There is an opportunity for the targeted rehabilitation of coarse and ultrafine coal waste streams and stockpiles in the local coal sector, according to Dale McLean, General Manager of green coal solutions provider River Energy South Africa (Resa).

This approach involves reducing waste from the coal beneficiation process and increasing the yield from each ton of coal mined. Speaking at the Southern African Coal Processing Society's International Coal Conference, McLean explained that Resa's focus is on the rehabilitation of ultrafine coal waste streams and stockpiles to reduce waste entering tailings dams and associated waste that is discarded.

Resa's technology results in an end product with lower embedded emissions and a smaller net environmental footprint than primary run-of-mine coal. It offers two solutions to reduce rehabilitation liabilities: ultrafine coal beneficiation and binderless coal briquetting (BCB). Ultrafine coal beneficiation increases the yield of coal from each ton of run-of-mine coal, reducing waste fines or filter cake during coal beneficiation. BCB upgrades low-value or waste coal using a low-cost process of dehydration and compaction.

This rehabilitation approach can increase revenue, reduce costs for coal producers, decrease material requirements for tailings facilities, and reduce water and air pollution. It also lowers capital and operational expenditures by eliminating wet slimes and reducing tailings facilities and liabilities. Additionally, it has the potential to create value from ultrafine coal, supporting jobs in the coal industry.

McLean stressed the importance of an integrated circuit in the beneficiation of ultrafine coal products and noted that different beneficiation technologies are suitable for different mining operations. Resa focuses on coal briquetting to keep the process simple and cost-effective. This approach avoids the need for coal binders and blending with coal fines.

Overall, this rehabilitation method has the potential to positively impact stockpiles and product sets, minimize the use of additional primary rock, and produce products from premined waste, resulting in environmental and cost savings while tapping into latent resources.