Nanomineralogy in the real world: A perspective on nanoparticles in the environmental impacts of coal fire Janaína L. Sehn a , Felipe B. de Le ~ ao a ,K  atia da Boit a , Marcos L.S. Oliveira a , Gelsa E. Hidalgo a , Carlos H. Sampaio b , Luis F.O. Silva a, * a Laboratory of Environmental Researches and Nanotechnology Development, Centro Universit ario La Salle, Mestrado em Avaliaç~ ao de Impactos Ambientais em Mineraç~ ao, Victor Barreto, 2288, Centro 92010-000, Canoas, RS, Brazil b Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Engenharia, Departamentode Metalurgia, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil highlights  Evaluation of the environmental impact of abandoned Brazilian coal fires area was performed.  Grave effort should be made to set clear restrictions of gendered soil utilization in cement industry.  The multi-analytical methodology has been applied to investigate elements occurrence in ultra-fine and nano-particles. article info Article history: Received 15 November 2015 Received in revised form 15 December 2015 Accepted 17 December 2015 Available online 15 January 2016 Handling Editor: A. Gies Keywords: Coal fires Nano-minerals Human exposure Burning coal cleaning rejects (BCCR) abstract Detailed geochemistry similarities between the burning coal cleaning rejects (BCCRs) and non- anthropogenic geological environments are outlined here. While no visible flames were detected, this research revealed that auto-combustion existed in the studied area for many years. The occurrence of several amorphous phases, mullite, hematite and many other Al/Fe-minerals formed by high tempera- ture was found. Bad disposal of coal-dump wastes represents significant environmental concerns due to their potential influence on atmosphere, river sediments, soils and as well as on the surface and groundwater in the surroundings of these areas. The present work using multi-analytical techniques were performed to provide an improved understanding of the complex processes related with sulphide- rich coal waste oxidation, spontaneous combustion and newmineral creation. It recording huge numbers of rare minerals with alunite, montmorillonite, szmolnockite, halotrichite, coquimbite and copiapite at the BCCRs. The information presented the presence of abundant amorphous SieAleFeeTi as (oxy-)hy- droxides and Fe-hydro/oxides with goethite and hematite with various degrees of crystallinity, con- taining potential hazardous elements (PHEs), such as Cu, Cr, Hf, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Pb, Th, U, Zr, and others. Most of the nano-particles and ultra-fine particles found in the burned coal-dump wastes are the same as those commonly associated with coal cleaning rejects, in which oxidation of sulphides plays an impor- tant impact to environment and subsequently animal and human health. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Coal seam fires and burning coal cleaning rejects (BCCR) have been observed in several parts of the world for millions of years. (McIntosh et al., 1994; Carras et al., 2009; Engle et al., 2012; Finkelman, 2004a, 2004b; Hower et al., 2009, 2013; O'Keefe et al., 2010, 2011; Pone et al., 2007; Querol et al., 2008; Ribeiro et al., 2010). In summary, those fires are the result of heat accumulation in oxidation processes, set off when coal is exposed to atmospheric oxygen. While occurring all over the world, causing disasters on a large scale in mining areas of America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania have so far slipped public attention. This marvel in itself represents a hazardous economic setback, particularly when occurring in underground mine systems, because it also impairs worker safety and often caused mining costs spiralling (UNESCO, 2010). * Corresponding author. E-mail address: felipeqma@hotmail.com (L.F.O. Silva). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Chemosphere journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/chemosphere http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.065 0045-6535/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Chemosphere 147 (2016) 439e443