The Redistribution of Trace Elements During the Beneficiation of Coal

Concern over potential environmental and health effects of trace elements has grown in recent years. In the United States, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 identify 189 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), of which 12 are elements and their compounds found in coal, usually in trace amounts. These elements are Sb, As, Be, Cd, Cl, Cr, Co, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni and Se. In addition to these specific elements, radionuclides are also listed as HAPs; these too are known to occur naturally in coal. Finally, F, in the form of hydrofluoric acid, is listed.