Abstract: A system and method is provided for beneficiating, or “cleaning”, ultra-fine raw coal with spiral concentrators. The inventive system includes multiple pre- and post-classification systems to size the finer sized raw mineral to develop a pre-sized mineral fraction within a first size range (approximately 0.15 mm by 0.044 mm). The pre-sized mineral fraction is fed to at least one spiral concentrator, wherein the at least one spiral concentrator separates the pre-sized mineral fraction into clean mineral and refuse by specific gravity. Water may be added to the inlet of the at least one spiral concentrator to maintain a constant flow through the at least one spiral concentrator. Additionally, residual minus 0.044 mm particles may be removed from the clean mineral output by a post classification system.

Abstract: In a coal preparation plant which receives a raw coal feed and separates the raw coal feed into a clean coal feed and a refuse feed, an apparatus is provided for use therein. The apparatus mixes the sized raw coal feed particles with a slurry of media and water used for separating the raw coal feed into clean coal and refuse. The inventive apparatus includes a pulping column integrally designed with the discharge chute of a deslime screen and the drain section underpan of clean coal and refuse screens. The pulping column having a coal inlet receiving the sized raw coal directly from the deslime screen, a media inlet receiving the slurry of media and water directly from an underpan of at least one of the refuse screen and the clean coal screen, and an outlet discharging the mixture of sized raw coal and slurry. The pulping column mixes the sized raw coal and the slurry of media and water according to a select proportion, and it is then pumped to a heavy media separation section of the coal preparation plant.

Abstract: In a coal preparation plant which receives a raw coal feed and separates the raw coal feed into clean coal feed and refuse feed slurries using a media based separation process, an apparatus is provided for use therein. The inventive apparatus simultaneously processes the raw coal feed and clean coal feed and refuse feed slurries, while occupying minimal floor space within the coal preparation plant. The inventive apparatus includes a unitary vibrating screen assembly having a length and a width, wherein the width of the vibrating screen assembly is partitioned into three screen sections extending the length of the vibrating screen assembly. A deslime screen section receives the raw coal feed and separates the raw coal feed into coarse and fine sized fractions as the raw coal feed moves along the length of the deslime screen section. A refuse screen section receives the refuse feed slurry and removes separation media therefrom as the refuse feed slurry moves along the length of the refuse screen section.

Abstract: In a coal preparation plant which receives a raw coal feed and separates the raw coal into clean coal and refuse, an apparatus is provided for use therein. The inventive apparatus is a combined sump common to the heavy media vessel and heavy media cyclone circuits used for recirculating medium storage for the heavy media vessel circuit and mixing device, referred to as a wing tank, to proportionally combine intermediate sized raw coal feed particles with a slurry of media and water for feeding the heavy media cyclone circuit. The advantage of this combined system is the ability to use a common recirculating media for use in both the heavy media vessel and heavy media cyclone circuits, without sacrificing the ability to have different recirculating gravities for each separating circuit.

Abstract: In a mineral preparation plant which receives a raw mineral feed and separates the raw mineral feed into a clean mineral and a refuse, an apparatus is provided for use therein. The apparatus retains dilute media which is formed as a by-product of the separation process. The apparatus includes a sump formed in a floor of the mineral preparation plant and configured to receive and retain: (a) dilute media, consisting of finely sized particles of mineral, refuse, media and water, from an underpan of at least one refuse screen and a clean mineral screen, and (b) mineral, refuse and media particles spilled by mineral processing equipment in the mineral preparation plant. The apparatus further includes a pump associated with the sump for pumping the dilute media and the spilled mineral, refuse and media particles received in the sump as a mixture to a media separating device, and a nuclear density gauge and integrated control system for controlling the amount of media fed to the media separating device.

Abstract: In a coal preparation plant which receives a raw coal feed and separates the raw coal feed into a clean coal feed and a refuse feed, an apparatus is provided for receiving and mixing the raw coal feed with water. The inventive apparatus includes a deslime screen assembly including a feedbox, magnetic separator and a deslime screen. The feedbox receives the raw coal feed and directs the raw coal onto the deslime screen for separation into coarse and fine sized raw coal fractions. The magnetic separator is provided which is integrally formed with the feedbox. The magnetic separator receives an input slurry of magnetic solid particles and water from the coal preparation plant, and separates the magnetic solid particles from the input slurry. The overflow tailings slurry output by the magnetic separator from which magnetic solid particles have been removed is received directly by the feedbox and mixed with the raw coal feed particles received thereby.

Abstract: A system for controlling the operation and performance of water-only cyclones used in coal preparation plants for separating a fine raw coal slurry into fine coal and fine refuse slurries includes a variable speed pump for feeding the slurry from an underpan of a deslime screen to a water-only cyclone. A nuclear density gauge measures the specific gravity of the slurry feeding the cyclones and generates a signal used to control the addition of water. A level sensor measures the level of the fine raw coal slurry in the underpan. A pressure sensor measures the pressure of the fine raw coal slurry pumped to the water-only cyclone. A speed control device uses signals from the level and pressure sensors to control the speed of the pump in order to maintain an appropriate level of slurry in the underpan, and an appropriate feed pressure to the water-only cyclone.