About

How you can be on top of industry developments virtually as they happen!

As a member of the Australian Coal Preparation Society you are eligible to attend the regular technical meetings. This allows you to have access to the latest technical information without the time lag associated with technical papers. A free interchange of ideas is encouraged at these meetings both during the formal question time following presentations and during the social activities.

The technical meetings are held in the various coal areas in NSW and Queensland and, if a copy of the technical presentation is provided by the presenter, the file will be uploaded to the “Members Only” section of the website.  Topics covered in the technical presentations are usually very practical and range from reviews of existing plants through application information on specific processing equipment to problem solving case studies. Many of the ideas you will pick up from these presentations will be directly applicable to your involvement in the industry.

Should you or your staff require more formal training in coal preparation, the Society runs practically driven courses for beginners and experienced personnel. So, for a minimal expenditure of time and money your personal or staff training requirements can be readily realised.

If time restraints prohibit attendance at the courses, the use of the coal preparation monographs becomes a viable option for many members. These high quality, expertly written volumes are the basis for the formal instructional courses and can be readily used as references for less structured personal education.

Regular conferences, symposia and workshops are run by the Australian Coal Preparation Society so that the members are provided with a wide range of activities and learning experiences which will assist you in keeping abreast of the current industry trends and make and maintain valuable personal contacts.

Role of the ACPS

The role of the Australian Coal Preparation Society is to distinguish and consolidate the profession of coal preparation in Australia through education, training and technology transfer, and to assist the Australian industry in maintaining world's best practice.

What is coal preparation?

Coal Preparation is the treatment or processing of coal, at any point between the mining operation and the end use (that is, when it ceases to be “coal”), for the purposes of improving the suitability of the coal for its use. Such treatment may include:

• crushing
• screening into different size fractions
• physical, chemical or mechanical processes to remove undesired impurities
• dewatering
• thermal drying
• blending
• agglomeration or briquetting.

The benefits of Coal Preparation include:

• improved product quality and homogeneity
• reduced transport costs

Improved coal product quality leads to:

• more efficient use of the product
• reduced emissions by the end user, including reduced carbon dioxide, oxides of sulphur and particulate matter
• reduced waste for the end user, thus reduced handling costs.