Geochemical Characteristics of the Cretaceous Emewe–Efopa Coal in the Northern Anambra Basin of Nigeria

Abstract

Felix B. Fatoye*, Yomi B. Gideon and Joseph I. Omada

Geochemical analysis has been carried out on coal samples from Emewe–Efopa coal in the northern Anambra Basin of Nigeria. The study was carried out mainly to determine the geochemical characteristics of the coal and its industrial potentials. Results of proximate analysis indicated that the coal contains 12.63% moisture, 5.71 % ash, 46.65 % volatile matter and 35.01 % fixed carbon. Ultimate analysis results also revealed that the coal consists of 60.99 % carbon, 5.37 % hydrogen, 1.25 % nitrogen, 13.01 % oxygen, 1.06 % sulphur and 0.013 % phosphorus. The average heating value of the coal is 11,084 Btu/1b while its free swelling index was calculated at 0.0. The results led to the conclusion that the coal is only appropriate for electricity generation, heating boilers and ovens in industrial process heating, manufacturing organic chemicals and production of gas and automotive fuel.