Coal Preparation
Maintenance, improved recovery and plant capacity are our key coal preparation strategies. Work is focused on maximising yield, reducing production costs, minimising emissions, reducing water consumption and the use of lower quality water without adversely impacting on process efficiency.
General (53 Reports)
| Get Report |
C26007 | 28/09/2018 |
Author: Dusan Ilic, Ken Williams | The University of Newcastle |
In 2015 project C23054 investigated and reviewed the Australian Standard for dust extinction moisture (DEM) of coal AS4156.6 and re‐enforced the validity and applicability of the test method described. However, the project outcomes also highlighted a number of possible areas where the .... read more |
| Get Report |
C24052 | 01/08/2015 |
Author: Mike O'Brien | CSIRO |
In 2006 ACARP funded "The Intelligent Plant" project (C11069) to the value of $0.5M over three years for the CSIRO team at QCAT to define the requirements in terms of instrumentation, monitoring, control and overall management of the next generation dense medium cyclone plant). This .... read more |
| Get Report |
C13055 | 01/06/2004 |
Author: Kevin Galvin | University of Newcastle |
It is now more likely than ever that the Australian Coal industry will need to find an alternative to the heavy liquids used to produce a sink-float analysis of coal. Indeed, the Australian Standard on sink-float analysis is likely to be phased out over the next five years. Thus there is a .... read more |
| Get Report |
C20044 | 01/11/2013 |
Author: Gary Cavanough | University of Queensland |
The elimination of organic chemicals, used in float/sink testing from laboratories is a priority for the coal industry. A variety of replacements are under investigation including ferro-fluids, zirconium dioxide and caesium formate. This project initially investigated the .... read more |
| Get Report |
C13054 | 01/07/2006 |
Author: Michael O'Brien, Ian Hutchinson, Mark Kockanek | CSIRO Energy Technology |
Banana screens have been shown in a previous ACARP project to have a stroke, as measured with a portable screen motion analyser , which is proportional to the mass feed rate to the screen. This report presents the results of pilot plant and coal preparation plant experiments using the .... read more |
| Get Report |
C21050 | 01/10/2013 |
Author: Tuan D Nguyen, Anh V Nguyen, Chen-Luh Lin and Jan D Miller | The University of Queensland, University of Utah |
Coal washability is currently obtained by float-sink analysis. The safety and technical concerns associated with the float-sink analysis due to the use of toxic, environmentally hazardous liquids have been recognized by the industry for many years. Moreover, this slow, time-consuming analysis .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26038 | 01/09/2017 |
Author: Bruce Atkinson & Graham O’Brien | Basacon Services & CSIRO |
Over the past ten years, ACARP has funded a number of projects which have been used CGA techniques and associated image processing software to undertake a wide range of projects to address specific industry needs at all stages in the coal chain from green field exploration, optimised coal .... read more |
| Get Report |
C27032 | 27/06/2020 |
Author: Bruce Atkinson, Priyanthi Hapugoda, Silvie Koval, Graham O’Brien, Karryn Warren, Sandra Atkinson | Basacon Services |
This Handbook sets out recommended practices for using coal grain analysis (CGA) data to interpret coal quality for a variety of applications, and to understand the use of CGA for quantitative assessment of dust samples. It encompasses typical quantitative and qualitative information in the .... read more |
| Get Report |
C15060 | 23/03/2016 |
Author: Bruce Atkinson & Andrew Swanson | QCC Resources |
The database is designed to hold raw sizing and float-sink data for coal preparation process equipment. In order to maximise the value of the data, associated information is also stored that includes all available information about the nature of the installation and .... read more |
| Get Report |
C19048 | 01/09/2010 |
Author: Peter Newling | ACARP |
As the sole purpose of this project was to raise awareness of ACARP coal preparation research by plant visits there is no report. An A4 size pdf of the poster used during the 2010 visit can be downloaded .... read more |
| Get Report |
C22001 | 20/12/2012 |
Author: Peter Newling | Petan Enterprises |
As the sole purpose of this project was to raise awareness of ACARP coal preparation research by plant visits there is no report. An A4 size pdf of the poster used during the 2012 visit can be downloaded here. In 2003 .... read more |
| Get Report |
C24004 | 28/11/2014 |
Author: Peter Newling | Petan Enterprises |
As the sole purpose of this project was to raise awareness of ACARP coal preparation research by plant visits there is no report. An A4 size pdf of the poster used during the 2014 visit can be downloaded here. .... read more |
| Get Report |
C33042 | 02/08/2024 |
Author: Chris McMahon | McMahon Coal Quality Resources |
Sampling and testing of borecores for coal quality outcomes has a long and complex history of reference documents for users to utilise. These reference documents generally come in the form of Standards (Australian and International), research papers and conference proceedings. Many references .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26011 | 01/09/2023 |
Author: Michael O’Brien, Clint McNally, Ian Hutchinson, Andrew Taylor and Shane Reinhard | CSIRO |
Using the electrical impedance spectrometer (EIS) and sensors to measure the density of the mediums associated with the operation of the Dense Medium Cyclone (DMC) in real time gives the operators a measure of performance stability. As an example, the differential can be measured or the .... read more |
| Get Report |
C25007 | 01/02/2018 |
Author: Darren Mathewson | Quality Process Solutions |
Across the industry, millions of tonnes of saleable quality ultrafine coal are ultimately discarded into tailings dams along with the high ash slimes material. While a classifying cyclone is widely considered to be a size separating unit there is also a substantial density separation occurring .... read more |
| Get Report |
C8046 | 31/07/2001 |
Author: Chris Clarkson, Cameron Dorr, Darren Edward | C Clarkson & Associates, Sedgman |
Researchers have developed a specification to enable Australian coal operators to design reliable and accurate sampling systems suited to their individual needs. Many sampling systems installed in Australian coal mines are unreliable, inaccurate and require a high degree of operator .... read more |
| Get Report |
C27050 | 01/05/2021 |
Author: Michael O'Brien, Clint McNally and Andrew Taylor | CSIRO |
Tramp metal, in particular tungsten carbide pick tips, can cause severe damage to the linings of Dense Medium Cyclones (DMCs). In addition, clay balls recirculating in the cyclones decrease the efficiency of cyclone operation, reducing yields and product quality. This project's aim was to .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26016 | 01/05/2024 |
Author: Noel Lambert | Clean Process Technologies |
The aim of this project is to determine how useful the rheology measurements generated by the Thickener Underflow Monitor (TUM) are to CHPP operations. The TUM is currently able to generate information regarding the rheology of coal thickener underflow but the usefulness of this information is .... read more |
| Get Report |
C29054 | 01/04/2022 |
Author: Xumeng Chen and Yongjun Peng | The University of Queensland |
Flotation of oxidized coals is a challenge confronting many Australian coal preparation plants. Previous projects have demonstrated that polar collectors can be added together with diesel to improve the flotation of oxidized coals, however, the ratio between polar collector and diesel needs to .... read more |
| Get Report |
C6050 | 01/09/1997 |
Author: Ted Lewis | Callide Coalfields |
The project was designed to demonstrate on a pilot scale, the technical viability of the laser based sorting process to coal cleaning. The project was managed by Callide coalfields with Barco Machine Vision Systems (Elbicon Pacific Pty Ltd), supplying and operating the processing unit. .... read more |
| Get Report |
C6057 | 01/07/2001 |
Author: John Chambers, Yan Liu, Alan Roberts | University of Newcastle |
The effect of various constituents of coal on the handleability of both raw and clean coal is generally unknown. There is some information on the influence of moisture content, size distribution and clay content on coal handleability. However the overall influence on handleability of the .... read more |
| Get Report |
C15056 | 01/10/2007 |
Author: Shenggen Hu, Mike O'Brien | CSIRO Energy Technology |
Maintenance accounts for 41% of the washing costs in coal preparation. Sieve bends and centrifuge baskets are among the most costly items in the maintenance area (ACARP project C8063), and these costs are associated with their relatively short life due to abrasive wear. In most situations, .... read more |
| Get Report |
C11006 | 01/11/2003 |
Author: Michael O'Brien, Douglas Nemeth, Terry Wex, Stephen Sullivan | CSIRO Energy Technology, A&B Mylec |
The project's objective is to develop a portable prototype measurement system using a digital camera and a laptop computer to measure screen aperture and open area. The measurement of the screen aperture will include the number of aperture measurements made, the mean, histogram and the standard .... read more |
| Get Report |
C7049 | 01/01/2000 |
Author: Clement Chao, L Mason, Bruce Firth, Stuart Nicol | CSIRO Energy Techology, Novatech Consulting |
In the primary breakage of a run of mine (ROM) coal to its preparation plant top size, there are three aspects of principle interest to the coal producer: - Adequate liberation of clean coal from mineral matter to maximise the yield of coal meeting product specifications.
.... read more |
| Get Report |
C23042 | 17/06/2015 |
Author: Bruce Atkinson | QCC Resources |
A number of ACARP research projects are demonstrating useful outcomes from coal grain analysis (CGA), for example Project C18041. Samples for CGA are prepared by the same method as for conventional petrographic analyses, namely by grinding to minus 1 mm topsize whilst aiming to keep .... read more |
| Get Report |
C34042 | 09/09/2023 |
Author: Bruce Atkinson | Basacon Services |
This project evaluated water chemistry impacts on the corrosion rates of other common construction and fabrication materials. Different construction and fabrication materials are each affected differently by different aspects of water chemistry. For example, it is known qualitatively that .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26008 | 01/12/2018 |
Author: Xumeng Chen, Yangyang Huai and Yongjun Peng | The University of Queensland |
Flotation of oxidized coals is a challenge confronting the Australian coal industry. The conventional flotation collector, diesel, used for floating non-oxidized coals is not suitable for floating oxidized coals, leading to a significant loss of valuable coals to the tailings. In the previous .... read more |
| Get Report |
C19044 | 29/10/2012 |
Author: Russ Morrison, Stuart McCarthy | BMT WBM |
This investigation has involved the development and testing of an improved control technique for automatically controlled slewing bucketwheel reclaimers. The technique uses laser scanning immediately ahead of the bucketwheel's trajectory, permitting pre-emptive control of slew speed and .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26012 | 27/06/2020 |
Author: Hangil Park, Liguang Wang | University of Queensland |
There is no real-time measurement for coal flotation performance, making it difficult to control the flotation process. Previous laboratory test work in project C23035 has developed a froth diagnostic tool and a frother concentration measuring tool. This project further developed and assessed .... read more |
| Get Report |
C8042 | 01/07/2002 |
Author: Michael O'Brien, Bruce Firth, Andrew Meyers, Douglas Nemeth, Adrian Burger | CSIRO Energy Technology |
The objective of this project is the identification of the factors controlling the efficiency of the high capacity Banana screens when they are used to recover media via drain and rinse. This includes potential approaches to improve efficiency with respect to fluid recovery, partition curves .... read more |
| Get Report |
C3004 | 30/11/1993 |
Author: Andrew Swanson, IS Fletcher | Quality Coal Consulting |
.... read more |
| Get Report |
C5053 | 30/06/1998 |
Author: Andrew Swanson, I Fletcher, W Membrey, R Davis | Quality Coal Consulting, ACIRL, Mining and Exploration Geology Services |
The prediction of coal size distributions during the process of mining, handling and preparation are of great importance in preparation plant design because of the need to adequately cater for appropriate amounts of fine coal, and to be able to provide realistic samples for washability .... read more |
| Get Report |
C34049 | 01/02/2023 |
Author: Rohan Stanger, Quang Anh Tran, Andrew Stanger, Liza Elliott, Wei Xie, Terry Wall | University of Newcastle |
Micro-CT (Computed Tomography) technology provides fast 3 dimensional analysis of solid samples and this technique has been used to assess the particle characteristics of coal samples from the fine circuit of a coal preparation plant, coal maceral concentrates and float/sink samples. .... read more |
| Get Report |
C27004 | 02/09/2020 |
Author: Hangil Park and Liguang Wang | University of Queensland |
This report provides detailed information on coal flotation with oscillatory air supply at pilot scale. At the start of the project, the effectiveness of three different devices (named A, B and C) for converting steady airflow to oscillatory airflow was evaluated. It was found that .... read more |
| Get Report |
C27028 | 07/08/2020 |
Author: Chris McMahon | McMahon Coal Quality Resources |
Correct outcomes from laboratory froth flotation testing in coal borecore exploration are critical to resource predictive potential, market evaluation and economic mining outcomes. McMahon Coal Quality Resources (MCQR) has observed over many projects that froth flotation outcomes .... read more |
| Get Report |
C14062 | 01/12/2007 |
Author: Michael O'Brien, Bruce Firth | CSIRO Energy Technology |
The current high demand for coal for the export market has raised the issue of the limitations to plant performance and production as the amount of run of mine coal feed to the plant is increased. While there are some obvious limitations such as the amount which the feed conveyor to the plant .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26014 | 11/02/2019 |
Author: Rohan Stanger, Quang Anh Tran, Peter Stepien, Clint Bruin, Terry Wall | The University of Newcastle and ResTech |
This project has developed a novel prototype optical system for profiling fine coal streams in a coal preparation plant. The system determines individual coal particle size, settling velocity and density targeting the size range (100µm - 2.0mm). This information is combined to form .... read more |
| Get Report |
C8063 | 01/03/1999 |
Author: Joe Sanders | Coalproc |
ACARP commissioned this study into maintenance issues of coal preparation plants, with the aim to identify areas where research may result in potentially substantial improvements. The scope of the study included: - Review current maintenance practice
.... read more |
| Get Report |
C4057 | 22/01/1999 |
Author: John Eckersley | James Cook University of North Queensland |
This report summarises works conducted at James Cook University on moisture movements and stockpile stability, including the current understanding of factors leading to moisture movement, erosion, shallow surface slipping .... read more |
| Get Report |
C26010 | 01/10/2021 |
Author: Michael O’Brien, Shane Reinhard and Andrew Taylor | CSIRO |
Optimising multi-sloped screens is often described as an art and there is very little data in the open literature describing the role of the control variables. Several variables affect the screening process and these include the screen machine variables such as stroke and frequency of .... read more |
| Get Report |
C6046 | 13/01/2020 |
Author: Joan Esterle, Darren Thornton, Graham O'Brien, Alan Cocker | CSIRO Exploration & Mining, JKMRC, C Clarkson & Associates, Quality Coal Consulting |
Uncontrolled fragmentation, in particular that resulting in the generation of coal fines ( This is the final report for ACARP Project C6046 conducted through the Centre for Mining Technology and Equipment (CMTE) by members of the CSIRO division of Exploration and Mining and University .... read more |
| Get Report |
C14069 | 01/10/2007 |
Author: Henry Bartosiewicz, Paul Curcio | MTI, Monash University |
The main objective of this study was to develop a cost effective methodology to ensure that only high quality coating systems are approved for use at the Coal Handling and Preparation Plants (CHPPs) structural components. This goal is to be achieved through development of methods that .... read more |
| Get Report |
C7048 | 22/11/2000 |
Author: Andrew Meyers | A&B Mylec |
This project was primarily concerned with the delineation of issues related to the drain rate of medium through banana screens as the screen deck aperture varied, in particular below 1.0mm. Comparisons with existing sieve bend / low head combination technology were also required to enable .... read more |
| Get Report |
C11005 | 01/10/2003 |
Author: Michael O'Brien, Ian Hutchinson, Chris Wesner | CSIRO Energy Technology, CSIRO Exploration & Mining |
A previous project developed a method using a portable PC, a triaxial accelerometer and suitable software to determine the stroke and frequency of a vibrating screen and to display the three dimensional motion of the screen on a rotatable and resizable XYZ graph. Screen and panel .... read more |
| Get Report |
C5054 | 01/09/1999 |
Author: Tony Kojovic, Graeme O'Brien, F Shi, Joan Esterle | CMTE |
The washability and recovery of coal is governed by two processes: breakage and liberation of stone from coal. The efficiency of liberation is coal type and particle size dependent. Particle size distribution is a function of the material properties of the coal and the breakage energy imparted .... read more |
| Get Report |
C23043 | 21/05/2015 |
Author: Bruce Atkinson | QCC Resources |
The Coal Preparation fraternity is used to focussing on Ep(75/25) values when people consider separation equipment performance. However, Ep only describes a small aspect of performance, and in many cases the Ep value is completely irrelevant or even misleading. For example, when considering .... read more |
| Get Report |
C29056 | 15/02/2022 |
Author: Fidel Gonzalez | Mincka Engineering |
This report presents the progress and findings of a project which focused on addressing the challenges in inspecting and assessing the condition of corrosion protection coatings in coal mining infrastructure, particularly coal handling and preparation plants. Traditional inspection methods, .... read more |
| Get Report |
C13053 | 31/10/2006 |
Author: Anita Hill, James Mardel, T Markley, T Bastow, R Hannink | CSIRO Manufacturing and Materials Technology |
This project gives details of a study of the wear and performance of DMCs from the Hunter Valley and the Bowen Basin. The project consisted of information gathering, in-situ monitoring of DMCs, and ex-situ failure analysis of DMCs. Due to cost factors there is .... read more |
| Get Report |
C13057 | 08/05/2007 |
Author: Anita Hill, Michael O'Brien, A Taylor, Bruce Firth, JI Mardel, MR Hill, TJ Bastow, RHJ Hannink, L Graham, J Wu, A Bui | CSIRO Energy Technology |
In ACARP C11006 (O’Brien et al. 2003), screen aperture dimensions and open area inclusive of pegging were measured using a new image analysis system. In ACARP C11012 (Hill et al. 2004), the material performance and the critical failure mechanisms of screen panels .... read more |
| Get Report |
C21047 | 22/09/2017 |
Author: Dr Götz Bickert | GBL Process |
The objective of the study was to undertake a review of seal, spray and wash water filtration technologies currently used in Australia and overseas and technologies with the potential to improve process water quality from a solids content perspective. This is relevant for water used for filter .... read more |
| Get Report |
C9050 | 01/09/2002 |
Author: John Doyle | Geosensing Solutions |
Key results: - This research has demonstrated that gravity surveying methods can achieve the resolution necessary to determine the tonnage of coal in a stockpile.
- Tonnages can be determined without using on pile measurements if microgravity techniques are employed.
- Low
.... read more |
| Get Report |
C29057 | 01/06/2022 |
Author: Utsab Katwal, Atousa Khazaie, Mingtiem Yong, Soheil Jahandari, Mohammad Babla, David Osborne, Maroun Rahme, Alistair Harriman, Zhonghua Chen, Zhong Tao | Western Sydney University |
The quantity of coal tailings (CT) currently discharged annually in Qld and NSW is estimated to be between 14 and 16 million dry tonnes with the majority going into tailings storage facilities (TSF). Due to the continuous mining activities over the last 50 years, the existing tailings storage .... read more |
| Get Report |
C21046 | 25/06/2014 |
Author: Kevin Galvin, Simon Iveson & David Hunter | University of Newcastle |
The aim of this project was to develop a water-based method for generating washability data and analysing the partition performance of separation operations. Fractionation experiments were performed in a laboratory Reflux Classifier on coal samples in the -0.250 +0.038 mm, - 2.0 +0.25mm and -16 .... read more |