A Novel Approach for Beneficiation and Dewatering of Coal Fines for Indian Coal Preparation Plant

An attempt has been made to beneficiate the Indian coking coal fines by a combination of Spiral, flotation and Oleo Flotation processes. Beneficiation studies were also carried out on - 0.5mm coal fines using flotation and oleo flotation by splitting at size 0.063mm.Size fraction of 0.5mm-0.063mm and -0.063mm size were treated in flotation and Oleo flotation respectively. The washability studies on the fraction 3-0.5 mm indicated that good separation may be achieved when it is fed in a spiral. Combined product of Spiral, Flotation and Oleo Flotation has given a significant yield at acceptable ash%. Studies were also conducted to see the dewatering of combined product by batch type centrifuge. It may further be suggested that combination of different processes may be used to treat the -3 mm fraction in an integrated manner to achieve the yield at the desired ash level. The treatment of the 3/1 mm -0.5 mm size fraction by spiral,-0.5-0.63 mm by conventional froth flotation and - 0.063 fractions by oleo flotation may provide a complete solution of beneficiation and dewatering of coal fines, and can effectively address the environmental problems caused by coal fines.

Authors:

• K.K. Sharma
• K.M.K. Sinha
• T.G. Charan
• D.D. Haldar

Keywords:

• coal fines
• dewatering
• environment
• flotation
• oleoflotation
• spiral

References:

[1] G. O. Provisional coal statistic 2009-2010, Ministry of coal, Coal
controller Organisation, Kolkata, April-2010
[2] World Coal Institute, Coal Facts, 2009 Edition.
[3] Report Geological Survey of India, 1.04.2010.
[4] K.M.K. Sinha,U.S. Chattopadhyay, K. Sen, "Recycling and treatment of
settling pond fines-A challenge to industry and environment,
International Symposium," Proc. of fines (2).Nov.2000.National
Metallurgical Institute, Jamshedpur, India; 831007, pp 416-422.
[5] K. Sen, B.K. Dutta, U.S. Chattopadhyay, A. Sarkar, A. Kumar, D.K.
Chakarborty, K.M.K. Sinha, S.K. Kabiraj, "Some Design aspects on the
Mini Coal Slurry Flotation Plants," XIV International Coal Preparation
Congress and exhibition, South African Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, 2000, pp433-440.
[6] F.F. Aplan, D.W. Fuerstanau, "50th Anniversary Volume in Froth
Flotation, D.W.Fuerstanau,ed.AIME," New York,1962.
[7] A.M. Gaudin. ,"Flotation", NewYork, Mc Grow Hill Book Companr,
1932.
[8] B.A. Frith, A.R. Swanson, S.K. Nicol, "Flotation Circuites for poorly
floating coals".Int.J.Miner.Process, vol.11, pp. 321-334, 1979.
[9] [J. S. Hubbard, E.W. Brown, M. Welker, "The Humphay-s Spiral
Concentrator for Cleaning minus M4 such Coal". Int. Conf. on Coal
Preparation, Paris, pp 62, 1950.
[10] M. K. Mikhail, O.E. Humemink, I.S. Parsons, "Recovery Coal from
BIKVIEW Plant Refuse by Using Spiral" Division Report ERPICRL 87-
137 (CF), CANMET, EMR, 1987.
[11] Report on Quality Enhancement of Coal, 2007.
[12] N. Ahmed, G.J. Jawson, "Flotation Kinetics" Mineral Processing and
Extractive Metallurgy Review, vol. 5, pp 77-99, 1989.
[13] Technical report "Report of Investigation on Demonstration Oleoflotation
Plant Tests at Sudamdih Coal Washery BCCL," June,
1990.ography.