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

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...

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Main Authors: Yuxuan Zhu, Piaopiao Duan, Wenfeng Wang, Aleksei Kholodov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-07-01
Series:Minerals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/7/969
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author Yuxuan Zhu
Piaopiao Duan
Wenfeng Wang
Aleksei Kholodov
author_facet Yuxuan Zhu
Piaopiao Duan
Wenfeng Wang
Aleksei Kholodov
author_sort Yuxuan Zhu
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj.art-071966fe2c2542e58bcf58ba48bf26472023-11-18T20:39:36ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2023-07-0113796910.3390/min13070969Mode of Occurrence and Distribution of Critical Metal Lithium and Other Trace Elements during Coal Preparation from Jiashun High-Sulfur Coal in Guizhou Province, ChinaYuxuan Zhu0Piaopiao Duan1Wenfeng Wang2Aleksei Kholodov3Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaFar East Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 690022 Vladivostok, RussiaDuring 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/7/969critical metal in coallithiummode of occurrencecoal preparationeconomic evaluation
spellingShingle Yuxuan Zhu
Piaopiao Duan
Wenfeng Wang
Aleksei Kholodov
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
Minerals
critical metal in coal
lithium
mode of occurrence
coal preparation
economic evaluation
title 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
title_full 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
title_fullStr 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
title_full_unstemmed 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
title_short 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
title_sort 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
topic critical metal in coal
lithium
mode of occurrence
coal preparation
economic evaluation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/7/969
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