The first International Coal Preparation Congress (ICPC) was held in 1950 in Paris. Since then, nineteen other Congresses have been held with the most recent being in New Delhi, India, in June 2019.

Not since 1998 has Australia had the privilege of hosting the International Congress so it is with great pleasure we welcome the international delegates to our shores for the XXth ICPC to be held in 2023 at the Gold Coast, Australia.

ICPCs are run under the auspices of the International Organising Committee (IOC) which is governed by a set of Statutes that were agreed in 2004.

To ensure the growth and development of the coal preparation field in individual countries as well as on an international scale through the initiation, support and promotion of scientific and technical cooperation;

• To facilitate the exchange of information in the areas of science, technology, economics and environmental safety pertaining to the field of coal preparation;
• To bring together persons from different countries specializing in coal preparation in order to form professional contacts, exchange experimental results, and promote international cooperation;
• To publish the congress proceedings as a summary of the progress and development made in the coal preparation field during the inter-congress period.