Occurrence, abundance and origin of minerals in coals and coal ashes

Abstract

The mineralogy of coal and coal ash samples from a wide variety of deposits worldwide has been studied by X-ray diffractometry, light microscopy, SEM, TEM, and DTA-TGA methods. The common major minerals identified in the crystalline matter of coals are quartz, kaolinite, illite, calcite, pyrite, plagioclase, K-feldspar and gypsum, and occasionally dolomite, ankerite, siderite, Fe oxyhydroxides and sulphates. A number of minor and especially accessory minerals are also present. The modes of occurrence and some genetic peculiarities of the minerals found are described and summarized. Minerals and phases of probable detrital origin include mainly silicates, volcanic glass, oxyhydroxides and phosphates. Authigenic minerals of syngenetic origin may be sulphides, clay minerals, carbonates and rarely sulphates and phosphates. Epigenetic minerals, formed by the infiltration of low-temperature hydrothermal solutions, may include sulphides, carbonates, sulphates, clay minerals, quartz, chlorides, and probably alkaline-earth hydroxides and zeolites. The alteration products of detrital and authigenic minerals may be Fe and Al oxyhydroxides, sulphates, kaolinite, illite, chlorite, muscovite, zeolites and calcite. The behaviour of these minerals and phases during low- and high-temperature ashing is also discussed.