Coal as a promising source of critical elements: Progress and future prospects

Coal is a resource primarily used for electric power generation, and currently supplies 41% of global electricity needs. Coal can also be considered as an economic source of strategically important elements, such as Ge, Ga, U, V, Se, rare earth elements, Y, Sc, Nb, Au, Ag, and Re, as well as base metals Al and Mg. The extraction and utilization of these critical elements from coal could result in a number of benefits, which will make this source an economically and environmentally attractive option especially for China, the U.S., Russia, India, and other countries that will remain major coal users for the foreseeable future.