Mineral matter and elemental concentrations in selected western canadian coalsMineral matter and elemental concentrations in selected western canadian coals Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2015-12-051985enMajor and trace element analyses were performed on coals from various locations in western Canada, and on low-temperature (150 °C) and high-temperature (1000 °C) coal ash produced from these coals. Elemental analyses were carried out by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and intense neutron activation analyses. Based on their trace elements, the coals in this study fall into two groups: 1. low-rank coals (lignite-subbituminous) of late Cretaceous and Tertiary age; and 2. high-rank coal (bituminous-semianthracite) of Jurassic-Cretaceous age. The elemental analyses of the coals and coal ash indicate that the local conditions had considerable influence on the concentrations of certain trace elements. Antimony and selenium in coals are the only elements which are enriched relative to concentrations in the earth's crust; arsenic is concentrated in lignite to subbituminous coal, but is depleted in bituminous-anthracite coals; as expected the ash of these coals showed many more instances of enrichment.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Fuel64111599-1605 Alexander R. Cameron Foskolos Antonis Φωσκολος Αντωνης Fariborz Goodarzi Elsevier coal mineral matter trace elements