Amax Incorporated

Frank J Smit

Mahesh C Jha

Deepak Malhotra

A method is provided for removing contaminating minerals from coal by true heavy-liquid media. The coal is comminuted to liberate a substantial portion of the minerals from the coal, the method comprising forming a slurry of the comminuted coal in a solution of smelter-grade sulfuric acid of specific gravity ranging from about 1.2 to 1.7, the specific gravity of the sulfuric acid solution selected being greater than that for the liberated coal but less than that of the contaminating mineral to be separated, thereby effecting substantial separation between the liberated coal and the contained minerals. The coal is removed from the solution and then washed to remove occluded acid therefrom.

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Arvada, CO, United States of America

Frank J Smit