PREPARATION OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM WESTERN CANADIAN HIGH RANK COALS

Partial steam gasification of Mt. Klappan anthracite and Cascade semia nthracite with char conversion greater than 60%, produced activated ca rbons with surface areas greater than 1000 m2/g. The pore structures o f the activated carbons were predominantly microporous and mesoporous. The proportions of macropores were on the order of 2%. Fuel gas produ ced during steam activation of chars contained predominantly combustib le gases, i.e., 45-55% H2 and 30-40% CO whereas the amount of CO2 rang ed between 5 and 15%. Correlations of char conversion with operating p arameters and surface areas were developed and used to predict the act ivation process. Selected samples of activated carbons were characteri zed for the water and wastewater treatment as well as for gold recover y.