An Investigation on Floatability Behavior of Coal Macerals In Flotation Process and Reagent Type Optimization at Central Alborz Coal Washing Plant

In this study, effects of petrographic composition and particle size on flotation process were investigated. Samples were taken from rougher and cleaner cells of central Alborz coal washing plant (Iran). Petrographic study of the feed into flotation circuit with different size fractions showed that an increase in particle size tends to decrease vitrinite and inertinite macerals percentage while increasing that of liptinite. Petrographic analysis of different size fractions of rougher and cleaner cell concentrates showed that, with increasing particle size, vitrinite macerals were reduced but liptinite macerals showed an increase. Evaluation of the cell operation revealed that over 62% of tailings was composed of reactive macerals in coking process, including vitrinite and liptinite. The petrographic study showed that, with the same frother, by applying gasoline as a collector, yield, and total recovery increased by 3.5% and 3%, respectively, as compared to those when kerosene served as collector. Continuing with gasoline as collector, total circuit recovery increased by 2.2% when methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC), rather than pine oil, served as frother. Based on petrographic studies and percentages of reactive macerals, the optimal reagents were found to be gasoline (as collector) and MIBC (as frother).