Coal Preparation from Geometallurgical Perspective

Geometallurgy as a link connecting geological features of deposit with metallurgical performance of a concentrator have found broad utilization in metals mining as well as for industrial minerals and black sands mining. However, coal industry yet stays uncovered by successful applications of geometallurgical approach due to certain specifics of a commodity. Production of coal preparation plant in terms of quality and quantity can be forecasted knowing behavior of coal bearing particles in process that is controlled by petrological and mineralogical properties. Application of process mineralogical tools together with comprehensive metallurgical testwork helps to acquire essential information for a simulation of coal preparation operations. Being combined with geological, geochemical and geotechnical data available for a deposit, outcome of process simulation will form holistic geometallurgical model. Once implemented, such models will become a powerful instrument for efficient utilization of resources and proper risk management, e.g. adaptation of the process to variations in run-of-mine coal quality, "what-if" analysis of alternative production strategies, forecasting of financial results, assessment of environmental impact.