MARKETS

Massive coal-to-chemical plant on Chinese cards

A “WORLD-scale” coal-to-chemical complex in China’s Shaanxi Province took a step closer to reality this week with US company Dow Chemical and Chinese coal giant Shenhua Group agreeing to undertake a detailed feasibility study.

Staff Reporter

The project will use “clean coal” technologies that convert coal to methanol to produce ethylene and propylene, the building blocks to make various plastics and chemical products.

The complex will include a chlor-alkali unit, enabling the output of products such as caustic soda, vinyl chloride monomer and chlorinated organics.

Other derivative products being planned for the complex include glycols, amines, solvents, surfactants, acrylic acid and derivatives and propylene derivatives.

The feasibility study, expected to take two years, will include an environmental impact assessment, water supply, front-end loading engineering design, market and product mix, logistics and supply chain, and economic evaluation.

TOPICS:

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Automation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations using autonomous solutions in every region and sector, including analysis of the factors driving investment decisions

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2023 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of current exploration rates, trending exploration technologies, a ranking of top drill intercepts and a catalogue of 2022 Initial Resource Estimates and recent discovery successes.