Canadian coal preparation plants

Abstract

All Canadian coal destined for export abroad or to distant domestic markets must be beneficiated to remove mineral matter and to produce a high-quality, uniform, saleable, thermal or coking coal product. The geological setting in which coal is mined in Canada varies in the extreme; from steep, thick, often contorted seams in the mountains of western Canada to more uniform seams in eastern Canada, comparable to those found in Europe, except that most eastern Canadian production comes from undersea mines. Coal preparation problems in Canada, which are likewise complex, centre on fine coal losses in western Canada and sulphur in eastern Canada. The 14 coal preparation plants described in the report have been grouped into four geographical regions: the Wolverine area in northeastern British Columbia, the East Kootenay area in southeastern British Columbia, the Yellowhead area in west central Alberta, and Cape Breton in Nova Scotia (Fig. 1). Individual plants are described in terms of their geographical setting and transportation facilities (Fig. 2), special technological features, and a flowsheet subdivided into four parts: pretreatment of feed coal, cleaning, subsequent treatment of products, and storage and loading.