CHAPTER ■ IV

RESUME
AND
CONCLUSION
Geochemical behaviour of trace and minor elements including rare

earth elements (REE) in carbonaceous matter was studied from two

very important and thick coal seams (i.e. Lajkura and Rampur

seam) of IB-River coalfield.

The present work mainly includes analytical Chemistry,

statistical processing (through computer) and geological

interpretation of the findings. Various sophisticated as well as

conventional methods and instruments were used to procure dat»a

from a bulk of huge pile of systematically collected samples.

Care and caution were taken during collection and analysis of

samples so that dependable results could be achieved.

Chapter I includes general introduction of trace elements in

coal, brief description of the study area, scope of the work and

objective. It also includes different methodologies employed to

.study the behavioural pattern of trace elements in coal.

Procedure for sampling and analytical techniques (i.e., chemical,

instrumental and statistical analyses) have also been discussed

in details. .

Chapter II includes statistical processing of data received from

different analytical techniques. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and

factor analysis have been used to strengthen the observations

which were earlier descriptive. Analysis of variance (ANOVA)

technique has been used to examine the reliability of data as

well as to select best analytical method which has high

precissibility and low cost of analysis.

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 Factor analysis has been employed to understand mode of

formation, concentration and association of trace elements in a

comprehensive manner.

Chapter III involves evaluation of source of trace elements as

well as their association in coal. The primary objective was to

find out which elements are more concentrated in organic fraction

and which are predominately associated with inorganic materials

of the coal.
•

As it has been observed that the marine chemofacies are

measurably different from those of fresh water ones and this can

be established by certain geochemical indicators. Attempt has

been made to utilize trace element behaviour as geochemical

indicators in relation to environment of deposition. This study

although could not be done elaborately, but encouraging results

have been obtained . These finding have also been corrabora -

ted by REE study which has been dealt in the later part of this

Chapter.

Geochemical study of the rare earth elements in coal has been

attempted for the first time in India and previous works are

megre from global point of view. Therefore, the understanding and

inferencing on REE study is a very difficult task. However, the

author took sufficient pain to reach a conclusion with possible

logical understanding to fulfil the objective of research.

From the detailed field and laboratory investigations of two

potential coal seams of the area viz. Lajkura seam [75 m thick]

* and Rampur seam [45 m thick] met in three different bore holes,

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the following conclusion is drawn :

1) Rampur seam overlain by Lajkura seam with parting of over 50m

are all high ash and high volatile non caking coals. Silica

and alumina content in the inorganic residue vary from 50% to

55% and 22% to 27% as major oxides, quartz, siderite,

kaolinite with occassional presence of illite constitute the

clay mineral assemblage. Since the inorganic fraction is

appreciably high in these coals, behaviour of trace and minor

elements have shown interesting results.

2) Analysis of variance study has been employed on chemical data

of samples of both the seams, separately and together to

establish the reliability and precisibility between different

chemical and instrumental methods and to choose the most

appropriate technique to ascertain the nature of occurrence

of major, minor, and trace elements such as Cu, Mn, Cr, V,

Ni, Pb, Co, Fe and Mg in coal.

The quantitative estimation of elements present in trace

quantities was found to be much reliable vis-a-vis acceptable by

the instrumental methods like OES (Optical Emission Spectrograph)

and XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) when the concentrations were in

micro i.e. ppm range. Both the methods can identify the elemental

dissimilarities of samples of different seam and the similarities

of the samples of the same seam with only exception in the case

of Pb.

On comparing the two methods, i.e. XRF and OES, XRF is

comparatively costly and time-consuming whereas OES is a rapid

110
 method and is cheaper than XRF. For this reason, Optical Emission

Spectrograph is considered to be a suitable technique provided

the concentration lies below percentage level. However, this

method is not suitable for estimation of iron and magnesium. If

Fe and Mg are present in macro level i.e. above 1000 ppm or

percentage level, it is better to estimate the content by AAS or

by conventional chemical method. Both the methods are found to

yield more or less similar results. But instrumental methods are

often dependent on some instrumental input parameters. Therefore,

wet chemical method is the better choice here.

3) Factor analysis is applied for statistical evaluation of the

data and to quantify the relationship that exists between

chemical variables and to determine the number and nature of

underlying geologic factors which monitored these variable.

Principal component analysis and factor analysis applied on data

of major oxides minor elements indicate their mode of formation

and concentration as well as association in coal. These are :

(a) Biological fixation - It covers the inorganic components

which accumulated either through detrital and/or authegenic

process during the initial stage of coal formation (peat stage).

Thier concentration and stabilities are linked both to the

organic and the inorganic components indicating that the chances

are almost equal in both the situations. -It means that it can not

be predicted to what extent the minor elements were associated

with inorganic or organic matter.

b) Mineral sorption - The absorption/adsorption of the components

* are linked with Si02 - A12°3-Ti02' Fe2G3 ” S' and M^° “ Ca0 " Mn0

111
systems and absorption and/or cation exchange capacities are

apparently dependent on the nearness and availability of

inorganic source, Eh, pH etc.

c) Localized concentration - Localized mineralization/concentra -

tions have been found to be an important deciding factor in the

association of clay forming constitutents and their related

minor elements concentration which play an important role in the

swamp paleoenvironmental postulation.

4) Although the occurrence of the elements like Ag, Sn, Mo, Yb,

B, In, Sc, Ga, Ge are not in significant proportion in Lajkura

and Rampur seams, but their concentration might have been caused

by solution followed by precipitation.

This fact may be explained by assuming the plants which

constituted the coal, might have grown in soil poor in these

elements. It is noticed in the present study, that most of the

trace elements in Rampur seam are concentrated in the inorganic

fractions. To the contrary, they are found in the organic

fractions in Lajkura seam indicating a floral diversity *hnd

ameliorating conditions for vegital growth with the passage of

time. It may be presumed that the nature of control in Lajkura

and Rampur seam might have been different due to time lag. But

the trace element concentrations do not show any significant

difference between these two horizons except a few elements like

Mn, V, Zr, Ba, Cu, and Cr, which are present in Rampur seam in

high amounts suggesting probable ultrabasic source rock and also

the influx of the above elements in soil where the flora thrived.
5) The presence of low contents of B (< 10 ppm), Li (40 - 60 ppm),

S (< 0.91%) and Mn {< 0.15%) clearly indicate a fresh water envi­

ronment. which is further corroborated by presence of Ga, high V,

and Sr content. But Pb, Ni, Cu, Sn content show some what

anomalous results which might have been due to the interference

of biological fixation in mineral sorption phenomenon.

The coal seam do not follow any specific pattern of distribution

of elements in relation to depth. This, perhaps, resulted due to

an active depositional environment when drainage system activel#

well operated in the coal swamp. Furthermore, biomass was

continuously brought to the depositional site under fluctuating

energy condition.

Therefore, simply growth and deposition of vegetative materials

in isolated i.e. autocthonous origin of these coals may be ruled

out.

6) The rare earth element studies in coal samples have helped to

interprete the paleoenvironmental condition and evaluate the

nature of source material.

The Lajkura seam shows the presence of larger fractions of LREE

than HREE with some Eu anomaly. The later reflects a greater role

of weathering by which much of Eu was removed during the

fractionation process.

The Rampur seam shows enrichment of both the fraction of LREE and

HREE with Gd anomaly. This is rather complex from interpretative

angle and difficult to explain at this stage.

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The absence of any negative Ce - anomaly in both the seams rules

out the possibility of any marine influence during the deposition

of the coal.

7) Total absence of Se, As, Sb, and Hg in these coals j^s an addi­

tional advantage from environmental pollution especially fly -

ash pollution.

Finally, this may be concluded that the Lajkura and Rampur seams

are of fresh water and of allochthonous origin. The nature of

control of trace element concentration in both the seam do not

show any significant difference although with passage of time,

the younger seam shows stronger affinity of trace element

fixation in organic fraction indicating an ameliorating condition

for diverse vegital growth.

The high ash, high volatile and non caking nature of coal along

with total absence of Se, As, Sb, and Hg befits its suitability

for power industries with least environmental pollution/hazard.