The conference, Advancing Coal Preparation Technologies for the Future, will be held in Cairns on September 12-17, 2010.

Potential authors have been invited to submit 300-word abstracts on any aspect of coal preparation and utilisation to Confedit2010@acps.com.au.

Topics of interest include new plants, plant upgrades, monitoring and improving plant efficiency, metallurgical accounting as applied to coal preparation plants, plant maintenance, operational improvements to plants, dewatering/drying/briquetting, international themes, coarse coal processing, small coal processing, fine coal processing, dry processing, tailings handling and retreatment, and new technologies.

Organisers say the number of papers will be limited, selected on merit and for the balance of the program, and accepted on the basis that at least one author will be attending the conference to present the paper.

Abstracts are due by August 18 this year.