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Mercury and Chlorine in the Balingian Coal from Sarawak, Malaysia

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Abstract

There are growing concerns regarding human and environmental health from the release of Hg and Cl during coal combustion. These two elements are potentially hazardous trace elements and so their emissions from coal combustion must be reduced to protect public health. However, information about Hg and Cl is usually lacking to both policy makers and coal users in many countries using coal for energy. The objective of this study was to understand the concentration, modes of occurrence, and the origin of Hg and Cl in the Balingian coal. Mercury content in the Balingian coal ranges from <1 to 22 ppb with an arithmetic mean of 8 ppb, while Cl content varies from 100 to 209 ppm with an arithmetic mean of 139 ppm. The Balingian coal is highly depleted in Hg but it is enriched in Cl, with respect to the Clarke values of these elements. Mercury is mostly organically bounded in the studied section at sampling sites B01 and B03; however, it is mostly inorganically bounded in the studied section at sampling site B02. While Hg in the studied section at sampling sites B01 and B02 has been epigenetically emplaced from overlying rocks by descending groundwater carrying Hg in solution, it has been emplaced syn-genetically in the studied section at sampling site B03. Chlorine is mostly inorganically bounded in the studied section at sampling sites B01 and B02; however, it is mostly organically bounded in the studied section at sampling site B03. Chlorine is mostly syngenetic in origin in all the three studied sections; however, Cl at the lower part of the studied section at sampling site B01 has been emplaced by epigenetic source.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dr. John Carranza, the Editor-in-Chief of the Natural Resources Research, and the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments. The authors also sincerely thank Dato’ Haji Yunus Abd Razak, Director General of the Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia, for the academic support rendered to the first author. Thanks also go to Mr. Wong, V.C. (Principal Geologist), Mr. Jaithish John (Principal Geologist), and Mr. Balachandar a/l Subramaniyan (Senior Geochemist) of the Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia, Mr. Bakar and Mr. Ali of Sarawak Coal Resources, as well as Prof. Dr. Teh Guan Hoe, Mr. Dorani, Ms. Jacinta John, and Mr. Stamford for various forms of assistance provided. The study received financial support from the University of Malaya IPPP research Grant Nos. RG145-11AFR and RP002C-13AFR.

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  1. Geology Department, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Say-Gee Sia & Wan Hasiah Abdullah

  2. Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia, 20th Floor, Tabung Haji Building, Jalan Tun Razak, 50658, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Say-Gee Sia

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Legend describing the meaning of the symbols used in coal graphic logs.

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Sia, SG., Abdullah, W.H. Mercury and Chlorine in the Balingian Coal from Sarawak, Malaysia. Nat Resour Res 24, 197–207 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-014-9249-5

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