Comparison of Flotation and Screening as Separation Method in Coal Recovery From Tailings by Agglomeration

Abstract

Dependency of Turkey on foreign energy adversely affects the economy of the country and may cause energy shortage in the near fu - ture. As a primary domestic energy source, coal is used for energy production in addition to imported oil and gas. However, significant amount of fine coal is lost together with tailings in coal washeries. Recovering of fine coals from these tailings will make an economic contribution to country. In the present study, fine coals were recovered from tailings of a coal washery in Turkey by using oil agglom - eration method. Flotation was used in agglomerate separation stage of oil agglomeration. Results were compared with that of previous study in which agglomerates were recovered by screening. The performance of the process increased sharply when flotation was used instead of screening in agglomerate separation stage. A clean coal with 28% ash was recovered from the washery tailings containing 55% ash by 85% combustible recovery.