Rare earth elements are characterized by the high risk of their shortage resulting from limited resources. From this reason REE constitute a group of elements of special importance for the European Union. The aim of this study was to evaluate ashes from the burning of coal in fluidized bed boilers as an potential source of REY . Twelve samples of fly ash and bottom ash taken from power plants in Poland were analyzed. Tests have shown that despite some differences in chemical composition, the fly ash and bottom ash from fluidized beds could be classified as the calsialic, low acid type. It was found that fly ashes contained more REY than bottom ashes. Among REY , the light elements (LREY ) had the highest share in the total REY content in both fly ashes and bottom ashes. Heavy elements (HREY ) had the lowest content. The normalized curves plotted for fly ash samples within almost all of their entire range were positioned above the reference level and these curves were of the L-M or H-M type. The content of the individual REY in these samples was even twice as high as in UCC . The normalized curves plotted for bottom ash samples were classified as of L, L-M or H type. They were positioned on the reference level or above it. The content of the individual REY in these samples was the same or up to about 4 times lower than in UCC. It was found that the content of critical elements and of excessive elements in fly ash and bottom ash differs, which has an effect on the value of the outlook coefficient Coutl, and which is always higher in the case of fly ash than in the case of bottom ash. Nevertheless, the computed values of the outlook coefficient Coutl allow both fly ash and bottom ash from fluidized beds to be regarded as promising REY raw materials.

The subject matter of the article comprises cement-bentonite-water hardening slurries with an addition of fluidized-bed fly-ash resulting from the combustion of hard and brown coal. The main objective of the study was to determine the filtration resistance of hardening slurries in the context of long-term exposure to the filtration of an aggressive substance in relation to a cement binder. A nitric acid aqueous solution with a concentration of 0.5 M was used, which modelled acid aggressiveness. The authors studied the hydraulic conductivity of the slurries as a function of time (18 months) for the exposure to a 0.5 M solution of nitric acid. Changes in the phase composition and hardening slurry surface structures were analysed in terms of their filtration resistance to the action of acid aggressiveness. The comparative base were samples subjected to filtration in tap water (neutral environment). The article reviews a methodology for studying hydraulic conductivity (k10) of hardening slurries. It also presents a study involving the phase composition using the X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) method, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and showing an image of the hardening slurry surface structure. The findings of other researchers that the application of fluidized-bed fly-ash additives positively impacted improving the resistance of the cement matrix to acid aggressiveness were confirmed. The hydrated colloidal compounds, identified within the subsurface zone of the slurry, which has been in contact with an acidic environment, provide extra sealing of the material structure, thus significantly limiting the access of aggressive substance to the interior of the slurry.