Air pollution in the developed regions of eastern China has been intensively investigated in the past decade. However, there is a relative dearth of air pollution studies on the northwest of inland China (e.g., Xinjiang). In this work, hourly measurement data of six criteria air pollutants (PM_2.5, PM₁₀, CO, NO₂, O₃, and SO₂) for the past five years (2018–2022) from Hami and Turpan cities of eastern Xinjiang were analyzed to reveal air pollution characteristics and the distribution of potential sources. Hami and Turpan had the highest AQI values in winter due to increased coal combustion for domestic heating and unfavorable meteorological conditions. The slight elevations of AQI values in spring were caused by frequent dust storms. PM₁₀ was the most frequent main pollutant in both Hami (63.1%) and Turpan (74.1%), followed by PM_2.5 and O₃. Except for O₃, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, and CO exhibited a generally decreasing pattern in annual average values. But the annual average concentrations of PM₁₀ in Hami (83.5 μg·m⁻³) and Turpan (139 μg·m⁻³) in 2022 were still higher than those in eastern China. Diurnal and monthly variations of the six criteria pollutants were influenced by a combination of emission sources and meteorological conditions. The air masses in eastern Xinjiang mainly originated from the west and north and were affected by both inter-regional and intra-regional transport. Analysis of the distribution of potential sources showed that local emissions strongly impacted particulate matter pollution in winter, while regional transport played a dominant role in other seasons. O₃ showed a broad distribution of potential sources across all four seasons. Considering that the trend that O₃ pollution increased year by year, eastern Xinjiang might face a similar pollution situation as eastern China, i.e., the combined pollution of particulate matter and O₃.

The salt layer, characterized by its low permeability and excellent damage self-healing properties, is an ideal geological body for CO₂ geological storage. However, the relatively high permeability of mudstone interlayers may reduce the safety of CO₂ long-term storage in bedded salt caverns. This study establishes a thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (THM) coupled physical and mathematical model for CO₂ geological storage in the Huaian salt cavern, analyzes the factors affecting CO₂ flow behavior, and proposes measures to enhance the safety of CO₂ storage in salt caverns. The results indicate that the permeability of both salt layers and mudstone interlayers is influenced by stress-induced deformation within the salt cavern. From the salt cavern edge to the simulation boundary, the permeability and volume strain exhibit a trend of rapid decline, followed by a gradual increase, and an eventual stabilization or slight reduction. The seepage velocity, pore pressure, and flow distance of CO₂ in the mudstone interlayer are significantly higher than those in the salt layer, leading to CO₂ migration along the interfaces between the mudstone and salt layer. With the increase in storage time, the permeability of the mudstone interlayer gradually decreases, while the permeability of the salt layer shows a general tendency to increase. The elevated storage pressure reduces the permeability of the mudstone interlayer, while increasing the permeability of the salt layer, and enhances the seepage velocity in both the mudstone and salt layers. To enhance the safety of CO₂ long-term storage in bedded salt caverns, it is recommended to minimize the presence of mudstone interlayers during site selection and cavern construction, optimize the storage pressure, and strengthen monitoring systems for potential CO₂ leakage.

The Late Permian coal measures in eastern Yunnan, western Guizhou, and central Guangxi are significantly enriched in critical metals that could serve as important supplements to conventional critical metal deposits in China. This study collected previous geochronological and geochemical data from the Late Permian coal measures to evaluate the distribution characteristics and enrichment factors of critical metals. Moreover, metallogenic models for critical metals were also developed. The results showed that Late Permian coal measures in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi provinces exhibited abnormal enrichment in Nb, Zr, and rare earth elements (REY, or REE if Y is excluded). The Emeishan mafic rocks and intermediate-felsic volcanic ash from the Truong Son orogenic belt underwent chemical weathering, with Nb and Zr selectively preserved in situ in the form of heavy minerals (e.g., rutile, zircon, and anatase), which subsequently led to the enrichment of Nb and Zr in bauxite and Al-claystone at the bottom of the Late Permian coal measures. Intermediate-felsic volcanic ash from the Emeishan large igneous province (ELIP) and the Truong Son orogenic belt supplied Nb, Zr, and REY for the middle and upper parts of the Late Permian coal measures. The intermediate-felsic mineral material of the coal measures in the intermediate zone, outer zone, and outside zone of ELIP are derived mainly from the ELIP, the mixture from ELIP and the Truong Son orogenic belt, and the Truong Son orogenic belts, respectively. Nb, Zr, and REY were leached by acidic aqueous solutions and from the parting and roof into underlying coal seams, where they deposited as authigenic minerals or adsorbed ions on organic matter during early coalification.