Coal geology for non-geologists 2

Coalexploration,resourceevaluationandminingfornon-geologistsOctober,20086November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining2PresentationoutlineCoalExplorationandResourceEvaluation(1)CoalResourcesQuantityandQualityLocationResourceevaluationguidelinesMarketsCokingcoalSeabornethermalcoalPCIcoalDomesticthermalandconversioncoalsCoalExplorationRegionalassessmentDrillingandsamplingGeophysicalloggingSeismicsurveying6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining3PresentationoutlineCoalExplorationandResourceEvaluation(2)CoalAnalysisCommoncoaltestsMoisturebasesMineralMatterinCoalOriginsCommonmineralsEnvironmentalsignificanceCoalBeneficiationPurposeCostsMiningOpencutLongwallCoalconversionQuestionsandAnswersSummary6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining4CoalResources•Resourcesmaybedefinedas“aconcentrationofmaterialofintrinsiceconomicinterestinsuchform,qualityandquantitythattherearereasonableprospectsforeconomicextraction”paraphrasedfromJORCCode,2004•Keyelementsindeterminingtheeconomicprospectsforcoalresourcesinclude:–Quantity–Quality–Location–Markets6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining5CoalResourcesQuantity:–Seamthickness–Coaldensity–Continuity–Structure–Depth–Strip(overburdentocoal)ratio–Geotechnicalcharacteristicsofcoal,roofandfloorstrata–Groundwater6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining6CoalResourcesQuality:–Rank–Composition:•Ash,volatilematter,totalandinherentmoisture,fixedcarboncontent•C,O,H,Nanalysis•Sulphurandothertraceelements•Ashchemistry–Type6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining7CoalResourcesQuality:–Physicalproperties•Hardgrovegrindability•Swellingindex•Fluidity•Ashfusiontemperature•Cakingcharacteristics•Cokestrength6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining8CoalResourcesLocation:–Proximitytoandavailabilityof:•Railandroadinfrastructure•Portfacilities•Markets•Electricitytransmissionnetworks•CO2sequestrationsites•Water6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining9CoalResources•RTEhasdevelopedguidelinestoassistintheidentificationofeconomicallyviableresources:–Seabornethermalcoal–Semi-soft,coking,PCIcoalandsemi-anthracite–Domesticthermalcoal–Conversioncoal–AnthraciteforQITapplicationsconsidering:–Resourcecharacteristics–Potentialminingmethods–Coalquality–Location6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining10Markets•Potentialendusesforcoalinclude:–Electricitygenerationandprocessheat(steamraising)forindustry–Steelmakingandothermetallurgicalapplications–Cementmanufacture–Liquidfuelconversion–Gasification6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining11CokingCoal•Coalusedtoproducecokehasspecificsteelmakingandmetallurgicalapplications–Narrowcoalrankrequirements–Fixedcarbonandvolatilemattercontents–Lowsulphurandphosphoruscontents–Specificswellingandfluidityproperties•Cokeporosity•Strength•Suitabilityforblending•Supplyconstraintscontributetohighprices6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining12PCICoal•Pulverisedcoalmaybeinjectedintoblastfurnacestoreducecokerequirements•Cokeperformsthreefunctionsinablastfurnace:–Sourceofheat–Productionofreducinggases–Supportingincomingrawmaterialsonaporousmatrixthroughwhichgasandmoltenironcanflow•PCIcoalcontributesheatandreducinggases•PCIcoalisinjectedthroughthefurnaceracewayasafine(75µm)powder6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining13SeaborneThermalCoal•Highspecificenergy(6,700kcal/kgor27MJ/kg)•Ashcontent20%•Lowsulphur(1%)•Totalmoisture15%•Volatilemattermin~25%•FuelRatio(FC/VM)2.2–2.5•Favourableashfusionandchemistrycharacteristics•Favourablegrindingcharacteristics(HGI45-50)•Detailedspecificationspublishedforthermalcoalfuturesmarkets6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining14CoalSpecificationsforOtherApplications•DomesticThermalCoal–Widerrangeofacceptablespecifications–Furnacesmaybedesignedtousespecificcoals•ConversionCoals–Coaltoliquidsconversiontechnologiescurrentlyoptimisedforbituminousandhigherranksub-bituminouscoals–Highvitrinitecoalsfavoured–Useofperhydrouscoals(6%hydrogend.a.f.)advantageous6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining15CoalExploration•Regionalgravityandmagneticmappingmaybeusedtoidentifyprospectiveareas•Moredetailedmagneticsurveydatamaybeusedtomapintrusions,faultsandotherstructuresaffectingcoalcontinuityandquality.6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining16CoalExploration•Exploratorydrillingisusuallythefirststepintheevaluationofcoalresources–Drillcoresarecarefullydescribedbyageologist–Coalbearingintervalsaresampledforlaboratoryanalysis–Drillholesaregeophysicallyloggedtoobtaindatatoassistintheassessmentofcoalqualityandothergeologicalandgeotechnicalproperties•Bothcoredandnon-coreddrillholesmaybeusedincoalexploration6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining17CoalExploration•Coalsaresubdividedintohardcoalsanddullcoalsbasedontheirvisualappearance•“Standard”lithotypesareusedtodescribehardcoals6November2008CoalGeology,ResourceEvaluationandMining18CoalExploration•Down-holegeophysicallogging–Measurementofseamthickn