The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan
Abstract The presence of inorganic constituents in coal is controlled by different geological factors, which, in turn, affect the technological, environmental, and health impacts of the coal. The main aim of this study is to objectively assess the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of a t...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Coal Science & Technology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-025-00780-7 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849311644325249024 |
|---|---|
| author | Hassan Nasir Mangi Liqiang Ma Robert B. Finkelman Detian Yan Jing Li Lara Sindhu Umar Ashraf |
| author_facet | Hassan Nasir Mangi Liqiang Ma Robert B. Finkelman Detian Yan Jing Li Lara Sindhu Umar Ashraf |
| author_sort | Hassan Nasir Mangi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The presence of inorganic constituents in coal is controlled by different geological factors, which, in turn, affect the technological, environmental, and health impacts of the coal. The main aim of this study is to objectively assess the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of a thickest low-rank coal seam in the Lower Indus Basin southeastern Pakistan, and further investigate different controlling factors. The analytical results of major oxides, trace elements, and rare earth elements revealed that the weathering conditions were progressively variable and moderate. The sediment source, mainly of felsic and intermediate composition, was dominated by granitic rocks. The geochemical assessment reveals different depositional factors like marine environment influenced, while transitional and freshwater sediments influenced the center of the coal peat mire. Strontium, Zinc, and several hazardous trace elements, including Cu, Ni, Cr, and Co, have higher concentrations in these coals compared to world low-rank, U.S., and Chinese coals. The relatively higher concentration of Sr in the thick coal seam in the Lower Indus Basin, compared to other coals seams in Pakistan and the enrichment of Sr was primarily controlled by the denudation of crystalline rocks and marine influx in the coal-basin. The REY distribution pattern showed that enrichment of medium and heavy rare earth elements is higher than light rare earth elements in the coal seam. The Gd distribution pattern in the coal seam demonstrated that strong positive anomalies had a good affinity with paleo-acidic water concentration in the study area. The higher concentration of Sr and other elements enables a better assessment understanding of the coal geochemical history. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d31efe8ccb3a49b5a20f6f85cb9c8200 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2095-8293 2198-7823 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Coal Science & Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d31efe8ccb3a49b5a20f6f85cb9c82002025-08-20T03:53:21ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of Coal Science & Technology2095-82932198-78232025-05-0112112210.1007/s40789-025-00780-7The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, PakistanHassan Nasir Mangi0Liqiang Ma1Robert B. Finkelman2Detian Yan3Jing Li4Lara Sindhu5Umar Ashraf6School of Mines, China University of Mining and TechnologySchool of Mines, China University of Mining and TechnologyUniversity of Texas at DallasKey Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of GeosciencesKey Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of GeosciencesState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong UniversityInstitute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan UniversityAbstract The presence of inorganic constituents in coal is controlled by different geological factors, which, in turn, affect the technological, environmental, and health impacts of the coal. The main aim of this study is to objectively assess the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of a thickest low-rank coal seam in the Lower Indus Basin southeastern Pakistan, and further investigate different controlling factors. The analytical results of major oxides, trace elements, and rare earth elements revealed that the weathering conditions were progressively variable and moderate. The sediment source, mainly of felsic and intermediate composition, was dominated by granitic rocks. The geochemical assessment reveals different depositional factors like marine environment influenced, while transitional and freshwater sediments influenced the center of the coal peat mire. Strontium, Zinc, and several hazardous trace elements, including Cu, Ni, Cr, and Co, have higher concentrations in these coals compared to world low-rank, U.S., and Chinese coals. The relatively higher concentration of Sr in the thick coal seam in the Lower Indus Basin, compared to other coals seams in Pakistan and the enrichment of Sr was primarily controlled by the denudation of crystalline rocks and marine influx in the coal-basin. The REY distribution pattern showed that enrichment of medium and heavy rare earth elements is higher than light rare earth elements in the coal seam. The Gd distribution pattern in the coal seam demonstrated that strong positive anomalies had a good affinity with paleo-acidic water concentration in the study area. The higher concentration of Sr and other elements enables a better assessment understanding of the coal geochemical history.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-025-00780-7Coal geochemical analysisTrace elementsStrontiumHazardous elementsRare earth elementsLower-Indus Basin |
| spellingShingle | Hassan Nasir Mangi Liqiang Ma Robert B. Finkelman Detian Yan Jing Li Lara Sindhu Umar Ashraf The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan International Journal of Coal Science & Technology Coal geochemical analysis Trace elements Strontium Hazardous elements Rare earth elements Lower-Indus Basin |
| title | The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan |
| title_full | The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan |
| title_short | The enrichment of hazardous elements, rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan |
| title_sort | enrichment of hazardous elements rare earth elements and other inorganic constituents in a thick coal seam of the lower indus basin pakistan |
| topic | Coal geochemical analysis Trace elements Strontium Hazardous elements Rare earth elements Lower-Indus Basin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-025-00780-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hassannasirmangi theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT liqiangma theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT robertbfinkelman theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT detianyan theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT jingli theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT larasindhu theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT umarashraf theenrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT hassannasirmangi enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT liqiangma enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT robertbfinkelman enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT detianyan enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT jingli enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT larasindhu enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan AT umarashraf enrichmentofhazardouselementsrareearthelementsandotherinorganicconstituentsinathickcoalseamofthelowerindusbasinpakistan |