Coal School at Wits

Prior to 1975, coal mining and marketing practices were uncomplicated, being largely influenced by the abundance of good quality raw coals. In many cases, the best parts of seams were mined out to meet market specifications and requirements.

Since then, the export of high-value blend-coking coals and High Grade Steam coal to world markets has resulted in local consumers now being obliged to use lower-grade higher-ash products, either in the form of middlings arising from beneficiation or lower quality run-of-mine seams.

This practice has become all the more challenging in recent years because of the decreasing quality of the coal reserves now being encountered in the region and, in parallel, the increasing environmental constraints being imposed on users of coal.

These factors have led to greater difficulties being experienced by local users of coal, i.e. when coals of a different type and grade to that which the boiler or gasifier plant was originally designed are introduced into the process; under these conditions poor combustion or gasification performance often results.

In addition, it has now been recognized that

1. SAMPLING has become an issue of importance and must be conducted according to standards in order to represent bulk materials under review
2. CONVENTIONAL COAL QUALITY ANALYSES often provide insufficient information with respect to the potential performance required by consumers thus leading to the need for ADVANCED ANALYSES AND TESTS, and
3. COAL QUALITY RELATIVE TO PLANT DESIGN AND OPERATION is now a vital issue in order to ensure optimum process efficiency and maximum environmental control

In response to this scenario, sampling has reached a high level of application and new methods of quality assessment have evolved, along with adaptations in the design and operation of user technologies.   For these reasons, it has now become necessary for all involved in the coal chain to understand the basic nature of the material and to how to sample and assess it to best advantage for all concerned.

This five-day coal school, separated into five one-day courses, is one in a series of schools designed for personnel in industry in the programme Leadership in Coal and Energy Technology.

OBJECTIVES OF THE COAL SCHOOL AND ITS DAILY COURSES

The primary objectives of these courses are

• To provide a sound basis for coal sampling in a variety of industrial situations
• To introduce both conventional and advance analytical techniques for the assessment of coal
• To indicate how conventional and advanced analytical techniques may be applied with specific reference to production, marketing and utilisation
• To ensure maximum process efficiency and environmental protection through an understanding of  coal products and their performance characteristics
• To ensure optimum utilisation of South Africa’s remaining coal reserves

MODUS OPERANDI OF THE COURSES

The courses will be presented in the following manner:  Lecturers will introduce the basic principles (definitions) of the various topics, followed by practice (with some case histories) and, where appropriate, predictive techniques (indicating how to undertake value-added assessments).  Open discussion and questions are encouraged at all times.

Whilst some course notes will be provided in the form of publications, presentations and various handout materials, the preferred course of action is for candidates to become aware through listening, understanding, discussing, questioning and where necessary taking own notes.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS SCHOOL

• Coal quality analysts
• Exploration geologists and resource managers
• Mining engineers
• Coal processing engineers
• Marketing managers and those trading in coal
• Power generation and gasification engineers,
• Industrial combustion users of coal including those co-firing coal and biomass
• Engineering manufacturers
• Environmental scientists and engineers
• Consultants, fuel technologists, researchers in academia and
• Government personnel responsible for future coal reserves/ resources and related legislation.

The aplication form is avalible to download under the downloads section

http://www.sanire.co.za/documents/cat_view/55-application-forms