Trace Elements in West Virginia Coals

Elemental Stratigraphic Distribution Example

The stratigraphic distribution of trace elements in most West Virginia coals are shown.  These charts show trends in the average trace element content in ppm on a whole coal basis through the geologic column.  Some trends show that elemental concentrations vary from coal to coal with geologic age or some other factor.  The columns show stratigraphic units, individual coal bed names and the average elemental concentrations.  Some precautions that should be exercised in examining these columns include the number of analyses averaged (shown on the far right) and the importance of the coal bed.  Many coals only have a single analysis and these values should be used with caution.  Some coals, such as the Harlem that have a high Arsenic content, are not mined and do not contribute significantly to total West Virginia coal production or utilization.