Sakulpitakphon, and three co-authors reported in 2004 that the high volatile A bituminous Manchester coal bed was sampled at five mine sites in central Clay County, southeastern Kentucky. The coal bed has a high mercury concentration at certain sites, particularly in the high-sulfur uppermost lithology. Whole-coal Hg contents range up to 0.52 ppm in a sample with 3.36% pyritic sulfur. Hg is enriched in the upper lithotype at several of the sites. Arsenic content exceeds 700 ppm (ash basis) for all of the whole channel samples and exceeds 1000 ppm for several of the lithotype samples.
Regional geochemical trends, from an area of approximately 75 to 60 km, were determined using data from this study in combination with data published by the U.S. Geological Survey. Hg, As, Pb, and Cl contents exhibit highs in the northwestern portion of the region. Within the smaller area covered by the detailed mine study, the two western sites both have a high-sulfur upper lithotype containing high levels of As and Hg. Basement structures, previously described in the study area, could have influenced the regional coal rank and geochemistry, possibly acting as conduits for mineralizing fluids.
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