FLOATABILITY CHARACTERISTICS: A CASE STUDY WITH THREE TYPICAL INDIAN PRIME COKING COALS

Abstract

Three types of prime coking coals (coals A, B, and C) from Jharia coalfield, India, were investigated for the variations in their floatability characteristics. Among the three coals studied, coal A showed the least floatability. However, its floatability improved to some extent at higher dosages of collector and frother. Other two types of coal, i.e., coals B and C, showed almost similar flotation performance, which was much better as compared to coal A. The studies revealed that coal showed the least floatability characteristics, primarily due to the least concentration of vitrinite and liptinite content and a high percentage of inertinite and mineral matters in the coal. Also, the lower type of vitrinite (V7–V9) was present in the coal in greater proportion as compared to the other two coals and the proportion of ultra fines (− 0.053 mm) in coal A was higher as compared to the other two coals.

Keywords:

• coal flotation
• collector
• desliming
• floatability
• frother
• petrographic analysis
• recovery

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