Projecting Data From Samples

INTRODUCTION * The United States is fortunate in having enormous reserves of metallurgical-grade coals. Although these coals are better in quality and more accessible than most coals found throughout the rest of the world, the best grades of these coals are being depleted. Consequently, more efficient exploration tools and techniques, such as advanced methods of core drilling and logging, correlation by palynology,** stratigraphy, paleontology and petrography are being used to help assess the extent and quality of the remaining coal reserves. Exploration and assessment of new and existing coal properties become of utmost importance in determining (1) the economic justification for mining the coal, (2) the optimum design of the preparation plant and (3) the most effective use of the coal. Fortunately, the cost of mining coal has remained stable because of better mine planning, more efficient operations and increased mechanization of mining operations. However, increased mechanization raises the amount of impurities in the coal mined, and this requires more and better coal beneficiation to meet the more stringent quality requirements set by the market. Besides, mechanical miners also produce relatively fine coal and, to ensure maximum liberation of impurities, much of the coal presently being used must be crushed to a finer size prior to preparation. The bulk of all coals presently used in this country is mechanically cleaned, much of it at a lower specific gravity than in the past. This necessitates the use of new and improved processes and equipment for coal washing and recovery, such as heavy-medium cyclones and vessels, and froth flotation cells. However, because wet-cleaning processes are pre- dominant in the United States and fine coal retains large amounts of moisture, the increased production of cleaned fine coal accentuates the need for new or improved methods and equipment for dewatering and drying this coal. The larger amounts of coal being beneficiated and the use of new and improved beneficiation processes will aid in controlling and ultimately eliminating sources of pollution. Modem coal markets demand coals that meet rigid specifications. Most coals are purchased under contracts that specify moisture, ash, and sulfur contents, or heating value, depending upon the end use. There has also been a growing trend toward specifying other properties, including particle size and coking capability. These specifications may include not only the * Editor's note: Because of the numerous and varied contributions of the associate authors of this chapter, the text does not differentiate between sections prepared by each individual as has been done in other chapters. ** Palynology is the study of plant microfossils, especially spores, pollen, and other types of fossils not usually studied by paleontologists.