Acid Base Accounting) Determining Organic,

Pyritic and Sulfate sulfur

Written by Ankan Basu on 19 October 2010
October 19, 2010 (Coal Geology): Acid Base Accounting (ABA)
tests are a widely used procedure to interpret acid producing potential or acid
neutralization potential of the overburden rock materials. ABA method is very
popular in Northern America. In Australia, we have the same method with little
difference in nomenclature. However, another method named Net Acid
Generation (NAG) tests are also widely used in Australia that is not so popular
in the US coal industry.

This article aims to clarify the nomenclature issue between the Northern
America and Australia as well as provide little insight about the organic
sulfur determination for ABA tests. Thousands of pages worth of articles
available online from various sources on ABA and NAG tests apart from
numerous other journal articles. This article should not be used as a reference
guide for ABA tests.
Table showing the equivalent terms in USA and Australia:

North America Australia

Net Acid Production Potential
Net Neutralization Potential (NAPP)
(NNP) Net Acid Generation Potential
(NAGP)
Acid Potential (AP) Maximum Potential Acidity (MPA)
=%S*31.25 =%S*30.59
Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC)
Neutralizing Potential (NP)
Neutralizing Potential (NP)
NPP=NP-AP NAPP=MPA-ANC
Unit: Kg CaCO3/tonne Unit: Kg H2SO4/tonne
Notes:

 The lab result that we FIRST look at is the NNP or NAPP value (NET
Value). That tells you if the rock has any acid producing capacity. Now, the
value is CALCULATED off two other numbers. So, to rely on this number,
the AP (or MPA) and NP (or ANC) must be accurate.
 Often, total sulfur is analyzed for the sample and used for the AP/MPA
calculations (ANC=%S*30.59). However, the total sulfur includes sulfate
sulfur and the organic sulfur in the sample. So, we are over estimating
the MAXIMUM POTENTIAL ACIDITY (MPA) ignoring sulfur that will never
 lead to any acidity generation. In most of the sedimentary rocks pyrite is
the dominant contributor of sulfide sulfur while organic and sulfate sulfur
contributes very little to the total sulfur content. But, it may not be correct for
all rock types. Especially in the coal seams and for many dark shale and
carbonaceous shale, organic sulfur can contribute significant amount.
So, we need to determine the organic sulfur, sulfate sulfur and pyritic sulfur
separately to properly evaluate acid producing potential of the overburden
strata.
 While MPA is calculated using the amount of sulfur that could produce
acidity, Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC) is derived from acid
digestion. If siderite is present in the sample, special test is required for
proper determination of ANC.

First Let us discuss how we normally determine the Organic Sulfur Content for
the ABA samples. Three step method is required for proper determination of
pyritic (sulfide) sulfur that should be used for MPA calculations.

The sample is usually crushed and split into three identical parts. LECO Induction
furnace is used to burn the sample and calculate SO2 for the sample.
What is removed What do we Get from
Treat With
in this step? LECO Furnace result?
Split
not treated S (Py+S04+Organic)
1
Removes Sulfate
Split Treated
Sulfur, does not S (Py+Organic)
2 with HCL
react with Pyrite
Split Treated Removes Pyritic
S (Organic)
3 with HNO3 and Sulfate Sulfur
Note: Remember we are not analyzing the decant, we are analyzing the
sample (residue) after the acid treatments.
If you have data for all three tests from the lab, you can now easily
calculate you sulfur content in various forms as:

 Total Organic Sulfur= S (Organic)

 Total Sulfate Sulfur = S (Py+S04+Organic) – S (Py+Organic)
 Total Pyritic Sulfur = S (Py+Organic) – S (Organic)

Typical ABA Suite + NAG in Australia and various reporting units

Method Name Analyte Name Units

Total Carbon/Sulphur in soil by
Sulphur %
LECO

HCl Extractable S, Ca and Mg in Acid Soluble Sulphur

%W/W
Soil ICP OES (SHCl)

HCl Extractable S, Ca and Mg in Acid Soluble Calcium

%W/W
Soil ICP OES (CaHCl)

HCl Extractable S, Ca and Mg in Acid Soluble

%W/W
Soil ICP OES Magnesium (MgHCl)

Acid Neutralising Capacity or

ANC as % CaCO? %CACO3
Neutralisation Potential(ANC/NP)

Acid Neutralising Capacity or ANC as %

%W/W
Neutralisation Potential(ANC/NP) CaMg(CO?)2

Acid Neutralisation
Acid Neutralising Capacity or
Capacity/Neutralisation KGCA/T
Neutralisation Potential(ANC/NP)
Potential

Acid Neutralisation
Acid Neutralising Capacity or
Capacity/Neutralisation KGH2SO4/T
Neutralisation Potential(ANC/NP)
Potential kg H?SO?/t

Acid Neutralisation
Acid Neutralising Capacity or Capacity/Neutralisation
KGCA/T
Neutralisation Potential(ANC/NP) Potential Siderite
Corrected

Acid Neutralisation
Acid Neutralising Capacity or Capacity/Neutralisation
KGH2SO4/T
Neutralisation Potential(ANC/NP) Potential kg H?SO?/t
Siderite Corrected

Net Acid Generation Potential Total Oxidisable KGH2SO4/T

(NAGP) Sulphur

Net Acid Generation Potential Net Acid Production

KGH2SO4/T
(NAGP) Potential

Single Addition Net Acid

pHox (NAG pH) NOUNIT
Generation (NAG)

Single Addition Net Acid ECox (NAG

US/CM
Generation (NAG) Conductivity)

Single Addition Net Acid NAG as kg H?

KGH2SO4/T
Generation (NAG) SO?/tonne to pH 4.5

Single Addition Net Acid NAG as kg H?

KGH2SO4/T
Generation (NAG) SO?/tonne to pH 7

Single Addition Net Acid NAG as kg

KGCA/T
Generation (NAG) CaCO3/tonne to pH 4.5

Single Addition Net Acid NAG as kg

KGCA/T
Generation (NAG) CaCO3/tonne to pH 7

Useful unit conversions between North America and Australia standards:

 kg H2SO4 = 0.98 x kg CaCO3

 pyrite% = sulfur% x 120/64
 sulfur% = pyrite% x 64/120
 carbon% x 81.66 = kg H2SO4/t neutralizing capacity (assuming that all the
carbon is calciumcarbonate)
 MPA (kg H2SO4/t) = 30.59 x sulfur% (assuming the sulfide is pyrite)
 ANC (kg H2SO4/t) = 0.98 x kg CaCO3/t
 1 ounce = 28.35 gram
 1 kilogram = 2.2 pound
 1 tonne = 1.1 ton
 1 metre = 3.28 feet
 1 kilometre = 0.62 mile
 1 hectare = 2.47 acres
 1 litre = 0.264 gallon
1 cubic metre = 35.3 cubic feet