Investigation on characterization of some high rank coals from Mongolia and preparation of coal derived activated carbon on their bases

Mongolia possesses substantial coal resources (173 billion tons), which include high-rank bituminous coals, subbituminous coals, and brown coals. Based on these coal types, a manufacturer of activated carbon can be developed using comparatively simple technology. The consumption of activated carbon is continuously increasing due to its use in waste and drinking water treatments, atmospheric pollution control, gas mixture separation, and solvent recovery. Currently, Mongolia imports 700–800 tons of activated carbon annually at a price of 700–900 USD per ton. For this study, we have selected several high-rank coals from Mongolia, including Tavan Tolgoi IV and Nariin Sukhait (both bituminous coking coals from Southern Mongolia), as well as the Saikhan-Ovoo deposit (a high-rank stone coal from Northern Mongolia). The selected coals were enriched with a zinc chloride solution and subjected to semicoking (carbonization) to produce the primary raw material for activated carbon production. Activated carbon was obtained from the carbonized coal by activation with preheated water steam within 120 minutes. The main technical characteristics of the initial coal samples and activated carbons, along with their microporous properties such as iodine number, methylene blue adsorption, and surface area (BET), have been determined. Additionally, a technological scheme for activated carbon production from high-rank coal has been proposed.