CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION OF IRON COMPOUNDS DURING THE PROCESS OF COAL PYROLYSIS IN STEAM

When the content of sulphur in hard coal is higher than 1.5% weight, s uch coal cannot be used as fuel in thermal-electric power stations due to environmental protection. Such coal can be used as a raw product i n various chemical processes in which many valuable substances are obt ained. This study is a small part of a major project looking for impro ved ways of utilizing sulphur-rich coals. Mossbauer measurements were carried out for semi-cokes obtained from sulphur-rich coal in the pyro lysis process in a steam atmosphere in the temperature range of 300-80 0 degrees C. Results of these measurements showed that during the pyro lysis process, pyrite transformed completely into iron oxides (magneti te and hematite), whereas illite transformed only partly even at the h ighest temperatures. Unfortunately, it was not possible to identify so me products of the illite transformation.