Are Coal-Hosted Gallium-Rich Ores Elastically Detectable: A Rock-Physics Modeling Perspective

Abstract

Coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are mainly explored with geochemical analyses, and their elasticities lack research. This paper incorporated core testing, rock-physics modeling, and Monte Carlo simulations to characterize the elastic parameters of gallium-rich cores and discuss whether coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are elastically detectable. The measured cores from No. 6 coal in the Heidaigou mine showed that the gallium contents strongly correlate to the boehmite contents with a 0.96 correlation coefficient. The rock-physics modeling results showed that mineral compositions and contents are critical factors influencing elastic parameters, and elastic parameters in No. 6 coal showed profound heterogeneities as mineral compositions and contents. The preferred parameters for classifying and grouping different mineral-rich cores are the bulk modulus and moduli ratio. Cross-plotting bulk modulus vs. moduli ratio can qualitatively group measured cores and Monte-Carlo simulated realizations into different mineral-rich and saturation states properly. Concerning the factors of boehmite content, porosity, and saturation state, an interpretation template for boehmite-rich coal was proposed and used. As the template interpreted readings close to the measured contents, the built templates can quantitatively interpret boehmite and gallium contents in coal-hosted ores with high precision. In summary, the coal-hosted gallium-rich ores are elastically detectable.

Zonal Geochemistry and Elasticity Characteristics of Gallium- and Lithium-Rich No. 6 Coalbed in the Haerwusu Mine, North China

“…The Haerwusu mine stands as a significant producer within the Jungar coalfield, situated on the northeast margin of the Ordos basin in North China (see Figure 1). With a mining area spanning 61.4 km 2 and a coal reserve estimated at 1.73 billion tons, it holds substantial importance [4,24]. The primary coal-bearing formations in the mine consist of the Carboniferous Taiyuan and lower Permian Shanxi formations.…”

“…The elastic parameters commonly discussed include bulk and shear moduli, P-and S-wave impedances and velocities, quality factor Q, Poisson ′ s ratio, and anisotropy parameters. In the coal industry, pioneers have utilized rock physics modeling to delineate coal-rank-related velocities and anisotropies, bulk moduli associated with absorbed methane, and variations in velocities and moduli related to gallium content [24][25][26][27]. Additionally, rock physics modeling has been employed to construct interpretation templates for oil and gas reservoirs as well as coal-hosted gallium deposits [24,[28][29][30].…”

“…In the coal industry, pioneers have utilized rock physics modeling to delineate coal-rank-related velocities and anisotropies, bulk moduli associated with absorbed methane, and variations in velocities and moduli related to gallium content [24][25][26][27]. Additionally, rock physics modeling has been employed to construct interpretation templates for oil and gas reservoirs as well as coal-hosted gallium deposits [24,[28][29][30]. However, there have been few applications of rock physics modeling to uncover the zonal characteristics of elasticities and interpretation methodologies for coal-hosted gallium and lithium deposits in ultrathick coalbeds.…”

Global Research Progress and Trends on Critical Metals: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…Extraction and utilization of critical elements from coal and coal ash seems to be an alternative for sourcing critical metals [56]. Literature sources have already demonstrated that critical elements such as uranium, germanium, REEs, yttrium, gallium, and aluminum can be extracted from coal combustions products [56][57][58]. More research should be performed on finding highly elevated concentrations of critical elements in metals, and the efficient extraction technology should be optimized.…”

Effective Elastic Properties and Micro-mechanical Damage Evolution of Composite Granular Rocks: Insights from Particulate Discrete Element Modelling

“…Despite this advantage, very few studies have utilized DEM to investigate this phenomenon, essential to comprehend the mechanical behavior of natural and engineered composite granular materials. A common practice among the geoscientists working in the field of rock physics is that the effective dry modulus is constrained by Voigt-Reuss bounds and Hashin-Shtrikman bounds and is calculated using the Voigt-Reuss-Hill average (Ali et al 2020;Dou et al 2011;Chen and Song 2022;Pan et al 2020;Stefaniuk and Kachanov 2023). However, very little attention is paid to the micro-structural geometrical configuration of minerals within the assemblage or the arching effects observed in granular materials.…”