Abstract: A combination of raw coal and water is introduced as a slurry into a vessel. Chemicals are introduced at a feed inlet. The mixture is reduced by interaction with a bed of agitated grinding balls. Air is introduced into the lower portion of the vessel and forced upwardly through the circuitous passages among and between the grinding balls. The rising air bubbles carry the more hydropholic product upwardly into a froth compartment of the vessel and through a discharge outlet of the vessel. Wash water is introduced into the upper portion of the vessel and descends through the froth and the ball passages carrying entrained and less hydrophobic particles into the grinding chamber. The non-floatable material flows downwardly from the grinding chamber to a refuse zone for discharge as refuse from the vessel.

Abstract: A process for beneficiating oil shale is disclosed including the steps of grinding the shale to fine particles in an aqueous medium, portions of which are kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor, scrubbing the particles, conditioning using a collector and a frother, and separating using froth flotation and oil agglomeration/dewatering.

Abstract: A combination of raw coal and water is introduced as a slurry into a vessel. Chemicals are introduced at a feet inlet. The mixture is reduced by interaction with a bed of agitated grinding balls. Air is introduced into the lower portion of the vessel and forced upwardly through the circuitous passages among and between the grinding balls. The rising air bubbles carry the more hydropholic product upwardly into a froth compartment of the vessel and through a discharge outlet of the vessel. Wash water is introduced into the upper portion of the vessel and descends through the froth and the ball passages carrying entrained and less hydrophobic particles into the grinding chamber. The non-floatable material flows downwardly from the grinding chamber to a refuse zone for discharge as refuse from the vessel.

Abstract: A process for beneficiating oil shale is disclosed including the steps of grinding the shale to fine particles in an aqueous medium, portions of which are kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor, scrubbing the particles, separating the particles by either selectively flocculating out a fraction, redispersing the fraction and reseparating using froth flotation, or vice versa, and oil agglomerating/dewatering the kerogen-rich fraction.

Abstract: A process for grinding organic-containing mineral matter, particularly oil shale, is disclosed comprising a series of increasing finer grind-producing grinding steps, each followed by an organic beneficiation step. A portion of the organic-enhanced beneficiation product is mixed with each successive grinding step feed.

Abstract: The efficiency of conversion of coal in the coal-gasification process is increased by pre-treatment of the coal to increase the fluid-permeability thereof. The reagent used for increasing the coal permeability is recoverable in high yield. Pre-treatment of bituminous coal by this process makes it possible to gasify coals of this rank effectively, such coals previously having been gasifiable only at low conversion efficiencies. Pre-treatment with a permeability-enhancing reagent is also useful as a step in the process of dissolving coal.