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Abstract: The Yimin Ge-coal deposit, located in the Yimin coalfield, Inner Mongolia, is the third largest Ge-rich coal deposit in China just after the Lincang and Wulantuga Ge-coal deposits. Based on the coal and non-coal samples recently collected from the Wumuchang coal mining district in the Yimin Ge-coal deposit, this paper reports some new data on the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the Yimin high-Ge coals, and provides some new evidence for the possible mode of Ge enrichment in the Yimin coals. Mineralogical analyses were performed by means of Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Major and trace element concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. Element affinities were determined by Pearson's correlation analysis. The studied coals fall within the coal rank between sub-bituminous A and high volatile bituminous C, with relatively high moisture content, high volatile matter yield and low to medium ash yield. Quartz and kaolinite are the main mineral matters in the Yimin coals, with small amounts of pyrite and traces of microcline. Common pyrite and As-bearing pyrite occurring in the Yimin coals show an epigenetic origin. The epigenetic precipitation of kaolinite, quartz and As-rich pyrite (with Ge, and other trace elements) in the Yimin coal fractures may be caused by activities of both hydrothermal and low temperature fluids. Compared to common Chinese and worldwide coals, the Yimin coals are markedly enriched in Ge (43mg/kg), As (155mg/kg), and W (9.84mg/kg) and slightly enriched in Pb (22mg/kg) and Hg (0.24mg/kg). Most of the elements (e.g. Al, K, Sc, Ti, V, Cu, Ga, Sn, Th and REEs) in the studied coals present an aluminosilicate affinity as deduced from their obvious positive correlation with Al and ash yields. High correlation coefficients of As and Hg with Fe and S indicate a sulfide affinity of these elements in the Yimin coals. Germanium, B, Mo, and W in the studied coals show an organic affinity and a partial sulfur affinity as deduced from their negative correlation with Al and positive correlation with S, respectively. The preliminary and possible model for Ge enrichment in the Yimin Ge-coal deposit was that Ge was carried by hydrothermal fluids and then these fluids were incorporated in the water existing in the upper porous conglomerates and percolate in the top of the coal seam, where Ge was trapped by organic matter and finally enriched in an early diagenetic stage (humification–gelification). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the Late Permian Huayingshan coals, partings, roof and floor strata, as well as lutitic rocks from the Longtan Formation, in Sichuan Province, southwestern China, were investigated in this study. The Huayingshan low volatile bituminous coals are characterized by relatively high mineral contents (mainly kaolinite, quartz, pyrite, and calcite). The concentrations of most trace elements are relatively high compared with other Chinese and world coals. The coals and associated strata show similar element affinities: Al, Ti, Li, Ta, Th, Ga, U, Sn, Sc, Cr, Cu, Rb, Co, and Se probably have an aluminosilicate affinity; Zr, Nb, Hf, Y, REEs, and U probably result from the occurrence of heavy minerals such as zircon; S, Fe, W, and Rb mainly have a sulfide affinity; Ca, Sr, and Mn mainly have an carbonate affinity. The high enrichment in the Huayingshan coal of Zr, Nb, Hf, REEs, Ta, Ga, and Th is caused by a geochemical anomaly in the source of this coal''s detrital material (and probably also by input of volcanic ash), which is influenced by the alkaline volcanic magmas of the Emeishan basalt. The Zr/Hf, Zr/Nb, Zr/La and Zr/Th ratios support the volcanic origin of such a geochemical anomaly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Lincang (Yunnan Province, Southwest China) and Wulantuga (Inner Mongolia, Northeast China) coal deposits are known because of the high-Ge content. These coals have also a high concentration of a number of other elements. To determine the mode of occurrence of the enriched elements in both coals, six density fractions from<1.43 to>2.8g/cm3 were obtained from two representative samples using heavy-liquids. A number of peculiar geochemical patterns characterize these high-Ge coals. Thus, the results of the chemical analysis of these density fractions showed that both coals (very distant and of a different geological age) are highly enriched (compared with the usual worldwide coal concentration ranges) in Ge, As, Sb, W, Be, and Tl. This may be due to similar geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids influencing the Earth Crust in these regions of China. Moreover, Wulantuga coal (Early Cretaceous subbituminous coal) is also enriched in Ca, Mg, and Na, and Lincang coal (Neogene subbituminous coal) in K, Rb, Nb, Mo, Sn, Cs, and U. A group of elements consisting of Ge, W, B, Nb, and Sb mostly occur with an organic affinity in both coals. Additionally, Be, U, and Mo (and partially Mn and Zn) in Lincang, and Na and Mg in Wulantuga occur also with a major organic affinity. Both coals have sulfide–arsenide mineral assemblages (Fe, S, As, Sn, and Pb, and in addition to Tl, Ta, and Cs in the Lincang coal). The occurrence of Al, P, Li, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, and Zr in both coals, and Ba in Lincang, are associated with the mineral assemblage of silico-aluminates and minor heavy minerals. Furthermore, P, Na, Li, Sc, Ti, Ga, Rb, Zr, Cr, Ba, Th, and LREE (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Gd) in Lincang are associated with mineral assemblages of phosphates and minor heavy minerals. The two later mineral assemblages are derived from the occurrence of detrital minerals. Finally, the two coal samples have also the sulfate mineral assemblage (Ca and Sr) that probably occur as a consequence of a diagenetic oxidation and alteration of the coal seams. The enrichment of Ge in coal occurred when the organic matter was still reactive to trap Ge, but several features indicate that the enrichment was diagenetic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The geological and geochemical controls of the Ge distribution in the Cretaceous Wulantuga high-Germanium coal deposit in the Shengli coal field, Inner Mongolia are investigated. This paper focuses mainly on the spatial distribution of the Ge contents in coal. The high-Ge coals mainly occur in three splits of the #6 coal in the southwestern part of the Shengli coal field. Mean germanium contents in the coal range from 32 to 820 μg/g, with a mean value of 137 μg/g, on a bulk coal basis (mean of 939 coal samples from 75 boreholes in the #6 coal seam) in an area of 2.2 km2. The highest Ge content occurs SW of #6 coal seam, close to the margins of the coal basin, decreasing with a fan-shaped trend towards NW, the direction of the coal basin. There is an negative correlation between the mean Ge content and the thickness of the coal seam. Different distribution patterns of Ge content were found in vertical profiles. High Ge concentrations may occur in the middle parts of coal seams, at the bottom and/or the top of thick coal seams and inconspicuous variation. A major organic affinity was determined for Ge, with a special enriched in the banded bright and semibright coal. The high-Ge coals and the coalified wood in the sandstone overlaying the #6-1 coal highly enriched in Ge, As, Sb, W, Cs, Tl, Be, and Hg. The Late Jurassic silicified volcanic rocks in the NW of the Ge coal deposit relatively high enriched in Ge, Ga, Sb, As, Cs, Be, Ge and Hg. The correlation coefficients among the elements enriched showed marked variations at close sites in this deposit, suggesting a possible diagenetic origin of the geochemical anomaly. The main Ge anomaly was attributed to early Cretaceous hydrothermal fluids circulating through the fault systems and porous volcanic rocs, probably from the subjacent granitoid rocks. The fault systems, the porous coarse clastic rocks overlying coal seam and the lithotype of coal played an important role in the transport and trapping of Ge. A main diagenetic origin (overlapping a slight synsedimentary accumulation) is deduced for the Ge anomaly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper deals with the study of the Late Permian coal deposits from Chongqing and south-eastern Hubei mining districts and of the Late Triassic coal deposits from Chongqing mining district. The Late Permian coals are characterized by relatively high amount of sulphide, sulphate and carbonate minerals and by a high total content of trace elements (with respect to the Late Triassic coals) due to the marine influence on the depositional environment. The Late Permian Chongqing and the southeastern Hubei coals showed similar geochemistry and mineralogy. However, there were some differences due to the different source rock and magmatic influence on Hubei coals. The concentrations of most trace elements in the Late Triassic coal were relatively low when compared with the usual range of the worldwide concentrations. By contrast, the contents of Ta, Se, Nb, Sc, Hf, Tl, Bi, Cu, V and Zn in the Late Permian Chongqing and Southeastern Hubei coals were higher than the usual range. Differences in occurrence of major and trace elements were found between Late Permian Hubei and Chongqing coals. Thus, most of the trace elements investigated presented an aluminosilicate association, followed by sulphide–arsenide (Fe, S, As, Pb, Mo, Ni and Co, in most cases) and carbonate (Ca and Mg) affinities in both areas. However, there was an important phosphate and zircon association in the Chongqing coal, whereas the carbonate association was significantly influenced by magma in the coals from Hubei. In the Late Triassic coal most of the major and trace elements investigated occur in aluminosilicate associations, with the exception of S, Fe, Ca, Mn, Sr, Sn, Ba, Nb, Mo, Mg, Co and Ta, with carbonate, sulphate and sulphide affinities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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 (<1%), feldspars (<1%), gypsum (weathering product, <2%) and traces of chlorite. In addition to these phases, traces of scheelite (CaWO4) and weddellite (an oxalate, CaC2O4·2H2O) were also detected by XRD. On the basis of chemical and mineralogical properties, a clear differentiation was found between the upper and lower coal sections: the lower section with higher sulfide mineral content, and the upper one with low sulfur content and with a higher proportion of mineral phases formed/accumulated under oxidizing conditions (quartz and dolomite). This coal seam is highly enriched in Ge, As, W, and Hg (one to two orders of magnitude higher than the usual worldwide coal concentrations), with high contents of Sb, U, Cs, and Be (one order of magnitude higher than the usual worldwide coal concentrations). The geochemical and mineralogical profile patterns of the coal seam were attributed to the development of a basal reduced marsh environment evolving towards a more oxidizing marsh environment in the upper part of the coal seam. This could be related to the evolution from a high water table low moor marsh environment to a high moor marsh into an open water body with a higher detrital influence at the top of the seam. 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. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The concentration of trace elements and their distribution in the late Permian coal in the Heshan coal field, Guangxi Autonomous Region, were analysed in this paper. The late Permian coal of the Heshan mining district was developed in a low energy and shallow, confined carbonate platform. Heshan coal is a low volatile bituminous coal characterized by a high sulphur content, ranging between 2.0% and 8.2%. Compared with the worldwide average content of the trace elements in coal, the content of some trace element in the study coal is markedly high (Bi, Ce, Cr, Cs, Cu, Ga, Hf, Sr, Ta, Th, U, V, W, Y, Zr, La, Mo, Nb and Sc). The trace element associations were investigated by means of intracorrelation analysis. Some elements, such as Cl, F and Sr are found in coal in association with the carbonate minerals. V, Cr, Zn, Mo, Ni and As contents in coal vary significantly amongst the coal samples. They are mainly concentrated in the lower part of the coal #4 upper of Suhe and Lilan mines and the coal #4 lower of Dong mine, and these possibly occurring in minerals such as arsenide and sulphide. The content of U in Heshan coal is high and is mainly concentrated at the upper and the lower parts of the coal seam and it is associated with mineral assemblages with Ba, Mo, V, Ni, Zn, Rb and Cr. Furthermore, La and Ce are highly correlated with those found in phosphate minerals and Pb, Sc, Ga, Th, Y and Sn to those in aluminosilicate minerals. The enrichment of some elements such as V, Cr, Zn, Mo, Ni, Rb as well as total sulphur and iron in the lower part of most coal seams might be associated with the formation of soil horizon before the accumulation of peat in the basin. Some other elements such as Cl, F, Sr and Ca are locally concentrated in the top of specific coal seams as a result of the leaching from overlying carbonates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The occurrence and distribution of major and trace elements have been investigated in two coal-bearing units in the Chonqing mining district (South China): the Late Permian and Late Triassic coals.The Late Permian coals have higher S contents than the Late Triassic coals due to the fixation of pyrite in marine-influenced coal-forming environments. The occurrence of pyrite accounts for the association of a large number of elements (Fe, S, As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and Zn) with sulphides, as deduced from the analysis of the density fractions. The marine influence is probably also responsible for the organic association of B. The REEs, Zr, Nb, and Hf, are enriched by a factor of 2–3 with respect to the highest levels fixed for the usual worldwide concentration ranges in coal for these elements. The content of these elements in the Late Permian coal is higher by a factor of 5–10 with respect to the Late Triassic coal. Furthermore, other elements, such as Cu, P, Th, U, V, and Y, are relatively enriched with respect to the common range values, with maximum values higher than the usual range or close to the maximum levels in coal. The content of these elements in the Late Permian coal is higher than the Late Triassic coal. These geochemical enrichments are the consequence of the occurrence, in relatively high levels, of phosphate minerals, such as apatite, xenotime, and monazite, as deduced from the study of the density fractions obtained from the bulk coal.The Late Triassic coal has a low sulphur content with a major organic affinity. The trace element contents are low when compared with worldwide ranges for coal. In this coal, the trace element distribution is governed by clay minerals, carbonate minerals, and to a lesser extent, by organic matter and sulphide minerals.Major differences found between late Permian and Triassic coals are probably related to the source rocks, given that the main source rock of the late Permian epicontinental marine basin is the Emeishan basalt formation, characterised by a high phosphate content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Respirable fraction of dust deposited inside coal mines was extracted and analysed • Respirable coal dust is enriched in minerals related to parent coal geochemistry • Deposited coal mine dust can be used as a proxy for the geochemistry of PM10 • Fe, Si, Mn, Ba and particle size of coal dust are highly correlated with toxicity We focus on a comparison of the geochemistry and mineralogy patterns found in coal, deposited dust (DD), respirable deposited dust (RDD) and inhalable suspended dust (PM10) from a number of underground mines located in China, with an emphasis on potential occupational health relevance. After obtaining the RDD from DD, a toxicological analysis (oxidative potential, OP) was carried out and compared with their geochemical patterns. The results demonstrate: i) a dependence of RDD/DD on the moisture content for high rank coals that does not exist for low rank coals; ii) RDD enrichment in a number of minerals and/or elements related to the parent coal, the wear on mining machinery, lime gunited walls and acid mine drainage; and iii) the geochemical patterns of RDD obtained from DD can be compared with PM10 with relatively good agreement, demonstrating that the characterization of DD and RDD can be used as a proxy to help evaluate the geochemical patterns of suspended PM10. With regards to the toxicological properties of RDD, the Fe content and other by-products of pyrite oxidation, as well as that of anatase, along with Si, Mn and Ba, and particle size (among others), were highly correlated with Ascorbic Acid and/or Glutathione OP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]