Development of a methodology for sampling fine coal-waste impoundments: a study of Alabama impoundments. Final report

Technical Report · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6205506

Browning, J S; Hilleke, F

The Mineral Resources Institute and State Mine Experiment Station of the University of Alabama drilled and sampled 20 waste-fine coal-impoundment areas, that ranged from 2 to 40 acres in surface area, to determine the quantity of waste and the amount of recoverable coal based on washability tests of the representative samples. The data indicate that the tonnage of raw coal ranged from 55,779 to 2,140,000 in the 20 impoundment. The total proven tonnage was 13,933,459 tons of raw coal, with 5,909,855 tons of recoverable coal. The recoverable coal represented a weight recovery of 42.4%, and had an average analysis of 8.2% ash, 13,550 Btu/lb, and 0.83 total sulfur. Proximate, ultimate analyses, calorific values, ash softening temperature and mineral and trace element analyses of ash were determined and are presented for the float-sink specific gravity fractions of various coal seams of the waste impoundments. Current washery waste from twenty-three Alabama coal preparation plants was sampled to determine the approximate quantity of waste and the amount of recoverable coal based on washability tests of representative samples. The data indicate that 1,714,000 tons of fine-size waste are being discarded each year, of which 568,180 tons are recoverable coal of high quality. The recoverable coal represented a weight recovery of 33.1%, and had an average analysis of 6.4% ash, 13,850 Btu/lb, and 0.79% total sulfur. Capital and operating costs for a coal preparation plant having an hourly capacity of 100 tons to recover coal from the waste impoundments were developed. Construction cost of the plant was estimated at about 1.1 million dollars. A statistically sampling technique was developed.

• Research Organization: Alabama Univ., University (USA). Mineral Resources Inst.
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-80PC30278
• OSTI ID: 6205506
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/30278-1; ON: DE83009344
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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