THE ASSESSMENT OF USEFULNESS OF LIMESTONES FROM THE KLESZCZÓW GRABEN (BEŁCHATÓW LIGNITE DEPOSIT – SZCZERCÓW FIELD) AS POTENTIAL SO2 SORBENTS IN THE POWER INDUSTRY – PROBLEMS OF GEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTING

Abstract

Jurassic limestones of the Kleszczów Graben are among the most important accompanying raw materials in the Bełchatów lignite deposit. In recent years, there has been a need to recognize their suitability as SO2 sorbents for use in the energy industry. The limestones are characterized by high lithological variability. They show both high hardness and compactness, and are weakly concise or even silty. At the top parts, they are subjected to karst processes. The lower parts are affected by secondary mineralization processes, among which the silicification process is most advanced. The effects of other transformation processes, such as compaction, cementation, dissolution and recrystallization of calcite are also visible. These processes contributed to a significant diversification of the mineral and chemical composition of limestone, and differentiation of physico-chemical and physical-mechanical parameters responsible for assessing the suitability for their commercial use as a raw material for the production of SO2 sorbents. Other problems associated with documenting the limestones in the Bełchatów deposit are related to their lesser importance compared to the main mineral. Its degree of exploration is low, characterized by a lower density of exploratory boreholes and significantly longer average lengths of samples collected from drill cores. At the present stage of the accompanying mineral exploration, only a preliminary estimation of limestone resources as potential SO2 sorbents is possible. The precise estimation will be possible after constructing a 3D model of criterion parameters and developing an extraction scenario.