Speaker
Description
Coal combustion products represent a major industrial waste stream, but their mineral and chemical composition provides opportunities for resource recovery and reuse within the circular economy. This study evaluates the valorization potential of fly ash and bottom ash generated by the lignite-fired REK Bitola thermal power plant in North Macedonia. Several types of CCP’s were investigated through chemical, mineralogical, granulometric, and morphological characterization. The analytical methods included X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, particle-size analysis, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy.
The investigated ashes showed a predominantly aluminosilicate composition and contained several elements classified as critical or strategic raw materials. Manganese concentrations ranged from 1169 to 5038 mg kg⁻¹, while the highest measured concentrations of La and Ce were 78.1 and 153 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. SEM–EDS observations revealed spherical and irregular particles, ferrospheres, porous grains, and composite aluminosilicate–iron particles. XRD analysis identified quartz, mullite, hematite, and spinel-type magnetite, together with an amorphous aluminosilicate phase.
This integrated approach could enable the recovery of valuable elements followed by the utilization of the remaining material in geopolymers, alkali-activated binders, ceramics, and other construction products.
| Conference Topics | Green Engineering |
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