Seam and location differentiation of coal specimens using trace element concentrations

Abstract

The concentrations of 12 elements (potassium, titanium, calcium, chromium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, bromine, rubidium and strontium) in coal samples from various locations in British Columbia were measured using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The application of discriminant statistical analysis to the observed trace element profiles provides differentiation between samples from different seams in the same location with a success of 80% and between samples from different locations with a success of 93.2%.