Patent ID: 8124036

Claim:
A method, comprising: (a) combusting a coal feed comprising mercury and iron to form a flue gas comprising elemental mercury derived from the mercury in the coal feed and fly ash, wherein the iron content of the coal feed is less than about 10 wt. % (dry basis of the ash); (b) contacting an additive with (i) the coal feed, prior to step (a), and/or (ii) the flue gas resulting from step (a), the additive comprising a transition metal and at least one of bromine and iodine, wherein the additive comprises no more than about 5 wt. % (dry basis) carbon, wherein an atomic ratio of chlorine to bromine in the coal feed ranges from about 1:1 to about 250:1, and wherein, in either option (i) or (ii), the additive promotes post-combustion oxidation of the elemental mercury; and (c) collecting the oxidized mercury and fly ash to provide a treated flue gas.