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Chapter Three USING COAL W hen coal finally sees the light of day, what happens next depends on its quality

emissions: substances given off by burning or similar chemical changes. flue gases: gases produced by burning and other processes that come out of flues, stacks, chimneys, and similar outlets. ore: a rock or similar natural material that contains large amounts of a valuable metal or mineral, such as iron or sulfur. oxides: chemicals that contain oxygen combined with other substances. producer gas: a gas created (“produced”) by industrial rather than natural means. scrubber: a device for removing, or “scrubbing,” unwanted substances. Words to Understand

and grade, and on how it will be transported and used. In both surface and underground mining, the coal may go straight to a process called coal preparation at the mine site. The coal preparation plant, or prep plant, receives “raw” coal direct from the mine, called run-of-mine (ROM) coal. It is basically crushed into convenient-sized lumps and cleaned or “washed” into a purer form. Siting the prep plant at the mine makes it more cost-effective to transport.

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