ARSENIC AND LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN THE POND CREEK AND FIRE-CLAY COAL BEDS, EASTERN KENTUCKY COAL FIELD

The Middle Pennsylvanian Breathitt Formation (Westphalian B) Pond Cree k and Fire Clay coal beds are the 2 largest producing coal beds in eas tern Kentucky. Single channel samples from 22 localities in the Pond C reek coal bed were obtained from active coal mines in Pike and Martin Countries, Kentucky, and a total of 18 Fire Clay coal bed channel samp les were collected from localities in the central portion of the coal field. The overall objective of this study was to investigate the conc entration and distribution of potentially hazardous elements in the Fi re Clay and Pond Creek coal beds, with particular emphasis on As and P b, 2 elements that are included in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments a s potential air toxics. The 2 coals are discussed individually as the depositional histories are distinct, the Fire Clay coal bed having mor e sites where relatively high-S lithologies are encountered. In an eff ort to characterize these coals, 40 whole channel samples, excluding I -cm partings, were analyzed for major, minor and trace elements by X-r ay fluorescence and proton-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy. Previo usly analyzed samples were added to provide additional geographic cove rage and lithotype samples from one site were analyzed in order to pro vide detail of vertical elemental trends. The As and Pb levels in the Fire Clay coal bed tend to be higher than in the Pond Creek coal bed. One whole channel sample of the Fire Clay coal bed contains 1156 ppm A s (ash basis), with a single lithotype containing 4000 ppm As (ash bas is). Most of the As and Pb appears to be associated with pyrite, which potentially can be removed in beneficiation (particularly coarser pyr ite). Disseminated finer pyrite may not be completely removable by cle aning. In the examination of pyrite conducted in this study, it does n ot appear that significant concentration of As or Pb occurs in the fin er pyrite forms. The biggest potential problem of As- or Pb-enriched p yrite is, therefore, one of refuse disposal. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.