Coal Preparation in the World - Current Status and Global Trends: a Review

Abstract

This article is a review composed of 14 sections prepared by representatives of the involved countries. The sections inform on: coal production volume per country; principal coal producing regions and companies; coal preparation technologies and trends of coal use in national economies, considering the environmental constraints. The review opens with the section devoted to the state of the art and prospects of coal preparation in Russia; the next sections about other countries are arranged in the way to fit the Latin alphabet. The scope of the Russian section encompasses large projects on coal preparation, prospects of coal application in power generation and the issue of coal mine waste reprocessing. The Australian section emphasizes that coal is an important export article and the key component of power generation in the country. It is mentioned that round 90 % of ROM coal needs preparation before marketing. The section on Canada gives evaluation of coal reserves and resources and a detail description of coalproducing companies in the country. China is the largest coal-producing country in the world (3.87 Bt of coal in 2014); more than 60 % of coal is subjected to preparation. Germany is running short of coal reserves (coal reserves are only sufficient until late 2018) but holds enormous reserves of lignite subjected to open pit mining. Hungary produces nearly 10 Mt of coal yearly and uses it to generate 14 % of the total power output. India is the world's third coal producer (after China and USA as of 2014). Kazakhstan takes half of produced coal to generate power and 30 % for export. Poland is the largest coal producer in Europe. All coal is mined with the underground method and approximately 60 % of coal needs preparation. The Republic of South Africa exports nearly one third of produced coal. Half of coal left in the country is spent to generate power and round 20 % of coal is converted to chemicals and fuel products. The best part of the produced coal needs preparation and coal for export is totally subjected to dressing. Turkey mines mainly lignite (95 %). The deficit of power-generating coal is compensated by the import. The coal industry of the Great Britain is at the stage of dying. It is planned to close all coal-run power plants by 2025. USA is the world's second producer of coal. Preparation embraces approximately 40 % of mined coal. The review ends with an analysis of international RandD projects in the area of coal preparation.