Content of Rare and Rare-Earth Metals in Kuznetsk Basin Coal and Coal Wastes

Abstract

Given the scarcity of the rare and rare-earth metals necessary for Russia’s economic development, it is important to extract them from industrial wastes. Ash–slag wastes from coal and wastes from coal enrichment are of interest in this context. In the present work, the content of rare and rare-earth metals is estimated for coal and coal ash from the Prokopyevsk–Kiselyovsk geological zone of Keremovo region and also for coal-enrichment waste (cake) from the Komsomolets, Polysaevsk, and Taldinsk facilities. The concentrations of rare metals (cadmium, titanium, and tantalum) and rare-earth metals (lanthanum, neodymium, and gadolinium) are close to the levels that are recommended for further analysis in coal. These metals are also found in the coal ash in concentrations of commercial interest. Overall, the extraction of these metals from ash–slag waste and from enrichment wastes is found to be economically viable. The metallogenic specialization of coal from the given Kuznetsk Basin regions is considered. Price analysis confirms that the extraction of rare and rare-earth metals from coal ash and cake is economically promising.