Oil Shale (Apr 2025)

Quantification of oil shale industry ash flows – their chemical and mineralogical composition

  • Mari-Liis Ummik,
  • Kadriann Tamm,
  • Oliver Järvik,
  • Dmitri Nešumajev,
  • Kati Roosalu,
  • Tõnu Pihu,
  • Alar Konist

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3176/oil.2025.2.01
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 42, no. 2
pp. 129 – 166

Abstract

Read online

The global demand for resources is escalating in today’s rapidly evolving world. As traditional raw materials become scarcer and more expensive, alternative sources have to be found. One such emerging resource is oil shale ash. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the various fractions of oil shale ash generated in the oil shale industry in Estonia. The ash results from the direct combustion of oil shale with pulverised combustion (PC) and circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) technologies, as well as from shale oil production processes. It offers detailed information about the proportions of ash derived from different technological processes and a thorough analysis of their mineralogical and chemical compositions, trace element content, and leaching characteristics. By examining these diverse characteristics, the study enhances understanding of the ash’s potential implications and applications.

Keywords