Asymmetric Extensional Basins - Inferences from the Study of the Sarajevo-Zenica Basin, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 83 (2017), May, pp. 305-332
  17. Schefer, S., Tectono-Metamorphic and Magmatic Evolution of the Internal Dinarides (Kopaonik Area, Southern Serbia) and Its Significance for the Geodynamic Evolution of the Balkan Peninsula, Ph. D. thesis, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 2010
  18. Matović, V., et al., Sedimentary Rock Testing Methods, University of Begrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Begrade, Serbia, 2019
  19. Menges, F., Spectragryph - Optical Spectroscopy Software, Version 1.2.16.1, 2022, www.ef-femm2.de/spectragryph/
  20. ***, ISO 7404-2, 2009. Methods for the Petrographic Analysis of Coals - Part 2: Methods of Preparing Coal Samples. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, (2009)
  21. ***, ASTM D6357-21a, Determination of Trace Elements in Coal, Coke and Combustion Residues from Coal Utilization Processes Using ICP-AES, ICP-MS and GFAAS, American Society for Testing and Ma-terials, Philadelphia, USA, 2021
  22. ***, ASTM D6349-21, Determination of Major and Minor Elements in Coal, Coke and Solid Residues from Combustion of Coal and Coke by Using ICP-AES, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, USA, 2021
  23. Whitney, D. L., Evans, B. W., Abbreviations for Names of Rock-Forming Minerals, American Mineralo-gist, 95 (2010), 1, pp. 185-187
  24. Ketris, M. P., Yudovich, Y. A. E., Estimations of Clarkes for Carbonaceous Biolithes: World Averages for Trace Element Contents in Black Shales and Coals, International Journal of Coal Geology, 78 (2009), 2, pp. 135-148
  25. Dai, S., et al., Geochemistry of Trace Elements in Chinese Coals: a Review of Abundances, Genetic Types, Impacts on Human Health, and Industrial Utilization, International Journal of Coal Geology, 94 (2012), May, pp. 3-21
  26. Finkelman, R. B., et al., The Importance of Minerals in Coal as the Hosts of Chemical Elements: A Re-view, International Journal of Coal Geology, 212 (2019), 103251
  27. Ward, C. R., Analysis, Origin and Significance of Mineral Matter in Coal: an Updated Review, Interna-tional Journal of Coal Geology, 165 (2016), Aug., pp. 1-27
  28. Chou, C.-L., Sulfur in Coals: A Review of Geochemistry and Origins, International Journal of Coal Ge-ology, 100 (2012), Oct., pp. 1-13
  29. Dai, S., et al., Recognition of Peat Depositional Environments in Coal: A Review, International Journal of Coal Geology, 219 (2020), 103383
  30. Srodon, J., Identification and Quantitative Analysis of Clay Minerals, in: (F. Bergaya and G. Lagaly Edi-tors), 5, Handbook of Clay Science, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2013, pp. 25-49
  31. Balan, E., et al., First-Principles Study of OH-Stretching Modes in Kaolinite, Dickite, and Nacrite, Amer-ican Mineralogist, 90, (2005), 1, pp. 50-60
  32. Srasra, E., et al., Infrared Spectroscopy Study of Tetrahedral and Octahedral Substitutions in an Interstrat-ified Illite-Smectite Clay, Clays and Clay Minerals, 42 (1994), 3, pp. 237-241
  33. Muller, C., et al., Infrared Attenuated Total Reflectance Spectroscopy: An Innovative Strategy for Ana-lyzing Mineral Components in Energy Relevant Systems, Scientific Reports, 4 (2014), 1, 6764
  34. Ibarra, J. V., et al., FTIR Study of the Evolution of Coal Structure during the Coalification Process, Or-ganic Geochemistry, 24 (1996), 6, pp. 725-735
  35. Yin, Y., et al., Characterization of Coals and Coal Ashes with High Si Content Using Combined Second-Derivative Infrared Spectroscopy and Raman Spectroscopy, Crystals, 10 (2019), 9, 513
  36. Chukanov, N. V., Infrared Spectra of Mineral Species, Springer Mineralogy, Springer International Pub-lishing, Cham, New York, USA, 2014
  37. Li, K., et al., Comprehensive Investigation of Various Structural Features of Bituminous Coals Using Advanced Analytical Techniques, Energy & Fuels, 29 (2015), 11, pp. 7178-7189
  38. Craddock, P., et al., Evolution of Kerogen and Bitumen during Thermal Maturation via Semi-Open Py-rolysis Investigated by Infrared Spectroscopy, Energy & Fuels, 29 (2015), 4, pp. 2197-2210
  39. Luzinova, Y., et al., Detection of Cold Seep Derived Authigenic Carbonates with Infrared Spectroscopy, Marine Chemistry, 125 (2011), 1-4, pp. 8-18
  40. Balachandran, M., Role of Infrared Spectroscopy in Coal Analysis - An Investigation, American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 5 (2014), 6, pp. 367-372
  41. Saikia, B. J., et al., Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Estimation of Crystallinity in SiO2 Based Rocks, Bulletin of Material Science, 31, (2008), Nov., pp. 775-779
  42. Chukanov, N. V., Chervonnyi, A. D., Infrared Spectroscopy of Minerals and Related Compounds, Springer Mineralogy, Springer International Publishing, Cham, New York, USA, 2016
  43. Dunn, J. G., et al., A Fourier Transform Infrared Study of the Oxidation of Pyrite, Thermochimica Acta, 208 (1992), Oct., pp. 293-303
  44. Saikia B. J., Spectroscopic Estimation of Geometrical Structure Elucidation in Natural SiO2 Crystal, Jour-nal of Materials Physics and Chemistry, 2 (2014), 2, pp. 28-33
  45. Madejova, J., et al., Chapter 5 - IR Spectra of Clay Minerals, in: (W. P. Gates, J. T. Kloprogge, J. Madejova and F. Bergaya eds.), 8, Developments in Clay Science, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2017, pp. 107-149
  46. Chester, R., Elderfield, H., The Application of Infra-Red Absorption Spectroscopy to Carbonate Mineral-ogy, Sedimentology, 9 (1967), 1, pp. 5-21
  47. Reig, F., et al., FTIR Quantitative Analysis of Calcium Carbonate (Calcite) and Silica (Quartz) Mixtures Using the Constant Ratio Method, Application to Geological Samples, Talanta, 58 (2002), 4, pp. 811-821
  48. Chakrabarty, D., Mahapatra, S., Aragonite Crystals with Unconventional Morphologies, Journal of Mate-rials Chemistry, 11 (1999), 9, pp. 2953-2957
PDF VERSION [DOWNLOAD]
Mineralogy, chemistry, and distribution of selected trace elements in coal and shale from the Ibar Basin (South Serbia)

© 2024 Society of Thermal Engineers of Serbia. Published by the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International licence