Distribution and resource prospect of metal ore spots(deposits) in coal of different coal-forming ages in northern China

In some cases, metals such as germanium, gallium, lithium and rare earth elements can be enriched in coal, which is an important potential source of these metals. There are abundant coal resources in northern China, and a large number of coal-metal ore spots(deposits) have been found, and the distribution of these ore spots(deposits) shows certain temporal and spatial characteristics:Metals in Permo-Carboniferous coal occur mainly as gallium and lithium-enriched ore spots, mainly are distributed in the northern coalfields of North China coal bearing regions and mining areas such as Pingshuo and Jincheng in Shanxi Province; the metal enrichment in Early-Middle Jurassic coal is mainly concentrated in Zhundong, Tuha in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Muli coalfield in Qinghai Province, and is mainly gallium-enriched in coal, coal-rare earth elements anomaly has been found in the Early Jurassic coal in Erlian basin, which is a good prospecting clue; the Early Cretaceous coal mainly contains germanium in Erlian basin and Hailar basin. The time span of coal-accumulating period in north China is long, the coal-accumulating environments are diverse, the types of coal-bearing basins are diverse, the frequent and violent tectonic evolution process in north China after coal-accumulating period and coal formation, and the diverse types of coal rocks could provide material source, migration condition, channel and sedimentary accumulation condition for the enrichment of different trace elements in coal, which has a good prospect of metal resources in coal. It is suggested to further enhance the investigation and research work of key metal ore spots(deposits) resources in coal, especially in gangue and fly ash, so as to provide reference for the occurrence and prediction of key metal resources in coal, strengthen the extraction and utilization technology of key metals, and the protection of key metal resources in coal by formulating resource protection policies.