Study of the Concentration of Mercury in Coal Used in Combustion, in an Area of Boyacá, Colombia, South America

Abstract

According to research of the Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC by Spanish initials), the Only Plan of Mercury and the Strategic Sector Plan for the elimination the mercury use, a project that studies the occurrence of mercury in the coal in an area of Boyacá is developed as an integral part in the generation of geoscientist knowledge of the subsoil of the national territory. In this context, and in order to establish a baseline of the mercury content in the coals of the area Sogamoso—Tunja and its effect on combustion processes, Characterization and Processing of Minerals and Coals Group carried out 84 samples in front of mines of 16 municipalities of the area, characterizing samples in 24 parameters, physic-chemical and petrographic, obtaining an important input in aspects of: classification, research in combustion, mercury in the combustion cycle, evaluation environmental, social and economic. It includes an analysis of mercury and its relations with the other measured parameters, given its importance in the production of coal energy and the associated environmental impact. The average content of mercury in dried base in analyzed samples is 127 µg/kg. 89% of the coals have values less than 300 µg/kg. According to the results, an acceptable significant direct correlation was identified between the mercury content with Ash, sulfur, pyritic sulfur, and no correlation with chlorine content, which reacts in the combustion.