General Introduction

There is an urgency to increase our knowledge of trace elements in coal and of their role during mining, treatment and usage. Currently the most important aspects are those related to the environment, often because of fears of untoward effects. It is expected that this compelling interest will continue for at least a decade, and indeed information on new coals will be needed, in some cases to satisfy guidelines or more stringent requirements. Hence, this book has been planned to give a comprehensive view of environmental aspects of trace elements in coal. It is our aim to provide a reasonably balanced account. Although every effort was made to be objective, there is an inevitable influence of our experience. The choice of a small volume, rather than an encyclopedic work, means that some people will perceive the absence of topics which they would have chosen.