This research addresses two important issues confronting coal flotation plants in Australia, the use of saline water and the processing of clay coal. Surveys have been conducted to identify variations of ionic strengths and the type of electrolytes in the water in Australian coal flotation plants. Two coal samples obtained from BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) and Xstrata were tested to represent coarse coal flotation and fine coal flotation, respectively. Saline water with minimum, medium and maximum ionic strengths and individual electrolytes encountered in the flotation plants were used. It was found that a synergy occurred between saline water and clay minerals in affecting coal flotation. Both the ionic strength and the type of electrolytes affected froth stability and the flotation behaviour of mineral matter and coal particles but in a different way in coarse and fine coal flotation.
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