Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India

Abstract Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the major problems in high sulfur coal mining areas generating acidic water. The acidic mine water generated contain hazardous elements in varying concentrations. The Northeastern Indian coalfield produces considerable amounts of AMD. The AMD and metal lea...

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Main Authors: Madhulika Dutta, Puja Khare, Sanchita Chakravarty, Durlov Saikia, Binoy K. Saikia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2018-07-01
Series:International Journal of Coal Science & Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40789-018-0210-9
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author Madhulika Dutta
Puja Khare
Sanchita Chakravarty
Durlov Saikia
Binoy K. Saikia
author_facet Madhulika Dutta
Puja Khare
Sanchita Chakravarty
Durlov Saikia
Binoy K. Saikia
author_sort Madhulika Dutta
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the major problems in high sulfur coal mining areas generating acidic water. The acidic mine water generated contain hazardous elements in varying concentrations. The Northeastern Indian coalfield produces considerable amounts of AMD. The AMD and metal leaching from coal and mine over burden (OB) are the two important naturally occurring processes. In order to know the AMD potential, the aqueous leaching experiment of a few coal and OB samples from the Ledo colliery of the Northeastern coalfield, Mergherita (India), at different time periods (1, 3, 5, and 8 h) and at different temperatures (25, 45, 65, and 90 °C) were performed in the laboratory. The physico-chemical analysis of the aqueous leachates shows the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solid (TDS) in the range of 1.62–3.52, 106–2006 µs/cm, and 106–1003 ppm for the raw coal samples respectively. The OB samples produced pH, EC, and TDS in the range of 3.68–6.92, 48.6–480 µs/cm, and 69.5–240 ppm respectively. From the study, it was revealed that the concentrations of major (Si, Al, K, Na, Fe, Ca, Mg), minor (Mn) and trace/hazardous elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn) considerably change with leaching time as well as with leaching temperature. Out of these elements As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, and Se are of greater environmental importance. Alteration of the physico-chemical structure of the coal and OB samples resulting from leaching was also studied by field emission scanning electron microscope- energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy method. The release of the potentially hazardous elements from the raw coal and OB during leaching time periods to the leachates was detected by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and ion-chromatographic analyses. The major minerals found in coal and OB are quartz (SiO2), pyrite (FeS2), hematite, marcasite, and kaolinite. The association of different functional groups in minerals and their mode of association were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analytical techniques. The present laboratory study will be useful in relating the characteristics of aqueous leaching from coal and mine OB with the natural weathering condition at the coal mine area.
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spelling doaj.art-fb62318bae084b8d85cd0569a0eac7802022-12-21T18:12:13ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of Coal Science & Technology2095-82932198-78232018-07-015326528110.1007/s40789-018-0210-9Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast IndiaMadhulika Dutta0Puja Khare1Sanchita Chakravarty2Durlov Saikia3Binoy K. Saikia4Polymer Petroleum and Coal Chemistry Group, Materials Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and TechnologyAgrotechnology Division, CSIR- Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic PlantsAnalytical Chemistry Division, CSIR- National Metallurgical LaboratorySchool of Applied Sciences, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and TechnologyPolymer Petroleum and Coal Chemistry Group, Materials Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and TechnologyAbstract Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the major problems in high sulfur coal mining areas generating acidic water. The acidic mine water generated contain hazardous elements in varying concentrations. The Northeastern Indian coalfield produces considerable amounts of AMD. The AMD and metal leaching from coal and mine over burden (OB) are the two important naturally occurring processes. In order to know the AMD potential, the aqueous leaching experiment of a few coal and OB samples from the Ledo colliery of the Northeastern coalfield, Mergherita (India), at different time periods (1, 3, 5, and 8 h) and at different temperatures (25, 45, 65, and 90 °C) were performed in the laboratory. The physico-chemical analysis of the aqueous leachates shows the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solid (TDS) in the range of 1.62–3.52, 106–2006 µs/cm, and 106–1003 ppm for the raw coal samples respectively. The OB samples produced pH, EC, and TDS in the range of 3.68–6.92, 48.6–480 µs/cm, and 69.5–240 ppm respectively. From the study, it was revealed that the concentrations of major (Si, Al, K, Na, Fe, Ca, Mg), minor (Mn) and trace/hazardous elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn) considerably change with leaching time as well as with leaching temperature. Out of these elements As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, and Se are of greater environmental importance. Alteration of the physico-chemical structure of the coal and OB samples resulting from leaching was also studied by field emission scanning electron microscope- energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy method. The release of the potentially hazardous elements from the raw coal and OB during leaching time periods to the leachates was detected by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and ion-chromatographic analyses. The major minerals found in coal and OB are quartz (SiO2), pyrite (FeS2), hematite, marcasite, and kaolinite. The association of different functional groups in minerals and their mode of association were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analytical techniques. The present laboratory study will be useful in relating the characteristics of aqueous leaching from coal and mine OB with the natural weathering condition at the coal mine area.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40789-018-0210-9AMDHigh sulfur coalCoal mine overburdenAqueous leachingElements in coal and OBCoal quality assessment
spellingShingle Madhulika Dutta
Puja Khare
Sanchita Chakravarty
Durlov Saikia
Binoy K. Saikia
Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India
International Journal of Coal Science & Technology
AMD
High sulfur coal
Coal mine overburden
Aqueous leaching
Elements in coal and OB
Coal quality assessment
title Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India
title_full Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India
title_fullStr Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India
title_full_unstemmed Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India
title_short Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India
title_sort physico chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from ledo coalfield of northeast india
topic AMD
High sulfur coal
Coal mine overburden
Aqueous leaching
Elements in coal and OB
Coal quality assessment
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40789-018-0210-9
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