The accumulation of large amounts of ash from fossil fuel combustion for electric power generation is becoming a major environmental concern in the United States. Fur thermore, stringent environmental requirements mandated by the Environmental Pro tection Agency including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as well as state and local environmental regulations may result in even more ash production with subsequent contact with the environment. The concentrations of trace elements in coal residues are extremely variable and depend on the composition of the...