California Blends Coal with Biomass for Gasification

United States Patent: 8118894

We have known, in the United States of America, for a very long time that Coal can be combined with Carbon-recycling, renewable wastes, or deliberately-cultivated botanical materials, and then "gasified" through a process of partial oxidation, i.e., partial combustion, with the products of such gasification including, typically, a blend of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen - - called "synthesis gas", or "syngas", which can be catalytically condensed via one of several long-known processes into liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbons - - and, in some cases, depending upon what, if any, gasification catalyst is utilized, a lesser or greater volume of Methane.

Coal Liquefaction Enables Aluminum Recovery from Coal Ash

http://www.ucalgary.ca/files/mehrotra/1979-Mehrotra-Bishnoi-Svrcek-CanJChemEng.pdf

The title of this dispatch is a bit of an extrapolation, but not much of one. We'll explain, after we remind you, that, as seen in our report of:

West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE Says Coal Ash Could End Aluminum Ore Imports | Research & Development; concerning:

"Economic Metal Recovery from Fly Ash; 1981; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USDOE; Abstract: Although most coal combustion ash produced in the United States is discarded as a waste, results are presented to show that fly ash can be an economical source of Al2O3, Fe2/O3, and possibly several other metals, many of which are presently being imported";

England Uses CO2 in the Synthesis of Plastics

United States Patent Application: 0100130752

In a recent dispatch, now accessible on the West Virginia Coal Association's web site via the link:

West Virginia Coal Association | "Englad CO2" a "Sustainable Feedstock" for Chemical Industry | Research & Development; concerning:

"'Synthesis of Cyclic Carbonates from Epoxides and Carbon Dioxide Using Bimetallic Aluminum Complexes'; Michael North; University of Newcastle; UK; Abstract: Over the last six years, highly active catalysts for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from epoxides and carbon dioxide have been developed. The compatibility of the catalysts with waste carbon dioxide present in power station flue gas has been investigated and studies to enhance the commercial applicability of the catalysts by reducing the cost of their production carried out. Instead of just dumping ... carbon dioxide, it is attractive to consider utilizing it in the large scale production of chemicals (carbon capture and utilization, CCU). In this way, an unwanted waste product can be turned into a valuable commodity";

Europe Says Coal Ash a Commercial Product of High Quality

http://www.eurelectric.org/Download/Download.aspx?DocumentID=4281

To be perfectly honest, in reference to the title of this dispatch, it was a team of Common Market organizations with ties to the trans-European power generation industry who said, right up front, more than a decade ago, that, not only is Coal Ash an established "commercial product of high quality" within the European building materials market, but, that it is also, most definitely, "non-hazardous".

They do make a darned-good case for it, even documenting that some European countries that don't generate any Coal Ash of their own, or very little of it, actually import Coal Ash for use in construction projects from their Common Market neighbors who have some to spare.

"Englad CO2" a "Sustainable Feedstock" for Chemical Industry

http://www.arkat-usa.org/get-file/45639/

As we recently reported, via:

West Virginia Coal Association | Taiwan Converts CO2 into Plastics Raw Material | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 20130035497 - Manufacturing Cyclic Carbonate from Carbon Dioxide; 2013; Inventor: Shiey-Shiun Horng, Taiwan; (presumed eventual Assignee of Rights: I-Shou University, Taiwan); Abstract: A method of manufacturing cyclic carbonate with carbon dioxide including the steps of placing solid catalyst in a reaction tube, vaporizing epoxide molecules within a buffer tank to obtain an epoxide vapor, and injecting carbon dioxide into the buffer tank. The carbon dioxide mixes with the epoxide vapor in the buffer tank to obtain an air mixture. The air mixture is then conducted into the reaction tube, where catalysis by the solid catalyst generates cyclic carbonate";