International survey of coal preparation technology. [72 references]

A survey of the technology and coal preparation in foreign nations was conducted. The objectives were to determine the extent and practices of coal preparation, to identify new developments, and to identify problem areas that warrant additional research and development emphasis. The fraction of national hard coal production that is prepared ranges from less than 25% in China and India to more than 75% in Australia, Poland, and the United Kingdom. The same basic preparation processes and equipment are used worldwide, but there is a wide range in the complexity of preparation plants due to the differences in coal characteristics and market requirements. The most significant new development appears to be the introduction of modern control systems that utilize computers and on-line analytical instruments. The major problem facing the industry appears to be that of cleaning and dewatering fine coal.