"The coal handbook: Towards cleaner production Volume 1 reviews the coal production supply chain from analysis to extraction and distribution. Part one explores coal characterisation and introduces the industrial use of coal as well as coal formation, petrography, reserves, sampling and analysis. Part two moves on to review coal extraction and preparation. Chapters highlight advances in coal mining technology, underground coal gas extraction, coal sizing, comminution and cleaning, and solid-liquid separation technologies for coal. Further chapters focus on economic factors affecting coal preparation, post-treatment of coal, coal tailings treatment, and the optimisation, simulation and control of coal preparation plants. Finally, part three considers aspects of the coal supply chain including the management approach and individual functions such as coal blending and homogenisation, transportation and handling along the entire supply chain." --