Mineralogy and geochemistry of feed coals and their combustion residues from the Cayirhan power plant, Ankara, Turkey

A total of 48 samples, feed (run-of-mine) coals and their combustion residues (fly ash and bottom ash) were systematically collected twice a week over a 4 week period (June 1998) from two boiler units (I and II) of the Cayirhan power plant (630 MW) that burns zeolite-bearing coals of late Miocene age. The feed coals are high in moisture (22.8% as-received) content and ash (44.9%) yield and total S content (5.1%), and low in calorific value (2995 kcal/kg). The mineralogy of the feed coals contains unusually high contents of the zeolites (clinoptilolite/heulandite and analcime), which are distributed within the organic matter of coal. Other minerals determined are gypsum, quartz, feldspar, pyrite, dolomite, calcite, cristobalite and clays. Common minerals in the crystalline phase of the combustion residues are anhydrite, feldspar, quartz, hematite, lime and Ca–Mg silicate. Minor and trace amounts of magnetite, cristobalite, maghemite, gehlenite, calcite and clinoptilolite/heulandite are also present in the combustion residues. Trace element contents of the feed coals, except for W, fall within the estimated range of values for most world coals; however, the mean values of Mn, Ta, Th, U and Zr are near maximum values of most world coals. Elements such as As, Bi, Ge, Mo, Pb, Tl, W and Zn are enriched more in the fly ash compared to the bottom ash.