Geochemistry and mineralogy of the Cretaceous Wulantuga high-germanium coal deposit in Shengli coal field, Inner Mongolia, Northeastern China

Abstract

Abstract The occurrence and distribution of minerals, and major and trace elements of the coal #6-1 from the Cretaceous Wulantuga high-germanium coal deposit in Shengli coal field, Inner Mongolia are investigated. The major mineral constituents of coal #6-1 are quartz (15%), kaolinite (4–5%), illite (1%), pyrite ( These syngenetic geochemical characteristics are possibly modified by an unusually intensive hydrothermal alteration causing the formation of oxalate minerals and the enrichment in a series of elements such as Cs, Be, U, As, Se, and Hg.