ACARP ACARP ACARP ACARP
Open Cut

Geological Controls on Fluorine and Phosphorus in Bowen Basin Coals

Open Cut » Geology

Published: March 22Project Number: C26029

Get ReportAuthor: Brooke Davis, Sandra Rodrigues, Alex Duxbury, Renate Sliwa, Joan Esterle | University of Queensland

Increasing global restrictions on fluorine in product coal prompted this project, using data and samples from the Late Permian Bowen Basin coal measures as case studies. In 2015, few mines had tested for fluorine and modelling of its distribution for coal quality control through selective mining or beneficiation, required proxies while more data were gathered.

Fluorine is commonly associated with phosphorus as fluorapatite, Ca5(PO4)3F, in sedimentary rocks, suggesting phosphorus distributions, for which there is abundant data available, would suffice as a proxy for estimation. However, early company studies found this could also result in either an over or under-estimation of fluorine contents.  Fluorine can be associated with other minerals, soils and groundwater. It was unclear how Fluorine varies within and between coal measures, and what is its most common mode of occurrence within the coal seams. Understanding the controls on the distribution of phosphorus and fluorine in Australian coals could assist in strategies for its management.

This project investigated the association of fluorine with phosphorus in public and company provided data, with coal grade, type and rank, with stratigraphic occurrence, and where able with geological features (e.g., faults, intrusions, seam splitting). It also investigated the association of fluorine and phosphorus with different minerals, and the geochemistry of the apatite found in coal, utilising work in another project.

In summary, all apatite found in this study was fluorapatite, regardless of its origins from volcanic ash falls or as a precipitate from hydrothermal fluids moving through the seams. The occurrence of detrital apatite, with a high fluorine>phosphorus signature is most common in high ash coals and those with abundant tuff partings. In these fluorine is also associated with clay minerals. This suggests that beneficiation may assist in fluorine reduction in Trend 1 coals (see report). The majority of the fluorapatite found was hosted in the pores of the inertinite group macerals. Fluorine increased as phosphorus increased in Trend 2 coals (see report) but showed no differentiation between raw and washed or clean coal composites, reducing beneficiation assistance. The inertinite host would suggest that coarser, duller coal might be beneficiated, but this has had varied success historically. Predicting the distribution of areas high in fluorapatite is still a problem, as the zones of saturation vary by seam, do not commonly show clear vectors to faults or intrusives, and crosscut seam lithotype profiles. Hence detailed sampling and analysis to understand individual sites is required to develop fit for purpose models for mitigation.

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C33029Review Longwall Face Ventilation To Mitigate Goaf Gas Emissions Onto Walkways And Tailgate End

As longwall mining increasingly targets deeper coal seams, managing ...

C29009Control Of Transient Touch Voltages During Switching

There have been an increasing number of electric shock incidents rep...

C29025Effectiveness Of Shotcrete In Underground Coal Mines

The primary objective of this project is to quantify the effectivene...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C34041A Coal Spiral For The 2020S

The objective of this project is to develop an enhanced coal process...

C33057Foreign Contaminants Detection On Conveyor Belts Using Digital Imaging Processing Techniques And Coal Penetrating Sensors

This project was initiated to tackle the ongoing issue of foreign co...

C29065Wash Plant Fines Testing Methods Enhancement

Accurately estimating the proportion of expected fine size material ...

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34054Scoping Study: Design Of Cokes From Biomass-Coal Blends For Sustainable Blast Furnace Ironmaking

There is an increasing focus on improving the environmental sustaina...

C34058Strength Development In Fouling Deposits

When coal is combusted in a boiler, the fly ash that is produced flo...

C34059Coke Reactivity With CO2 And H2O And Impacts On Coke Microstructure And Gas Diffusion

With the global shift to low-carbon ironmaking, partial substitution...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C34066Safe Operation Of Catalytic Reactors For The Oxidation Of VAM Operating Under Abnormal Reaction Conditions

The catalyst Pd/TS-1 has shown excellent activity in oxidising venti...

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC