Recovery of Coal from Cyclone Overflow Waste Coals by Using a Combination of Jameson and Column Flotation

Abstract

In this study, combustible matters are recovered from high-ash waste coal separately, first by Jameson flotation and then column flotation. Although high combustible recovery can be obtained from waste coal by Jameson cell, low-ash coals could not be obtained due to low froth height. High froth depth in column flotation has increased the probability of particles dropping back from froth to pulp and very low-ash products have been obtained. However, column flotation has been relatively less successful compared to Jameson flotation in terms of coal recovery. Therefore, both cells have been combined in a common circuit system and low-ash products have been achieved with high combustible recovery values. As a result, clean coals with 7.12% ash were recovered from waste coal having 48.80% ash with 73.60% combustible recovery in the common circuit system. However, in a similar circuit system only with column flotation, coals with 7.04% ash were recovered with 67.85% combustible recovery value. On the other hand, only with Jameson cell, coals with 10.40% ash were recovered with 74.50% combustible recovery.