GERMANIUM IN COAL OF THE DNIPRO BROWN COAL BASIN

• Date: 2026
• Main Authors: Іванова, А.В., Гаврильцев, В.Б.
• Format: Article
• Language: Ukrainian
• Published: Institute of Geological Sciences, NAS of Ukraine 2026
• Subjects: Dnipro brown coal basin; Ukrainian Shield; germanium; coal microcomponents; correlation analysis
• Online Access: http://geojournal.igs-nas.org.ua/article/view/332398
• Journal Title: Geological journal

It has been confirmed that the source of germanium (Ge) in brown coal is the crystalline rocks and their weathering crusts of the Ukrainian Shield. As a result of erosion in the hypergenesis zone, mobile soluble compounds in the form of oxoanions and a solid phase in the form of suspensions were produced, entering the peat bog with groundwater and surface waters. In coal, Ge can occur in a non-mineral sorbed form, as simple and complex humates of the chelate type, and as organogermanium compounds. A minor amount of Ge enters the composition of accessory (garnet, pyrite) and rock-forming minerals (pyroxenes, feldspars) as isomorphic impurities. The relationship of Ge predominantly with gelified macerals of the lignitite and huminite groups has been established. A negative correlation between Ge content (on an ash basis) and ash yield was confirmed, along with the absence of a stable correlation when calculated on a whole-coal basis. This is explained by the ratio of the sorptive ash (the Ge carrier) to the terrigenous ash. The established 'sorption optimum' for the Dnipro Basin coal is observed at an ash content within 30–35%. Using the coal seam of the Verkhnyodniprovske field as an example, it was shown that the Ge content in coal on the periphery of the deposit is higher than in its central part, which is due to the relative proximity of the marginal parts of the field to the source area. Using the same field as an example, the germanium enrichment of the roof and floor parts of the seam, as well as of coal plies between intra-seam rock partings, was proven. An inverse relationship was recorded between the Ge content and the coal seam thickness. It is shown that open-pit coal mines within the hypergenic process zone are characterized by an uneven distribution of Ge. The high correlation of Ge with the resin content of the benzene extract suggests the possibility of recovering Ge (along with gallium (Ga)) during the technological processing of bitumen. In general, the bitumen-rich coal of the Dnipro Basin, with reserves estimated at 280 million tons, contains about 590 tons of Ge.