skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Effects of minerals on coal-benefication processes. Quarterly report No. 9, October 1-December 31, 1979. [Fate of minerals; different coals]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6559294· OSTI ID:6559294

Unit operation pilot scale tests have been completed for froth flotation, tabling and jigging cleaning operations. An assessment and chemical/mineralogical data for these tests are reported herein. Tests for the heavy media cyclone and WEMCO HMS unit are on-going and will be reported in the next quarter. Also completed during the report period was an in-depth petrographic analysis of the Pocahontas No. 3 coal. Coal macerals by size and gravity were determined as volume percent of the whole coal and are contained in this report. This leaves only the Illinois No. 6 samples for detailed maceral analysis vs. screen/gravity fractions. Accumulation of XRPD data for coal minerals with Pocahontas No. 3 was continued based on the methodology presented in Quarterly Report No. 8. Standardization equations were developed for the Pocahontas No. 3 and Illinois No. 6 samples and mineralogical trends for these coals and the Pittsburgh seam samples were determined. Some generalizations are possible which should aid in interpreting the preparation plant and pilot plant cleaning of these coals. Illite and quartz constitute the majority of all LTA's whether of cleaned coals or refuse. Some minerals display the proprty of being highly separated into either the cleaned coal or the refuse, especially when fine coal sizes are cleaned. Calcite and kaolinite are prime examples in that kaolinite is greatest in the LTA's of the cleaned coal, and calcite is greatest in the LTA's of the refuse. Minerals such as apatite and siderite are most effectively separated into the cleaned coal and refuse only when large coal sizes are cleaned.

Research Organization:
West Virginia Univ., Morgantown (USA). Coal Research Bureau
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-77ET10559
OSTI ID:
6559294
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/10559-T3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English