Investigation of the effect of particle size, petrographic composition, and rank on the flotation of Western Canadian coals

Abstract

ABSTRACT Coal is one of the most crucial natural resources used for steel and energy production. To improve its utilization properties, the run-of-mine coal is processed to remove undesirable impurities such as mineral matter and sulfur. The fine coal is usually processed by flotation, and the efficiency is highly dependent on the particle size, maceral composition, and the rank. The effect of particle size and reagent dosages are usually the most commonly studied parameters for flotation, whereas optimization through the study of the response of the petrographic components and the rank based on the vitrinites’ reflectance of coal particles (V-types) are rarely investigated. This paper studied the floatability of coal particles in terms of their physical and compositional attributes including particle size, petrographic composition, and rank (V-types) from coal blends representing different feeds to the plant. The results showed that the higher content of inertinite macerals and a high quantity of ultra-fines contributed to a poor floatability for the studied coals. On the other hand, the coal sample containing vitrinite particles from a higher rank exhibited a much better flotation response, despite the presence of significant amounts of ultra-fine.