A new process based on a combination of gravity and flotation for the recovery of clean coal from flotation tailings

Beneficiation of clean coal from flotation tailings with a high intergrown ash content is gaining popularity in China. It not only improves the utilization rate of coal resources but also reduces environmental pollution. In this paper, a novel gravity–flotation process is proposed to concentrate low-ash fine coal and includes the disposal of tailings via gravity, grinding liberation, and froth flotation. The experimental results show that the clean coal had an ash content of 12.33% and the yield from the flotation tailings was 32.24% with an ash content of 46.39%, which has economic value in the current market.