Attendees for the biennial event are racing to Central Bank Center for the latest in process and preparation ideas and technology.
by Donna Schmidt
Coal preparation experts are again convening in Lexington, Ky., for the CoalProTec Coal Processing Technical Conference and Exhibition, set for April 27-29 at the Central Bank Center.
The event’s host, the Coal Preparation Society of America (CPSA), is presenting this year jointly with the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration’s (SME) Central Appalachian Section, with the latter presenting parallel technical sessions.
The expo portion of the show will open beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, and then from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. Kicking off the festivities, though, will be the CPSA Maintenance Workshop, scheduled for Monday, April 27, a hands-on event for guests. All told, the conference and workshop offer a total of 14 professional development hours.
Another special feature of CoalProTec 2026 is the Taste of Kentucky lunch and CPSA annual membership meeting. Beginning at 10 a.m. on April 28, the luncheon will outline new programs and training opportunities on offer to advance knowledge of coal preparation technologies.
That evening will be the 2026 Member’s Night Out at Club C within the Central Bank Center. Beginning at 6 p.m., refreshments and bourbon from three regional distilleries will be available, and will be followed by a buffet dinner and full bar.
Technical program
A spotlight of CPT each year is its technical program, which commences with a keynote on April 28 at 9 a.m. Three sessions will then be held on April 28 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., April 29 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and April 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Among the session presentations:
- Tailings Dewatering System Using Two Stage Solid Bowl Centrifuges: Mike Barish, Jim Fisher and Tony Toney – Somerset International
- 950G IP vs Hybrid Wet Drums for Magnetite Recovery on a Coal Preparation Facility: Ashley Carter and Xinkal Jiang – Eriez
- WaveStack – Innovative Non-Vibrating Screening Technology for Coal Preparation Plants: Michael Kimmick – Derrick Corp.
- Jet Type Flotation Cells Application at a Metallurgical Coal Plant Upgrade: Zhigang Wang and Zuoli Li – Daniels Co.
The session themes for this year will be plant operations and modifications, coal processing innovations and innovations in froth flotation technologies.
Wrapping up
The final day of CoalProTec, in addition to the close of the expo, will include a South of the Border luncheon and raffles for exhibitor prizes. Among the win-worthy swag: the second edition of the “Ask Mr. Prep” books.
At press time, registration was still open for the show and conference. Visit www.coalprepsociety.org for more information on attending, exhibiting and local lodging options.
Highlights of SME Central Appalachian Section presentations
Importance of Conducting Pre-Blast Surveys for Site and Structures to Help Ensure Operational Success, Daykin Schnell, University of Kentucky
Battery Precursor Production from Coal-Based Materials: A Value-Added Pathway for the Coal Industry, Wencai Zhang; Lingqun Zeng, Virginia Tech
Examples of Multifactor Geologic Hazard Mapping for Underground Mines, Kevin Andrews, MM&A
Temporal Machine Learning for Predicting Accidents and Violations in the Mining Industry, Nathan Kelley, Turnstone Industrial Solutions, LLC
Improving Energy-Efficient Grinding and Flotation of Copper Sulfide Ores Using Angular Media, Kaveh Asgari, West Virginia University
The Merger between Two Coal Titans: Reserves & Resources Reporting with the Merger of Consol Energy and Arch Resources, Michael P. Bohan, Core Natural Resources