International Mining | MeiTeng Technology powers green transformation at Yangcheng Coal Mine

August 9, 2026 - 02:00

Waste gangue has long been a problem for coal operations. It lowers product quality, eats up hoisting capacity, and leaves unsightly piles that create environmental burdens. Yangcheng Coal Mine in Shandong, China, had it worse than most. The raw coal coming out of the ground carried an ash content of 42.08 percent, which made washing both costly and inefficient. On top of that, nearly 4 million tons of coal reserves sat locked beneath surface structures, impossible to reach with conventional mining methods.

MeiTeng Technology stepped in with a solution aimed at turning those liabilities into recoverable resources. The company deployed a dry separation system that removes gangue before it ever reaches the washing plant. That cuts the amount of waste hauled to the surface and reduces the load on downstream processing. More importantly, the technology allows the mine to access those trapped reserves without disturbing the buildings above. By using a dense medium fluidized bed process, the system separates coal from rock based on density differences, achieving a clean separation even with high ash feed.

The results have been significant. The mine reports lower production costs, higher recovery rates, and a sharp reduction in surface waste disposal. The approach also cuts water usage, since no wet washing is needed for the pre-sorting stage. For Yangcheng, this means the coal that was once considered unreachable can now be mined safely and profitably. MeiTeng says the project demonstrates how dry separation technology can help older mines extend their life while meeting stricter environmental standards. The success at Yangcheng could serve as a model for other operations in China facing similar geological or surface constraints.