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Study finds coal trains add significant amount of PM2.5 pollution in urban areas

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Coal trains and terminal operations add a significant amount of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) pollution to urban areas—more so than other freight or passenger trains— according to a study conducted in Richmond, California, by the University of California, Davis. The results indicate coal trains add on average 8.32

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Extracting rare earth elements from coal with plasma assist

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The US National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is collaborating with the University of Kentucky and their subcontractor Virginia Tech to demonstrate a novel process for the extraction of REEs from coal using plasma. However, domestic coal is of interest as a potentially abundant and easily accessible REE source in the US.

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DOE awards $2M to Ohio University to develop products for energy storage and motors from coal waste

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The Department of Energy (DOE) is funding six research and development projects that will repurpose domestic coal resources for high-value graphitic products and carbon-metal composites that can be employed in clean energy technologies. Earlier post.) Understanding ultra-conductive carbon metal composite wire for electric motors.

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OSU team develops process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare earth elements

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Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed a novel process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare-earth elements from it. Coal mine drainage (CMD) impairs tens of thousands of kilometers of U.S. CMD, coal mine drainage; TEP, trap-extract-precipitate. —Miranda et al. Miranda et al. 2021.0378.

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Ramaco Carbon partnering with ORNL on new processes to make graphite from coal

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Ramaco Carbon is partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop new, large-scale processes for making graphite from coal. The conversion of coal to higher value materials, such as graphene, graphite or carbon nanotubes, is of high interest, and a number of researchers have proposed processes.

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Study finds methane emissions from coal mines ~50% higher than previously thought

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The amount of methane released into the atmosphere as a result of coal mining is likely approximately 50% higher than previously estimated, according to research presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The authors point out that less coal production doesn’t translate to less methane.

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DOE awards U of North Dakota $2.5M to sample and characterize coal-based resources containing rare earth elements

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The US Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) announced that the University of North Dakota has been awarded a 2-year, $1.5-million million contract to sample and characterize US coal-based resources containing high concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs).