Evidence for multiple sources for inorganic components in the Tucheng coal deposit, western Guizhou, China and the lack of critical-elements

Terrigenous materials from sediment-source regions are important controls on the types and concentrations of inorganic components in coal. The Kangdian Upland (dominated by the Emeishan basalts) is the dominant terrigenous supplier for most of the Late Permian coals, as well as for their associated host rocks (roof and floor strata) in southwestern China. The high volatile bituminous coals (Nos. 3 and 6 coals) are the two major minable coal seams in the Tucheng coal deposit in southwestern China. Unlike most Late Permian coals in this region that are characterized by elevated concentrations of the element assemblage Sc-V-Cr-Co-Ni-Cu-Zn-Se, these two coals are not enriched in this assemblage although Se is slightly concentrated.