Mineral Processing: In-depth look at the Processing of Coal.

Summary

This course is one in the series of courses designed to address mineral processing of a specific substance. This course is intended to explore in depth processing of coal. It provides solid background in terms of coal properties in relation to its utilization and physical cleaning. More specifically; mineral processing unit operations such as crushing, screening, classification, gravity separation, flotation and handleability of final product will be addressed.

COURSE OUTLINE

Coal processing will be discussed in view of coal physical and chemical characteristics. The emphasis will be on addressing common problems in processing of typical British Columbia coals. Unit operations of cleaning coals by physical processes, coal analysis, characterization of coal, coal preparation flowsheets and handleability of final product will be discussed in a great detail.

Participants will benefit from a basic knowledge of the unit operations used in coal processing and understanding the effect of coal characteristics on physical cleaning of coal.

Course Organization:

For convenience, this course has been subdivided into nine different sections. The sessions will include verbal presentations and visual illustrations.

Course Topics:
A Introduction

1. What is Coal Preparation
2. Coal Preparation Economics
3. Coal Preparation Challenges

B Coal Properties and Classification

1. Origin of Coal
2. Coal Analysis- organic, inorganic, sulfur, proximate analysis
3. Coal Petrology
4. Coal Classification Systems

C Coal Utilization/Markets

1. Coal Reserves
2. Coal Markets
3. Thermal coals
4. Metallurgical coals
5. Special coals

D. Objectives of Coal Preparation

1. Metallurgical Coals
2. Thermal Coals

E. Coal Preparation Theory

1. Basic Concepts and Terminology
2. Washability Curves (Theoretical)
• Float and Sink Analysis
• Graphical Representation
• Liberation
3. Partition (Separation) Curves

F. Coal Cleaning Unit Operations and Equipment

1. Screening and sizing
2. Crushing
3. Washability Curves (Theoretical)
• heavy liquids/suspensions, rheology
• dense media baths and hydrocyclones
• water-only hydrocyclones
• jigs, tables, spirals
4. Froth flotation
• coal surface properties, oxidation
• dense media baths and hydrocyclones
• reagents in coal flotation
• desulfurization of coal by flotation
• flotation machines, flotation circuit
5. Advanced Cleaning
• oil agglomeration, bacterial desulphurization, fine coal cleaning

G. Coal Dewatering, Clarification and Thermal Drying (Solid-Liquid Separation)

1. Basic Coal Dewatering Concepts
2. Mechanical Dewatering
3. screens, sieve bends, centrifuges, filtration
4. Clarification
• thickening, flocculation
5. Thermal Drying

H. Handleability of Coal

1. Factors affecting handleability of fine coal
2. Methods to test Handleability of Coal
3. Pelletization of fines to improve Handleability of Coal

I. Typical Coal Processing Flowsheets