REVIEW PAPER
Rare earth elements, uranium, and thorium in ashes from biomass and hard coal combustion/co-combustion
1
University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Submission date: 2022-11-20
Final revision date: 2023-01-09
Acceptance date: 2023-03-28
Publication date: 2023-06-12
Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi – Mineral Resources Management 2023;39(2):87-108
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study presents the results of concentrations of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), uranium (U), and thorium (Th) in ashes from combustion/co-combustion of biomass (20%, 40%, and 60% share) from the agri-food industry (pomace from apples, walnut shells, and sunflower husks) and hard coal. The study primarily focuses on ashes from the co-combustion of biomass and hard coal, in terms of their potential use for the recovery of rare earth elements (REE), and the identification of the sources of these elements in the ashes. Research methods such as ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), XRD (X-ray diffraction), and SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy with quantitative X-ray microanalysis) were used. The total average content of REY in ash from biomass combustion is 3.55–120.5 mg/kg, and in ash from co-combustion, it is from 187.3 to 73.5 mg/kg. The concentration of critical REE in biomass combustion ash is in the range 1.0–38.7 mg/kg, and in co-combustion ash it is 23.3–60.7 mg/kg. In hard-coal ash, the average concentration of REY and critical REY was determined at the level of 175 and 45.3 mg/kg, respectively. In all samples of the tested ashes, a higher concentration of Th (0.2–14.8 mg/kg) was found in comparison to U (0.1–6 mg/kg). In ashes from biomass and hard-coal combustion/co-combustion, the range of the prospective coefficient (Coutl) is 0.66–0.82 and 0.8–0.85, respectively, which may suggest a potential source for REE recovery. On the basis of SEM-EDS studies, yttrium was found in particles of ashes from biomass combustion, which is mainly bound to carbonates. The carriers of REY, U, and Th in ashes from biomass and hard-coal co-combustion are phosphates (monazite and xenotime), and probably the vitreous aluminosilicate substance.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Doctoral School partially financed the work at the University of Silesia (Poland) and the funds for statutory research of the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
METADATA IN OTHER LANGUAGES:
Polish
Pierwiastki ziem rzadkich, uran i tor w popiołach ze spalania/współspalania biomasy i węgla kamiennego
biomasa, węgiel kamienny, popiół, REY, skład mineralny
W pracy przedstawiono wyniki stężeń pierwiastków ziem rzadkich i itru (REY), uranu (U), oraz toru (Th) w popiołach ze spalania/współspalania biomasy (udział 20, 40 i 60%) z przemysłu rolno-spożywczego (wytłoki z jabłek, łupiny orzecha włoskiego i łuski słonecznik), i węgla kamiennego. W pracy zwrócono uwagę przede wszystkim na popioły ze współspalania biomasy i węgla kamiennego, pod kątem ich potencjalnego wykorzystania do odzysku pierwiastków ziem rzadkich (REE), oraz identyfikacji źródeł tych pierwiastków w popiołach. Zastosowano metody badawcze takie jak ICP-MS (spektrometria mas ze wzbudzeniem w plazmie indukcyjnie sprzężonej), XRD (dyfrakcja rentgenowska) i SEM-EDS (skaningowa mikroskopia elektronowa z ilościową mikroanalizą rentgenowską). Całkowita średnia zawartość REY w popiołach ze spalania biomasy wynosi 3,55–120,5 mg/kg, a w popiołach ze współspalania od 73,5 do 187,3 mg/kg. Średnie stężenie krytycznych REE w popiołach ze spalania biomasy mieści się w zakresie 1,0–38,7 mg/kg, a w popiołach ze współspalania 23,3–60,7 mg/kg. W popiele z węgla kamiennego średnie stężenie REY i krytycznych REY oznaczono odpowiednio na poziomie 175 i 45,3 mg/kg. W próbkach badanych popiołów oznaczono wyższe stężenie Th (0,2–14,8 mg/kg), w porównaniu do U (0,1–6 mg/kg). W popiołach ze spalania/współspalania biomasy i węgla kamiennego zakres wartości współczynnika perspektywicznego (Coutl) wynosi odpowiednio 0,66–0,82 i 0,8–0,85, co może sugerować potecjalne źródło do odzysku REE. Analiza cząstek popiołów ze spalania biomasy wykazała itr, który związany jest głównie z węglanami. Nośnikami REY, U i Th w popiołach ze współspalania biomasy i węgla kamiennego są fosforany: monacyt i ksenotym, oraz prawdopodobnie szklista substancja glinokrzemianowa.
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