TY - GEN
T1 - Evaluation of coal preparation plant refuse areas in kentucky as a new energy resource
AU - Eble, Cortland F.
AU - Greb, Stephen F.
AU - Hower, James C.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - The demand for, and use of, coal in the United States is projected to increase as our energy consumption increases. In addition to conventional coal resources, unconventional resources, mainly in the form of preparation (or beneficiation) plant refuse, are beginning to be recognized and utilized, especially with the expansion of clean coal technologies. These newer technologies, which include gasification and fluidized bed combustion, can readily use preparation plant waste, especially the byproduct material from older (pre-1990) facilities. Older plants were not able to separate the coal from the non-coal (rock) fraction as efficiently as newer plants can, and hence the waste product ended up containing a relatively high percentage of coal (in some cases up to 40%). Kentucky has an abundance of abandoned preparation plant waste areas given the long history of coal mining in the Commonwealth. These areas represent an energy resource that requires further evaluation. The exploitation of older preparation plant refuse areas could significantly extend the amount of coal resources that remain in Kentucky. Re-mining of these areas could also be environmentally beneficial as preparation plant waste is often unsightly, and potentially damaging to streams and groundwater. Re-mining would also provide additional jobs in the mining and transportation sectors.
AB - The demand for, and use of, coal in the United States is projected to increase as our energy consumption increases. In addition to conventional coal resources, unconventional resources, mainly in the form of preparation (or beneficiation) plant refuse, are beginning to be recognized and utilized, especially with the expansion of clean coal technologies. These newer technologies, which include gasification and fluidized bed combustion, can readily use preparation plant waste, especially the byproduct material from older (pre-1990) facilities. Older plants were not able to separate the coal from the non-coal (rock) fraction as efficiently as newer plants can, and hence the waste product ended up containing a relatively high percentage of coal (in some cases up to 40%). Kentucky has an abundance of abandoned preparation plant waste areas given the long history of coal mining in the Commonwealth. These areas represent an energy resource that requires further evaluation. The exploitation of older preparation plant refuse areas could significantly extend the amount of coal resources that remain in Kentucky. Re-mining of these areas could also be environmentally beneficial as preparation plant waste is often unsightly, and potentially damaging to streams and groundwater. Re-mining would also provide additional jobs in the mining and transportation sectors.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:70349592757
SN - 189097725X
SN - 9781890977252
SN - 189097725X
SN - 9781890977252
T3 - 25th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, PCC - Proceedings
BT - 25th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, PCC - Proceedings
T2 - 25th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, PCC
Y2 - 29 September 2008 through 2 October 2008
ER -