About International Coal Preparation Congress (ICPC)

The International Coal Preparation Congress (ICPC) was an offshoot of the Allied Coal Commission which was constituted as part of the Marshall Plan post World War II to initiate the process of reconstruction of Europe. The first ICPC was held in 1950 in France and subsequent Congresses were held in Germany, Belgium, UK, USA, Poland, Australia, Ukraine, Russia, India, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Turkey and China. ICPC is now held every three years in a country selected by the IOC through ballot.

The International Organizing Committee (IOC) of the ICPC is a body which has representatives from 15 countries. Representation on IOC is by a non-government organization which deals in their respective country with the issues relating to coal preparation.

The goals of the ICPC inter alia, are:

to ensure the growth and development of the coal preparation industry, support and promotion of scientific and technical cooperation among all countries;
to facilitate the exchange of information about the state-of-art technologies in the field of coal mining, preparation and transportation of coal. Also promote new and emerging technologies in the area of environment friendly and low emission coal utilisation.
to bring together experts from different countries in order to form professional contacts, exchange experimental results, and promote international cooperation.

History of International Coal Preparation Congress

I. 1950 – France, Paris
II. 1954 – Germany, Essen
III. 1958 – Belgium, Liege
IV. 1962 – UK, Harrogate
V. 1966 – USA, Pittsburgh
VI. 1973 – France, Paris
VII. 1976 – Australia, Sydney
VIII. 1979 – Ukraine, Donetsk
IX. 1982 – India, New Delhi
X. 1986 – Canada, Edmonton
XI. 1990 – Japan, Tokyo
XII. 1994 – Poland, Krakow
XIII. 1998 – Australia, Brisbane
XIV. 2002 – Republic of South Africa, Johannesburg
XV. 2006 – Peoples Republic of China, Beijing
XVI. 2010 – USA, Lexington
XVII. 2013 – Turkey, Istanbul
XVIII. 2016 – Russian Federation, St. Petersburg
XIX. 2019 – India, New Delhi (13-15 November, 2019)

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.