Elemental Characteristics of some Nigerian Coal Deposits: Implication for the origin of the coals

Abstract

Forty coal samples (4 samples per deposit) from ten coal deposits that span over Anambra Basin and Benue Trough were sampled and analyzed for their elemental characteristics. These coal deposits include Onyema, Okpara, Ogboyoga, Okaba, Owukpa, Ibobo, Udane Biomi and Iva Valley in the Anambra Basin and Lafia Obi and Maiganga in the Benue Trough. The conventional Atomic Absorption Spectroscopic method of elemental analysis was employed in this study. The coal are depleted in V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn; elements with no clear trend are Pb, W and Rb; those that are slightly enriched in the coals are Al, S, Ca, Fe and Si. The concentrations of the PHTEs could be reduced by coal washing and other appropriate coal cleaning methods or emission control method in order to minimize their impacts on the environments and health.