Geochemical Data for Coal Wastes from Bituminous Coal Mining in Pennsylvania, 2022

Coal and coal byproducts may be economically important resources if enriched in critical minerals such as rare earth elements. The organic carbon they contain could be converted to gas using stimulated microbial methanogenesis. In this study, samples were collected from two underground mine sites in the bituminous region of southwest Pennsylvania to assess the potential for these uses from different types of stockpiled coal, including raw coal, clean coal, and refuse coal. Samples were analyzed for coal quality using proximate, ultimate, and sulfur forms analyses, and for major and trace elements. These data complement previous USGS studies on coal waste conducted in Pennsylvania and the Illinois Basin.