CA1152349A - Coal-based, versatile bartering commodity - Google Patents

Coal-based, versatile bartering commodity

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Publication number
CA1152349A
CA1152349A CA000393532A CA393532A CA1152349A CA 1152349 A CA1152349 A CA 1152349A CA 000393532 A CA000393532 A CA 000393532A CA 393532 A CA393532 A CA 393532A CA 1152349 A CA1152349 A CA 1152349A
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
coal
soil
water
materials
clay
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000393532A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Cyril T. Jones
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SAANICHTON BRITISH COLUMBIA V0
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SAANICHTON BRITISH COLUMBIA V0
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Priority to CA000393532A priority Critical patent/CA1152349A/en
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Publication of CA1152349A publication Critical patent/CA1152349A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05FORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
    • C05F11/00Other organic fertilisers
    • C05F11/02Other organic fertilisers from peat, brown coal, and similar vegetable deposits
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05FORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE
    • C05F11/00Other organic fertilisers
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09KMATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K17/00Soil-conditioning materials or soil-stabilising materials
    • C09K17/02Soil-conditioning materials or soil-stabilising materials containing inorganic compounds only

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Soil Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Fertilizers (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A process For preparing an improved soil re-structuring mixt-ure by adding clayey coal materials and a liquid carrier thereto, Clayey coal materials are separated into first,second and third portions, the first portion being soft-burned at approximately 600°F., the second portion being exposed to a number of wetting and drying cycles, followed by a thorough leaching, and the third portion being crushed and screened to remove the crumbly clay fraction from the coal fraction to provide therefrom a sec-ond portion coal material, and a third portion coal-clay mixture.
The first, second and third portion are crushed and screened separately to produce as separate quantities thereof fine part-iculate coal materials having a maximum diameter passing through a 200 mesh screen, and a larger sized coal material having a max-imumdiameter of 3/4 of an inch. In a first embodiment, a soil re-structuring liquid mixture is produced by adding said first, sec-ond, and third portion coal materials to a liquid carrier in a proportion of 50% of the first portion, and approximately 25%
of both the second and third portion coal materials such that the said coal material additives are added in a liquid to carrier ratio ranging from 1 to 0.07, to 1 to 3. In a second embodiment, the second portion coal material after said processing is prov-ided as a coal-humus in a liquid carrier, wherein the coal-humus is added to the carrier in a liquid to coal-humus material ratio ranging from 1 to 0.07, to 1 to 3. In a third embodiment, both the second and third portions coal-humus and coal-clay fine particulate coal materials are added to a liquid carrier in the proportion of 50% second portion to 50% third portion and added to said carrier in a pre-wetted condition, such that the liquid to coal material additives ranges from 1 to 0.07, to 1 to 3. Ut-ilizing said second, third or both coal additives to stabilize liquid sewage for use as a carrier, and using either one or more of said additives as singular or supportive versatile bartering commodities in domestic or International trade.

Description

3~
COA~-~BAS:ED, V~RS~ JE BARlERING C~MMOI)ITY

CROSS R:EFERENCE TO REI.A~:ED PATl~ITS

This invention is related in part to my Canadian Patent App-lica-tion No. 367,969 entitled SOI~ AM~NDING MI~URE, allowed Setember 29, 1981, and my pending Canadian Paten-t Application No. ~70,454-8, entitled CEMEN~ING MIXTURE filed ~ebruary 10, 1981.

The present invention does not conflict with the aforesaid Canadian Patent Application No. 367,969, as it provides an add-itional improvement s-tep, the addition of an important soil-building constituent-part, clay, which is essential for the effectiYe treatment of clay-deficient arid, sandy, desertified or eroded type soil structures in providing a binder for the soil-making particles, trace minerals, soil stability, as well as the ability to hold and control the movement of water ~or the long term benefit of the soil, and serve to retain the water at a predetermined level above the subsoil and around the root zone of growing plants~ and also an absorbent sand material.

~he present invention is also related in part to ~y pending Canadian Patent Applications as mentioned heretofore and -to my issued Canadian and U.S.A. patents which are listed hereinafter.
The applicants issued and pending pa-tent applications are not in conflict wi-th the present invention, but supportive of it, in~

as~muGhasthe present invention serves to improve the effective-ness of most of them by providing a cleaner starting material and e~tending their effective u-tility role in domestic and International trading areas. lhe following lis-t comprises all of the applicants current issued and pending patents and paten-t applications, as of November 15~ 1981.

~S23~

Current Canadian Patents,supportive of -the applicants present invention indicate the versatility of the new product and its potential as a bartering medium on a large scale trading appr-oach between the said have, and have trading partners on an International level, -the pa-tents are listed as follows:

CURRENT CANADI~N & U.S. PATENTS~ & PATENT APP'LICATIONS
Canadian Patent No. 732,128~ issued April 12, 1966 for "METHOD
OF PREPARING AN ENERGIZED EERTI-LIZING ADDITIVE AND SOI-L COND-ITIONER ~ROM COAL MATERIA-LS". Canadian Patent No. 789,990 for "METHOD OF PRODUCING REGU'LATED PROCESS ACTIVATING COMPOSITIONS
FROM COA'L MATERIA'LS AND IMPREGNATING SUPSTANCES", issued July 16, 1968. Canadian Patent No. 844,785 issued November 29 1971 for "KRAFT PU~P-MILL EFF-LUENT TREATMENT AND ~REATMENT MEDIA". Canad-ian Patent NoO 944,697 issued April 2, 1974 for, "OIL SPIL~AGE
AND -LEAKAGE TREATMENT". Canadian Patent No. 947?528 issued May 21, 1974 for "MANURE TREATMENT AND IMPROVED TREATMENT MATERIALS"
Canadian Patent No. 979,153 issued December 9, 1975 for "FI-LI.'ER
MATERIA-L FOR ASPHA-LT AND MIXES THEREOF". Canadian Patent No. 979, 919 issued December 16, 1975 for "METHOD OF REMOVING IMPURITIES
20 AND RECOVERING ~Y-PRODUCT VALUES FROM WASTEWATER OR PROCESS 'LIQ-UORS WITH SE'LF-REGENERATING COA'L TREATMENT MEDIA". Canadian Patent No. 979,818 issued December 169 1975 for "METHOD OF AND
MATERIA~S FOR IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF

SE~YAGE AND INDUS'~RIA-L ~ASTE TREATMENT PROCESSES". Canadian Pat-ent No. 979,546 issued December 9, 1975 for "TERTIARY AND SECON_ DARY SEWAGE TREA~MEN~ ~EFORE PRIMARY~o Canadian Patent No. 1075-165, issued April 8, 1980 for "ADAPTA~'LE EILTERING ENCLOSURE".
Canadian Patent No. 1014932 issued August 2, 1977 for "ACTIVATED
COA-L CAR~ON AND PROCESS ~OR PRODUCING SAME". Canadian Patent No.

30 1071113 issued February 5, 1980, DIV. Patent No. 1034686 issued July 11 ~ 1978, for "USING SE-LECTED COA-LS TO REMOVE PO~'LUTANTS
FROM SIJRFACE WATERS AND SEDIMENTS SET~LED THEREFROM". Canadian 11523~
Patent No. 1021106 issued November 22, 1977 for "DISPOSA~ OF
TOXIC PO~UTANTS". Canadian Patent No. 1029978 issued April 25, 1978 for "COA~-BASE NATURA~ FERTI~IZERS". Canadian Pa-tent No.
1026580 issued February 21, 1978 for METHOD OF PREPARING SEL~-FERTI~I2ING SOI~-TREATM~NT COMPOSITIONS ~ROM COA~ ~IUMUS AND
PACTERIA~ ACTIVATORS". Canadian Patent No. 1034512 issued July 11 1978 for"DENSIFICATION 0~ SETT~ED SEWAGE S~UDGE PY PU~VERIZED
COA~". Canadian Patent No. 1054728 issued May 15, 1979 for "COA~-~ASE ~AND~I~L, ~EACHATE TREATMENT" AND DIV. Canadian Patent No.
10 1079650 issued July 17~ 1980, and also DIV. Canadian Patent No.
1079876 issued June 17, 1980. Canadian Pàtent No. 1036952 issued A~gust 22, 1978 for "PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF
SEPTIC TANK EFF~UENTS". Canadian Patent No. 1040451 issued October 17, 1978 for "PRODUCTION 0~ A COA~-BASE SOIL BENEFICIAT-ING PE~E~ CONTAINING AcrrIvE S~OW-RE~EASE GRANU~ES IN A STARCH
AND HYDROCAR~ON SO~ID". Canadian Patent No. 1086434 issued Sept-ember 23, 1980 for "TERTIARY TREATMENT OF IN-TANK SEPTIC SEWAGE".
Canadian Patent No. 1042813 issued November 21, 1878 for "PROV-IDING IMMEDIATE TERTIARY TREATMENT TO SEWAGE WITH PE~ETIZED
20 COA~"o Canadian Patent No. 1075559 issued April 15, 1980 for ~lMETlIOD-)OF PRODUCING PHOSPHATE REMOVING MATERIALS". Canadian Patent No. 1075017 issued April 8, 1980 for "USING IMPROVED
SORPTIVE COA~ MATERIA~S TO REMOVE METHANE GAS FROM RE~USE ~ S
AND PREVENTING THE FURTHER PRODUCTION THEREOF". Canadian Patent No. 1053918 issued May 8, 1979 for "PRE-COATED RE~USE-COA~
FI~TER FOR ~ANDFI~ REFUSE TREATMENT". Canadian Pa~ent No. 10-86457 issued September 30, 1980 for "ASPHA~T MIXTURE". United States Patent No 4,222,787 issued September 16, 1980 for "ASP~T MIXTURE". Canadian Patent Application NoO 367,969-1 filed January 6, 1981, Notice of Allowance September 29, 1981 for "SOI~ AMENDING MIXTURE". Canadian Patent Application No.
370,454-8 Filed ~ebruary 109 1981 for "CEMENTING MIXTURE".

1~15;23~
OBJ~C~S OF ~HE PRESEN'~ INVENr~ION
The main object of the present invention is the provision of a coal-based, versatile bartering commodity for the purp-ose of trading in domestic and International marketS E~r~~the mutual benefit of bo-th trading parners.

A further main object of the present invention is the prov-ision of a coal-based, versatile bartering commodi-ty having unique singular utilitarian applications and a plurality of supportive functional roles which will serve to reduce the competative position and viability of foreign coal suppliers while enhancing the economic and u-tilitarian value of Canadian coals in either a buyers or sellers market.

A still further main object of the present invention is to provide a coal-based versatile bartering commodi-ty produced from the original humus-containing coal materials formed from the giant trees and ferns of millions of years ago, and from the still more ancient fertile humus-clay soils in which the said trees and ferns were grown.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide a liquid carrier for -the coal~based versatile bartering comm-odity to make of it an explosion-free and non-flamable liquid mixture, and also to provide for improved ease of handling, mixing and p~àcement as well as an additional water source.

Still another main object of the present invention is the provision of a complete soil building mixture for use in both domestic and International trading areas, wherein the -permanen-t humus and coal-clay additives are combined with non-septic and pathogen-free liquid organic-sewage-waste and transported to areas of potential use by existing pipelines, pumping equipment and oil-tanker carriers. ~lso to provide a highly absorbent artificial sand for the collec-tion and long term storage of l,~ater and fertilizer substances frorn sewage.

~1~234~
COA~-RASED, VERSA~I~E BAR~ERING COMMODI~Y

~ACKGROUND 0~ THE INV~NTION

The present invention relates in general to maximizing the utilitarian and economic viability of low grade coal materials, and in particular it relates to a method of producing a coal-based, versatile-bartering commodity for use in domestic and Interna-tional trading areas having unique singular utili-tarian properties and a plurality of suppor-tive auxiliary roles, and the product produced by practicing the method.

It is reported by the news ~edia that Canada's coal exports will -triple over the next decade, and that Pacific Rim and ~uropean countries will be a major factor in -that growth. At the same time, it is said, world markets for thermal coal will more than double. ~y the end of the presen-t decade, world demand for thermal coal is expected to reach 2~2 million tonnes annu~
ally, There can be no logical argument against the sta-tements by our responsible sales authority, that our Canadian coal resour-ces, which are a non-renewable part of our Canadian resource heritage, should be managed in such a fashion that the utmost benefit therefrom should acrue -to the peoples of Canada, rather than to the peoples of the user countries~

Thus the question arises, whether it is good management prac-tice to export these non-renewable coals to Pacific Rim and other user countries in raw material form as opposed to a proc-essed or semi-processed coal-based product, particularly when the user is buying our coal in a buyers market, enabling the buyer to play off one supplier against another, and thus cater~
ing in effect -to the expansive commercial aspirations of -the 30 user coun-tries. 5 Z3~

For example, coal -traditionally has always su~fered in both domestic and export markets from wha-t is known in the coal trade as freight sensitivity. In other words potential coal sales have a localized marketing area which is normally limi-ted by -the availability of competitively priced coal materials of simllar rank and quality nearest to the area of grea-test potential use.
Thus our Canadian coal product, all other considerations being equal, will always be subàected to these e~tra pressures over `
which we have no control, which factors will always limit the continued viability over the long term, and thus the viability and overall long term profitability of our export -thermal-coal-sales market.

Paradoxically, there is ample evidence to show that low grade thermal-coal materials and oxidized high grade coal-waste mater-ials may be converted into products having a much greater value both from an economic standpoint and utility application than freshly mined thermal or metalurgical coal, and further that they would fulfill an urgent need in areas of public concern as highly accep-table,viable new products having appeal as versatile bartering commodities catering to a sellers market.

~ he most impor-tant present-day use of thermal coal is as a source of energy, so that the most important property of coal is its combustibility. Yet the part of coal that does not burn is by no means unimportant. If you live within some miles of a coal-fired electric generating plant you cannot avoid inhaling some of the millions of tons of ash particles and chemicals which are discharged into the air every year with the gases (which are the main causes of acid rain in reaction with other air born chemicals) produced by the incomplete combustion of the coal substance itself. It is evident that the main charge against the mineral matter and chemicals of the coal is that it is an ~15Z3~9 offender against public heal-th9 and that i-t is the source of the materials and chemicals tha-t pollutes the soils,air and waterways with its air-born pollutants.

Thermal coal materials which are most commonly used in broad applications (such as electric generating plants, cement manuf-acturing, industrial and coal-chemical plants), consist of a combustible and non-combustible rnixture. While the desired heat value of suitable thermal coal may range from about 10,500 to 13,500 B.~.U~per pound of dry matter, the coal material may have a high ash, volatiles, and moisture content. ~he main dis-advantages in the shipping of this type of thermal coal, is its tendency to heat up and ca-tch fire by spontaneous combus-tion. In the past, this problem has caused the abandonment, sinking and loss of life from many coal-carrying ships, and has resulted in the present high insurance rates and transport-ation charges on thermal coal shipments. Another disadvantage with the use of thermal coal, is the high load of contaminants therein which are dischargéd to the atmosphere when the coal is burned, which results in serious health hazards to people living in the vicini-ty of plants burning such coals, as well as the indiscriminate contamination of buildings, clothing, soils and waters by the resul-tant acid rain therefrom.

In both cases referred to above, the degradation of thermal coals in shipment, and -the contamination resulting from the firing of the coal is due mainly to the contaminant load such as moisture, ash and volatiles in the thermal coal. If this contaminan-t load in the thermal coal could be decreased suff-iciently at a reasonable increase in cost which would not neg-ate -the economic advantages of using a cleansed thermal coal ~0 as opposed to a conventional contaminated thermal coal, and if 1 5~3~

the cleansed coal product of the present invention could serve a greater utilitarian role in widely diversified new non-fuel applications than conventional uncleansed thermal coal, and was found to be acceptable for use as an International bar-t-ering commodity with oil producing OP-EC countries, then a sellers market would exist to the mutual advantage of both trading partners~

~ or example, methods of re-structuring windblown and eroded topsoil from former croplands have traditionally proved inad-equate due to the degradation of such soils resulting fromthe force feeding of ~he soil with ever-increasing amounts of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. ~or example, soils force-fed with synthetic ni-trogen fertilizers will produce a quick response in plant growth from -the soil, but as there is lit-tle plant organic-residue returned to the soil af-ter the crop is harvested, the soil actually becomes more impoverished with each succeeding crop, and thus needs a greater amoun-t of syn-thetic fertilizer in each year, resulting in the gradual deg-radation and eventual complete exhaustion of the soil (in other words a desertified ex-cropland). Therefore, when ~oi~l!aoos~s fer-tility and natural stability due to the loss of its humus, clay and organic matter, there is a very distinct possibility the loosely bound soil particles will be at the mercy of the wind and rain and will be carried away, which results in the topsoil becoming eroded. Therefore, a material which can effect-ively provide a fully ma-ture humus, a clay bonding agen-t, and a source of fresh organic fertilizer constituents às a liquid mixture thereof,suitable for use in re-structuring exhau~ted topsoil,will negate the possibili-ty of the topsoil ~ecoming eroded then desertified resulting from the comple-te breakdown of the aforesaid topsoil structure.

~ 8 --~23~

By the same token, it is the same group of oil rich, prod-ucing count~ies of OPEC (consisting of mainly Arab Middle ~ast oil producing countries), wherein the greater proportion of their land area is best described as deserts (which are in fac-t ex-croplands), are arid, eroded or desertified, and are bordering on the great Sahara desert, whose sewage and land-fill-refuse treatment facilities are for the most part minimal or non-exis-tant, and whose new found wealth (from thelr huge oil reserves, and fabulously profitable investments) has been channeled into highly diversified new industries, whose fact-ories, although they are for the most part still newl are rep-orted to have polluted much of the Mediterranean Sea as well as their neighbours lands, are the same major oil producing countries presently supplying Canada, the U.S.A. and Japan with much of their crude oil requirements. Therefore, a mat-erial which can effectively aid in the re-structuring of arid, eroded or desertified ex-croplands to make of them crop-prod-ucing topsoils, and help contain and eliminate the sewage and pollutant levels from domestic and industrial sources, will help ease the foodstuf~s problems in the African continent, correct the pollution problems to a great extent in the Med-iterranean Sea and the environmen-t problems in the aforesaid OPEC nations and their neighbours lands. Thus an opportunity to correct the aforementioned urgent crop producing problems of the OPEC nations and at the same time reduce the apparent oil deficit costs of our Canadian, U.S. and Japanese crude oil imports by a mutual exchange of versatile bartering commodities between said have and have not importing countries wherein Canada may assume a user and the coal material supplier role in these International bartering transactions.
g _ ~ ~;i2349 SU~MARY ~F THE I~ENTION

In the present invention, a method of producing improved sing-ular and supportive versatile bartering commodities is disc-losed which comprises the steps of separating a clayey coal material into first, second and -third por-tions, the first port-ion being soft-burned at a -bemperature of from 350F. to 850F., the second portion being crushed and screened to remove the crumbly clay fraction from the coal fraction thereof, said sec-ond portion coal-fraction material being subjected to one or more wetting and drying cycles followed by a thorough leaching with one or a combination of air, vapour or liquids, selected from a group consisting of hot or cold air, hot or cold wa-ter, steam, an acid or a base. The first, second and a third por-tion crumbly coal-clay fraction are crushed and screened separately to produce fine particulate coal material having a maximum diameter passing through a 200 mesh screen, and larger sized coal material having a maximum diameter of 3/4 of an inch. Eit-her or both of the fine particulate and larger sized coal ma-t-erials may be admixed with a liquid carrier after being pre-wetted, in a conventional type mixing machine, for a periodof time sufficient to thoroughly intermix the liquid carrier with the coal materials.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, a soil-re-structuring mixture suitable for replacing the essential crop-producing constituent parts of depleted, arid, eroded and des-ert ex-cropland masses i5 produced a In the first embodiment, a first portion absorbent artificial sand is provided in sand gradations ranging in size from a larger sized coal material in which the maximum diameter is 3/4 of an inch, a fine partic-ulate sizing in which the maximum size is that passing througha 200 mesh screen, and a finer sizing in which not more than _ 10 -~ ~ ~23~

12% is retained on a 325 mesh screen when passed therethrough.
~he first, second and third por-tions of the fine particulate coal materials are added to a pre-stabilized (meaning a non-septic, odour-free, and baeteria-free) liqui.d carrier eompris-ing (where permitted) a typica]. domestie liquid sewage s-tream, with the fine particulate coal materials being added thereto in a proportion of at least 50/0 of the first portion to 2~%
of the second portion, and 25% of the third portion, such that the liquid to coal-material ratio ranges from 1~to 0007 to 1 to 3. The coal materials are selected from a group consisting of eoal, bone eoal, eoal shale, elayey eoal, coal dirt, near eoal, burned and unburned coal was-tes, brown coal, bottom ash, fly ash, subbituninous coal, bituminous coal, ligni-te co~l, and leonardi-teO The sof-t burning of the firs-t portion of the fine particulate coal materials is advantageously practiced at from 550F. to 650F. for from two to ten hours. A second emb-odiment of the present invention results in the production of a mature coal-humus fine partieulate and larger sized coal materi~ whieh is suitable for providing a mature type of soil-20 .humus (as opposed to fresh plant-residue potential-humus) fully representative of the ancient original humus from which it is derived. ~he fine particulate coal-humus is added to a liquid earrier either alone or in combination with other desired soil eonstituent parts to replenish humus deficient soils, while the larger sized coal materials are provided as a filter media through which is directed an industrial pollutant bearing stream prior to discharge into a domestic sewage collecting line. After the pollutants have been collected on the larger sized coal materials, they may be encapsulated as aggregates in an improved asphalt mixture to serve in a supportive funct-ional role. ~he fine particulate coal materials may be added ~.~1 5Z3~

tQ the liquid carrier in a proportion of 25% of the total of the first, second and third portions of the coal materials when used as a combined mixture thereof, or alternatively may be used as a singular versatile bartering commodity in -the prov-ision of a mature coal humus-in-water as a liquid carrier mix-ture in a proportion of a water-carrier to coal-humus ratio ranging from 1 to 0.07, to 1 to 3. A third embodiment of the present invention results in the production of an improved mature humus and coal-clay mixture having improved soil build-ing and crop-producing potential, as well as the capability of stabilizing the soil materials by bonding the loosely bound soil particles together, wherein the clay portion serves to seal-off the sub-soil layer thereby conserving the moisture near the plant root zone, and wherein the coal-humus portion provides an indispensible source of mature humus needed by growing plants to ensure early growth therefrom. The clayey coal material is first crushed and screened to separate the crumbly clay fraction from the coal fraction as separate quan-ities thereof, the clay fraction and the coal fractions are then crushed and screened to produce a clay fraction and a coal fraction having amaximum diameter passing through a 200 mesh screen. The coal fraction being subjected to one or more wet-ting and drying cycles followed by a thorough leaching to prov-ide a coal humus second portion therefrom, and the clay mater-ial becoming the third portion. In the -third embodiment both the second and third portions of said coal materials are added as fine particulate coal-humus~and coal-clay materials being added to a liquid carrier in the proportion of 50% second por-tion to 50% third por-tion, and then are added in a pre-wetted condition to the carrier in a liquid to coal material ratio ranging from 1 to 0.07 to 1 to 3.

~1523'~g In the fourth embodiment o~ -the present invention the third-portion fine particulate soil-stabili3ing coal-clay mixture is preferably shipped to either domestic or International ex-port markets as a coal-clay suspension in water slurry as opp-osed to intermixin~ the coal-clay soil stabilizing materials with the coal-humus first portion and/or the liquid-organic-sewage waste of the third embodiment (which may readily be available at or near an area of potential use), when addit-ional advantage may be taken of the coal-clay product's ver-satilityinexpanding its product field of usefulness in manydiverse fields of urgent public concern. These additional areas of potential usefulness are evident from a study of the first section of thb present diclosure entitled CROSS RE~R-~iC~ TO REIATED PATENTS on pages 2 and 3. The unique ability of the olle product to perform a multiplicity of differing tasks makes it unique among thermal coals now being shipped from Canada to export markets, and thus more able to compete in both a buyers and a sellers coal market more easily and profitably. Eurthermore, the additional advantage of the prod-uct of the present invention is its potential for added tradeas a versatile bartering commodity at International levels between two have, and have not trading partners.

The coal-clay slurried mixture is best moved to both domes-tic and expor-t markets by pipeline and tanker *ransportation, when advantage may be taken of existing under-used gas pipeline and returning oil tanker carriers~ to negotiate a more favor-able transportation rate. In the large scale application of said commodities in forestry or desertified land areas arial tanker spraying will provide very effective cover over said land mass.

~iS2349 ~ fifth embodiment of -the presen-t invention results in a stabilized (meaning a non-septic, odour-free and pathogen free liquid organic sewage waste) liquid organic sewage waste which is safe to handle, transport and apply. In the fifth embodiment either the first portion, second portion and/or both portions fine particulate coal-based materials may be utiliæed, being first pre-wetted then intermixed with the said liquid organic sewage waste either prior to or following its discharge into a sewage collection pipe of a domestic, industrial, agricult-ural or manufac-turing gathering system, and prior -to i-ts disch-arge into a stabilizing~ lagoon, holding area or the like. rrhe stabilizing coal-based fine particulate materials are added to the liquid organic sewage waste such that at least 100 to 1,000 pounds of said fine particulate coal materials are added to 1 million gallons of said liquid, depending upon the streng-th Gf the sewage wastes, said strength being pre-determined by chemical and physical tests. If it is found that a greater prop-ortion of the wastes consists of solids materials, an addition of an added amount o~ the said fine particulate coal material just prior to the arrival of the liquid sewage and coal fines mixture at the said lagoon will cause the solids to settle out in the lagoon. After the requisite holding period of 30 days the said sewage solids may be recovered, wet-ground and disch-arged into the -trans~ortation system. ~ities, -towns and munic-ipalities now discharging their domestic sewage into our lakes, rivers or oceans may now contemplate collecting their own and/or the neighboring sewage production and by the use of an intercon-necting series of sewage gathering and holding lagoons, disch-arge thèir collective stabilized sewage into a main collector line linked to a domestic or In-ternational user dis-tribution, treatment and application system. r~he liquid to coal fine mat-erial loading ratios for tanker transportation may range from 1 to 0.7 to 1 to 3.

34g A sixth embodiment of the present invention resul-ts in the production of a reddish-colored artificial absorbent~sand material, said sand characterized in that it has been proc-essed by controlled burning with limited access to air, then crushed and screened to produce therefrom fine particulate burned coal material having a highly-porous, absorbent and abrasive particle-structure. The absorbent artificial-sand material of the present invention differs from natural desert sand in that it serves to collect and hold water/and or liquid fertilizer ma-terial added thereto, over an extended period of time. Also, said highly-abrasive and absorbent ar-tificial-sand serves -to cause -the early demise of winged and crawling insect-pests by a:Efecting-detrimentally their respira-tory and digestive systems, and causing the abrasion of their ou-ter shell causing thereby their desication occasioned by the loss of body fluids therefrom. Utilizing the reddish colour of said burned artificial-absorbent-sand firs-t-por-tion in contrast with said second and third portions black-coloured fine-part-iculate coal-material to provide a colour-coded visual record for use by operators-of said arial tanke~ sprayer or dus-ting devices. The burning of the coal-material first-portion is advantageously prac-ticed at a temperature of from 550F to 650F. with controlled access to air for from two to ten hours. The artificial absorbent-sand materialsafter burning are crushed and screened -to produce therefrom singular-util-itarian and supportive functional,versatile-bar-tering-commodity and coal-based~artifi-cial absorbent-sand products,in various gradations ranging from a finer-sized dust material having a maximum particle diameter in which not more than 12% is ret-ained on a 325 mesh screen when passed therethrough9 a sizing in which the maximum diameter is that passing through a 200 mesh screen, andlarger sized gradations range up to that size 3~9 passing through a 3/4 inch screen. ~he said artificial absorb-ent sand firs~t-p~rtbon ls best used as a firs-t soll additive when advantage may be taken of its ability to delineate a treated section of soil from an untreated section because of said colour coding.

BRIEF DESCRIP~ION OF THF DRAWINGS
Figure 1, is a flow diagram showing the various facets of the process for producing an improved soil-re-structuring mixture in a plant-nutrient-enriched liquid carrier, accord-ing -to the first embodiment of the present inven-tion.

Figure 2, is a flow diagram showing -the various facets of the process for producing a black colour-coded fully-mature coal-humus-in-water carrier mixture, according to the second embod-iment of the presen-t inven-tion.

Figure 3, is a flow diagram showing the various facets of the process for producing a blackc-olour-coded improved coal-humus and clay soil-stabilizing and re-structuring mixture in a liquid carrier thereof, according to -the -third embod-iment of the present invention.

Figure 4, is a flow diagram showing the various facets of the process for producing a black colour-coded improved soil stab-ilizing coal-clay mixture in a liquid carrier thereof, acc-ording to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5, is a flow diagram showing the various facets of the process for producing a stabilized, plant-nutrient-enrich-ed liquid carrier from liquid domes-tic sewage wastes, accord-ing to the fifth embodiment of -the present inven-tion.

Figure 6, is a flow diagram showing the various facets of the process for producing a colour coded, improved, absorben-t sand according to the six-th embodiment of the presen-t invention.

~523~L9 DETAII.ED DESCRIPTION O:F THE PR:EFERRED EMBODIM~TS

In practicing the present invention and with reference to Fi~ure 1, almost any type of low grade, low carbon content of coal or waste coal materials may be utili~ed. Such coal mater-ials may have little or no commercial value for their ~.T.U.
heat content but are especially valuable to the present inven-tion. Such coal materials typically contain as much as 50%
"coal dirt" (meaning the clayey-coal material associated with low grade coal and coal wastes), which generally forms the partings between coal seams. Such coal dirt is in most instan-ces still soil~ Its just "ancient soil" that once supported the gigantic trees and ferns that formed the many metres thick lay-ers of coal, and it therefore contains a multitude of substan-ces needed by growing plants. ~s is well known, we normally ferti~e the fields or plants by applying mainly ni-trogen, phosphorus and potassiumO Actually, plants like humans, need a much more varied diet than that~ They normally get all their additional nutrients out of the earth, but they cannot keep taking these nutrients forever. We must think about restoring the necessary balance to the soil. This can be done, according to the present invention, with the aid of -the coal-dirt mater-ials we have heretofore discarded on mining dumps.

Coal materials which have been found acceptable in practicing the present invention include coal, bone coal, coal shale, coal dirt, clayey coal~ near coal, fly ash, bottom ash, bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, brown coal, lignite coal, leonardite and coal wastes thereof which are either burned or unburned or any kind of coal bearing or coal associa-ted coal material what-soever. ~he coal materials or wastes may resul-t from the mining and processing of any kind of coal material. The more valuable anthracite coal is less desirable due to its lower content of suitable non-carbon materials.

1~5;23~

The coal material is separated into a first portion which is --to be soft-burned (aterm well known in the art, meaning to burn slowly at a relatively low temperature), a second portion whose internal and external surface areas are to be expanded and leac-hed, and a third portion which is to be crushed, screened and pulverized The coal material second portion is separated from the clay materials therein by crushing and screening to produce therefrom a second portion coal material and a third portion coal-clay mixture. The coal materials of the firs-t and second portions are further crushed and sized, the sizing resul-ting in a fine particulate coal material having a maximum particle diameter passing through a 200 mesh screen (with no minimum diameter), and a larger sized coal material having a minimum diameter sufficient to be retained on a 200 mesh screen, and a maximum diameter of approximately 3/~ of an inch. The coal-clay materials of -the third portion are fur-ther crushed and sized, the sizing resul-ting in a fine particulate coal-clay mixture having a maximum particle diameter passing through a 200 mesh screen (with no minimum diameter). The coal materials may be crushed and sized prior to soft burning the first portion, exp-anding and leaching the second portion or further crushing and sizing the third portion, or subsequent to these processes. Due to the difficulty in handling the fine particulate coal mater-ial, it may be easier to produce the first and second portions prior to crushing and sizing the coal materials, The following examples are illustrative of the invention but are not intended to be limiting in any manner~

~ 18 -i239L~
EXAMP~ 1 In producing a wa-ter-based soil re-building liqui~ carrier for use in the massive re-structuring of arid, eroded or des-ertified waste-lands, a formulation of essential soil-making constituent parts consisting of ma-ture humus, clay stabilizer, absorbent sand, an immediate source of fresh organic~matter, and a water-source, is artificially prepared. ~o this liquid carrier is added a fine particulate coal material produced by crushing and screening a clayey coal material so that the maximum particle diameter passes through a 200 mesh screen. A
first portion of the coal material is calcined in a conventional furnace at a temperature of 600F. for approximately 4 hours.
(alternatively, the coal material may be crushed and screened to the desired size after it has been soft-burned.) A second portion of the coal materials is produced by separating the coal fraction from the clay fraction of the clayey coal ma-t-erial, and spreading the coal fraction one to three feet deep over a broad confined area and sprinkle irrigating with water for a period of time sufficient to at least moisten -the lower-most coal materials. l'he coal materials are then allowed to dry by exposure to radiant energy, the process being repeated daily for a period of seven days. At the end of seven days, the coal materials are flood irrigated so that all of the coal particles are totally saturated with water, which is then drained and -the coal materials are allowed to completely dry. At this point, the coal materials are crushed and screened so tha-t the maximum particle size passes through a 200 mesh screen. A third portion of the coal materials is produced by recovering the separated clay fraction of the clayey coal material and crushing and screening the clay~fraction so that the maximum particle size ~0 passes through a 200 mesh screen. While the fresh organic con-stituent part of the soil-building carrier-mixture may be sup-plied by a locally available source, where desirable, stabilized ~1 52391~

domestic organic sewage waste may be utilized to serve bo-th as a source of fresh organic matter and as a nutrient rich addit-ional water source. ~he sewage is stabilized (meaning, -to make the sewage non~-septic, odour-free, and free of harmful types of pa-thogenic bacteria), by the intermixing therewith of a predetermined quantity of the fine particulate coal-clay mixture of the third portion ei-ther prior to, or during the transportation of the sewage to the sewage holding lagoon.

~he coal-material products comprising a first portion absor-bent sand, a second portion mature humus, and a third portioncoal-clay stabilizing material resulting from the above proc-esses are added to the stabilized domestic-organic-sewage-waste liquid-carrier mixture in a pre-wetted condition so as to place the additives in suspension therein in the proportion of 5~%
of the first portion absorbent sand, 25% of the second portion mature humus, and 25% of the third portion coal-clay mixture, such that the total coal ma-terials equal approximately 10 to 15% by weight of the liquid- carrier mixture.

~o determine the effects of stabilized domestic organic sew-age waste in correcting the acidity of -topsoils intarmixed with coal waste the following tests were made~

~ he liquid carrier mixture was used -to reclaim diked plo-ts of extremely acid coal-waste spoils. ~he plots represen-ted spoils with different degrees of acidity from pH 2.3 to near neutrality.

~ he liquid carrier mixture was applied to plots by flood irr-igation and left on the surface to dry and form a seed bed for a mixture of grasses and legumes. It formed cracks as it dried where the seeds germinated and grew, extending roots into the soil. l1he grasses and legumes were growing vigorously 6 years later. Not only can the liquid carrier mixture reduce acidity iZ349 problems, it can also reduce severe alkalinity problems. The liquid organic sewage waste carrier mixture was used to treat an alkali sand filled lagoon (pH 10.5), 170 dry tons to -the acre of liquid sewage waste was incorporated into the sand sur-face and planted to rye, orchard and broome grasses and resul-in a dense vegetative cover. Also the sewage waste concentration reduced the sodium content of the soil, the main deterrent to normal plant growth. These large scale tests showed that sewage waste applications can reclaim sterile alkaline land in less than one year; it could have massive application possibilities in alkaline arid, and desertified soils in Africa and Mexico.

EXAMPI,~ 2 q'he method of the third embodiment of the present invention results in a coal material which is an effective medium for providing increased long term growth for trees in the forestry industry. A coal-clay material similar to that utilized in the third portion in ~xample 1, shows in a practical manner, the unique ability of waste coal-clay or coal dirt materials to grow mature trees in about half the usual tre-crop rotation period.
Test Procedure:
Diameter tape, and increment bore size to half diameter of largest tree. ~riill to just over 1/2 diameter straight to the core. Remove boring~ Count rings to the core (dark). Add four years to age to get to 4~ feet (chest height) Measure tree diameter.
The coal-clay materials t~ere discarded as waste into a ravine filling the ravine to a depth of about 100 feet, so that the tree roots were at least 50 to 75 feet from the nearest soil.

3~
Two trees were selected and tested as being representative of the tree cover, which after examinarion by the local for-ester were found to grade ~ 2 wood.

The dramatic growth pattern of trees which were bedded natur-ally in coal-clay or "ancient" coal dirt materials is shown in the following photographs. The coal-clay waste materials have been stockpiled in a ravine near the old mine for a period of abo~t 75 years, and during this time have been subjected to a natural expanding and leaching process by the elements over that period of time.

Test Results:
Tree #1 Diameter 26 inches age 36 years Tree #2 Diameter 34 inches age 52 years The growth had slowed down in Tree #2 for the last 10 years or so according to the forester.

The balsam trees tested in the foregoing example are "living"
proof that trees can be grown by the silverculture industry without the aid of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and in about ' half the normal crop-rotation period, by utilizing the ancient humus and original coal-clay dirt from which they both originated, 3~

EXAMP~ 3 ~ o determine the ef~ectso~ liquid sewage sludge in correct-ing the acidity o~ topsoils intermixed with coal waste the following tests were made.

~ he li~uid sewage sludge was used to reclaim diked plots of extremely acid coal=waste spoils. ~he plots represented spoils with different degrees of acidity from pH 2.3 to near neutral-ity.

~ iquid sludge was app~iedto plots by flood irrigation and left on the surface to dry and form a seed bed for a mixture of gras-ses and legumes. It formed cracks as it dried where the seeds germinated and grew, extending roots into the soil. ~he grasses and legumes were growing vigorously 6 years later. Not only can sludge -treatment reduce acidity problems, it can also reduce severe alkalinity problems. ~he sludge was used to treat an alkali sand-filled lagoon (pH 10.5)~ 170 ~ry-tons/acre of sludge incorporated into the sand surface and planted to rye, orchard and broome grasses resulted in a dense vegetative cover. Also, the sludge application reduced sodium concentration, the main deterrent to plant growth. These large scale tests showed that sludge applications can reclaim sterile alkaline land in less than one year; it could have massive application possibilities in alkaline arid, and desertified soils in Africa.

~ 23 -.

~XAMP~ ~

To determine the sales potential of -the singular and supp-ortive versatile bartering commodities of the presen-t invention, and their viability and profitability a wide ranging study was made. ~he study found that the major concern of most peoples of the world was the long term supply of foodstuffs to meet the needs of the fast growing po~ulated areasO Paradoxically, the areas of greatest need are -those self-same countries bord-ering upon the great Sahara Desert whose major exports consist of the crude oil so badly need by the industrialized world.

Trade, is defined as the traffic in goods. Whether it is cond-ucted by gift, barter or sale, trade as such is one of -the most widespread of all social institutions. Over many hundreds of years the desert caravans of Nor-th Africa and the Arabian Pen-insula are among the more famous examples of the p~actice. To-day, the world's major trading powers, where the principles of efficient marke-ting have been applied to domestic trade, has at the present -time attained enormous volume. Trade between reg-ions and between countries is natural where each produces some commodity -that the other needs. For example, modern indus-trial-ized and developing countries need certain metals or other raw or semi finished materials, which they must obtain by trade if they do not have them, or do no-t produce them in sufficien-t quantity at home, Canada is a have country in terms of (suitable, singular and and suppor-tive commodity raw-materials) coal-material self-suf-ficiency having coal materials suitable for processing the prod-ucts of bo-th singular and supportive related inventions widely distributed from coast -to coast. Canada, is also a have not, country in terms of crude oil self-sufficiency, with a reported oil deficit of close to $7-~ billion.

V~RSAr~I~E BAR'l'ERING COMMODI11Y
Adjoining the major oil producing countries and forming a major part of some of them is the vast Sahara Deser-t. It is the world's largest desert, c.3,500,000 sq mi (9,065,000 sq km), N. Africa; it is the western part of a great arid zone that continues into SW Asia. h`xtending more than 3,000 mi (~,830 km) from t~e Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
Dotted line gives an approximation of the vast size of the Sahara Desert.

¢~

f ~ r~ ~ ~ a ~ ~

3~
SUPPORTIV~, V~RSATI~ B~Rrl'~RING COMMODITIES

~ y the same token, methods of re-struc-turing windblo~m and eroded topsoil from former fertile croplands,have tra~itionally proved inadequate due to the force-feeding of the soils with more and more synthetic fertilizersin ever-increasing amounts.
~or example, soils force fed wi-th synthetic fertili~ers will produce a qùick response in plant grow-th from the soil, but since there is l~-ttle plant residue returned to the soil from the crop, the soil actually becomes more impoverished,and thus needs a greater amount of fertilizer additives in each succeed-ing year, resul-ting in the gradual exhaustion of the topsoil.
Therefore, when the topsoil which has been receiving the afore-said massive doses of fer-tilizer looses its cohesiveness and natural stability due to the loss o its organic matter and clay,through this degradation process,there is a very distinct possibility the loosely-bound soil particles will be at the mercy of the wind and rain,and will be carried away,and the soil will become eroded. Therefore a material which can effecti-vely provide a fully-mature type of humus, a clay bonding agent, and a source of fresh organic fertilizing soil-constituent-parts for the re-structuring of the soil will negate the possibili-ty of the topsoil becoming desertified and eroded resulting from -the breakdo~l of the aforesaid topsoil structure.

Similarly, cement-making materials which are most commonly used in broad cement making applications ~such as limestone, clays and shale 9 slag, sand and sandstone, gypsum, iron ore and iron dust) are raw cement-making mixtures. While these raw cement-making materials are easy to recover and burn in the cement-making kiln, the contaminants released by the burning process may be accumulated in the resultant cement clinker, thus the eventual cement material after grinding may contain reactive chemical ingredients which may cause the eventual degradation of the cement subsequent to its placement. Therefore, when the cement structure begins the degradation process -there is a very " ~5234g distinct possibility of the structure cracking or disintegrating.
In the case of Hydro Dams, -toxic liquid or waste containers and reservoirs when the concrete structure containing the liquid begins this degradation process the liquids contained -therein will be released to the surrounding environment. Widespread destruction, contamination of water, air and/or soil may result therefrom~ ~herefore, a pre-cleansed cement-making material which can effectively prevent the accumulation of unwanted harmful chemical pollutants in the cement produc-t will negate the possibility Gf destruction and contamination resulting from the break-down of concrete structures holding the liquids or liquid pollutants.

Similarly, methods of treating sewage and other organic wastes have traditionally proved inadequate due to rapidly increasing overloads of treatment equipment, low degree of trea-tment eff-ectiveness, high costs, final disposal problems of the liquid sewage sludge wastes, and the resistance of taxpayers to the ever- increasing tax burden. ~or example, domestic sewage orig-inating from many of our largest cities and towns is still being discharged, with minimal or no treatment whatsoever, int~
the nearest waterway, which may be a stream, river, lake, or ocean. The organic wastes, then tend to become a detrimen-t to the waters~ thereby destroying the aesthetic and recrea-tional value of the waterway. Widespread contamination from this source has affected the air, water, and soil, and has created an urg-ent potential health hazard, and is now a major health hazard in countries all around the world. Therefore,a material which can effectively treat the liquid sewage or organic wastes9 rem-ove odours therefrom, eliminate the bacteria therefrom, decimate pathogenic bacteria therein, and recover and store the fertil-i~er nutrients therein, for -the continuing benefit rather than the detriment of mankind, will serve to negate the contamination resulting from the aforesaid indiscriminate discharge of liquid sewage or other organic wastes.

Additionally, methods of removing toxic substances and heavy me-tals from water, soils, and air, have traditionally proved inadequate due to the ineffectiveness of present day treatment methods, equipment, and materials. ~or example, in the treatmen-t of combined sewage and industrial wastewaters toxic substances and heavy metals pass through primary, secondary and tertiary stages of treatment unhindered, which results in the build-up of toxic substances and heavy metals in water, plant life, fish, animals and vege-tation, and eventually through the food chain to humans, after its discharge. Widespread contamination of wat-er, air and~rsoilmay result therefrom. ~herefore a material which can effectively adsorb and seal the pollutants in imperm-eable and unbreakable bonds will negate the possibility of cont-amination resulting from the discharge of harmful toxic subs-tan-ces and heavy metals to the environmentO

~urthermore, methods of treating and removing oil spills and leakages from water have traditionally proved inadequate due to the admitted ineffectiveness of present day treatment methods~
equipment and treatment materials. For example, oil spills or oil leakage on water rapidly spreads so that it covers a grea-ter and greater area. As it spreads it ages, and the thickness of oil on the surface of the water becomes so thin that it some-times appears to be little more than a sheen. ~herefore, when the oil has spread over a very large area it becomes more diff-icult to treat by conven-tional means, and much o~ it is was-hed ashore to pollute -the shoreline, and kill off birds and marine life, widespread environmental contamination may result thereby. ~herefore a material which can effectivelyS prevent
- 2~ -i;23~
-the spreading of oil resul-ting from an oil spill or leakage on water -to ensure that it is contained at or near the point of origin 9 thereby making the clean up of the oil contamination more expeditious and cleaner9will negate -the possibility of the massive oil pollution of our waterways9 the destruc-tion of bird and sea life, and save the shorelines from degradation.

Again, methods of preventing the build-up and the eventual discharge of toxic substances and heavy metal leachates from landfills have -traditionally proved inadequa-te due to the pres-ently used conven-tional method of landfill preparation and buildup. For examplel landfill refuse is placed on a prepared base witha p~rforated pipe drainage and collection system. ~he floor of the fill is sloped towards a well system from which the leachate collec-ted from the refuse fill after rainwater has passed therethrough is pumped to a treatment area or discharged to ground or a waterway. ~herefore, when the pollutants enter the groundwater, there is a very distinct possibility that wide-spread contamination of water, air and/or soil may result there-from. ~herefore, a material which can effect~vely prevent the formation of leachates within the landfill will negate the pos-ibility of contamination resulting from landfill leachates.

Also, methods for providing a full range of treatment to sew-age (such as primary9 secondary and tertiary) have traditionall-y proved inadequate due to the inefficiency of conventional sewage treatment methods. For example, combined domestic and industrial sewage has been found difficult to treat with any great degree of effectiveness because of the ever-increasing number of active and reactive chemicals therein, which for the most part defy analysis. ~herefore, when the sewage passes through the conven-tional primary, secondary and tertiary stages of sewage treat-ment it still carries a major portion of its more harmful cont-aminant load, and when the effuent is discharged there is a very ~S;23~

distinct possibili-ty the pollutants con-tained -therein will be released to the surrounding environment, widespread contamin-ation of water, air and/or soil may result therefrom. There~ore, a material which can effectively adsorb toxic and heavy metal pollutants from sewage and provide both secondary and tertiary treatment to sewage within the confines of the sewage collection system when added thereto in fine]y divided form, or at its point of origin prior to its discharge into the collection system, will negate the possibility of contamination from such sewage effluent discharges.

Moreover, methods of providing long term storage for harmful pollutants have traditionally proved inadequate due to the rel-atively short life-span of the materials used to encase the harm-ful pollutants. For example, pollu-tants stored in metal or con-crete containers may have an effective life-span of only a few hundred years, whereas the toxicity of heavy metals or radioac-tive effluent may not decrease appreciably over a period of sev-eral thousand-years. Therefore when the con-tainer in which the pollutants have been s-tored begins the degradation process, there is a very distinct possibility the effluent contained therein will be released to the surrounding environmentl Wide-spread contamination of water, air and/or soil may result there-from. ~herefore,a material which can effectively seal the poll-utants in impermeable and unbreakable bonds will negate the pos-sibility of contamination resulting from the breakdown of cont-ainers holding the pollutants.

Likewise, methods of treating sewage originating in unsewered domestic, and industrialized areas have traditionally proved inadequate due malfunctioning and failure of sep-tic tank and disposal fields associated with the systems. For example, ~L~5Z39~9 septic tank e~fluents are discharged from -the tank directly in-to a tiled disposal field. ~he sewage at -this stage is only Partially treated (abou-t 30 to 40/0), the trea-tmen-t consisting of set-tling ou~of the larger solids and the anaerobic decompos~
ition of part of the organic matter. ~he septic tank e~fluents are highly septic and odoriferous, and also high in solids, fats and washwater chemicals, as well as billions upon billions of bacteria including pathogens~(there is reported to be 1 path-ogen in every 50,000 sewage type bacteria load), while much of 10 the land used for the disposal of septic tank sewage according ~ `
to the per colating method of suitabili-ty testing~ due to the high load of sewage carried solids even the best percolating soils eventually become plugged with solids and are then classed as a malfunctioning system. When a septic tank system and disp-osal field malfunctions (and there is said to be many hundreds of thousands of such systems malfunctioning in Canada), the sep-tic se~age effluent rises to the soilsurface to cause an odoriferous and unhealthy environment. ~herefore a material, which can effectively provide all three stages of sewage treat-ment (such as primary, secondary and tertiary) at the septic tank stage of such treatment will negate the possibility of con-tamination resulting from the discharge of partially treated septic tank effluents.

Further additionally, methods of producing ac-tivated carbon have traditionally proved inadequate due to the high cost of treatment and elapsed time in manufacturing. For example, it has been reported that it takes about ten tons of raw coal mat-erials and abou-t 18 hours of processing-time to make one ton of ac-tivated carbon by conventional processing me-thods. ~here-fore the cost to the user is high, about ~500 to ~5,000 a ton.~herefore, while the need for various forms of activated carbon is high, in many cases (particularly in newly developing count-ries), this high cost cannot be justified~Thus many potential users~ undoubtedly including those needing it the mos-t, are _ 31 -~` ~L152~

deprived of the poten-tial bene~i-ts which results ~rom its use. Therefore a material, which can effectively perform many of the ~unctions of commercial activa-ted carbons and at a ~raction of the cost of commercial activated carbons will negate these limitations and serve to aid -these less fortunate peoples of the world to attain a more healthy environment, and mode of life.

Again, methods o~ producing many domestic, agricultural and industrial products have tradi-tionally proved inad-equate due to their high cost and great distances fromareas of greatest potential use. ~or example, many prod-ucts such as fer-tilizers, herbicides, insecticides, rod-enticides, construction materials, asphalt materials, and the like, are process activating compositions. ~hey may for example, be used to prevent sewage from becoming septic, as a deodorizing agent for manures and the like, as a fertilizing application, or to correct an environmen-tal condi-tion in the soil such as excess acidity or alk-alinity. rrhey may also be used to catalize a reaction or as a carrier ~or a variety of activating catalizing or improving processes. In such activating processes it is usual to use large percentages of filler materials which are normally inert materials adding nothing to the process, but whose use adds materially to its high sales cost since the filler materials may amount to as much as 75 -to 95%
of the to-tal weight of the product. ~herefore a material which may serve as an improved filler material also hav-ing many of the activating functions of an activated car-bon which may be used in conjunction with a common asph-alt mixing machine to bIend a variety of filler-activ-ating products, will negate the disadvantages o~ the use of such products as well as reducing their high costs.
~ 32 -`2`~
IMPRO~D SOI~ R~-S~RUCTURING MIXTUR~

When the original coal material is processed to this cond-ition with the first and second por-tions having fine partic-ulate and larger sized materials, and the third portion hav-ing line particulate material, the coal materials may be util-ized in one or more of six embodiments. In the first embod-iment of the present invention,all three portions o~ the fine particulate coal materials are utilized being added to a humus, clay and absorptive-material deficient soil~ In soils defi~ent in the aforememtioned soil-building constituent parts ( which includes most of the Canadian and U.S. prairie soils as well as the arid, eroded and desertified ex-croplands of the Sahara desert of Africa, and Mexico), it has been found that when the na-tural pace of soil erosion exceeds the normal rate of soil formation (between two to five tons per acre yearly), the topsoil starts to become exhausted and has event-ually caused its abandonmenb. Therefore, soils depleted of their essential crop-producing constituent parts such as mat-ure humus, clay, fresh organic matter (such as plant residues), absorbent materials such as porous burned clay and a stabil-ized carrier containing a water-based source of enriched plant nutrients~ should be given the soil building materialsthey lack, Treating the above depleted topsoil with the enriched carrier containing therein the fiDe particulate first, second and third portions of the coal materials of the present invention dramat-ically increases the crop producing potential of re-structured soils while decreasing the time element normally needed for plant growth, allowing such soils -to produce crops in the same year as planted. In the second embodiment of the present inven-tion, only the second portion fine particulate coal-humus is utilized, being added to a humus deficient soil. It is known 34~
that when soils become dependent upon increasing applica-tions o~ synthetic fertilizer in successive crop years the soil has lost its content of mature humus and i-ts abilit~ to produce crops naturally. It has been found experimentally that when a mature humus such as that of the present invention is added to the soil this loss of 50il productivity is effec-tively stopped and the soils again become more fertile. The fine par-t iculate humus material is first pre-wetted and is then in-ter-mixed with a liquid carrier such that a slurried water and humus mixture is formed therefrom, the humus being added such that a water to humus ratio ranging from 1 to 0.07, to 1 to 3 is achieved. In the third eMb~diment of -the present inven-tion, both -the second and third portions of the fine particulate humus and coal-clay mixture materials are utilized together with a liquid carrier, being added to a humus and clay-def-icient soil. The fine particulate humus and coal-clay ma-terial mixture being added together in the proportion of 50% of the second portion to 50% of the third portion coal materials and~
are intermixed with said liquid water carrier in a proportion such that the liquid to coal-material additive ratio ranges from 1 to 0,07, to 1 to 3. Treating humus and clay depleted soils with fine particulate humus and coal-clay material add-itives in a water carrier thereoE, dramatically improves the impoverished topsoil structure and its crop-producing-potential by providing the essential soil-making constituent-parts, mat-ure humus and clay thereto. In the four-th embodiment of the present invention only the third portion coal-clay fine part-iculate material mixture is utilized being added to a water carrier in a pre-wetted form in a proportion wherein a liquid to coal-clay additive ratio ranging from 1 to 0.07, to 1 to3 is established therein. In the fourth embodiment the coal-clay carrier mixture is added to humus and clay deficient arid, ~lSZ34~9 eroded and desertified lands, -to provide in combination an inseparable coal-clay mix-ture in a water-based carrier. Said coal clay mix-ture comprising an indivisable combination of the original coal-dirt from which grew the ancient giant ferns and trees of ancient times. The coal clay mixture (coal-dir-t) thus contain much of -the earth minerals carrying badly needed plant nutrien-ts, mature humus material, and fer-~ilizing plant growth substances, as well as plant trace minerals. ~reat-ing the arid, eroded and desertified soils with the fine part-iculate coal-clay water-based carrier mixture of the invention enables vast areas of the arid, eroded and desertified lands to be treated effectively, in a large scale, practical and economical manner. ~he mixture when added to said exhausted lands and ex-croplands dramatically improves the soil s-tructure and its crop-producing potential, by providing thereto the essential crop-producing soil constituent parts, humus, clay and moisture. ~he coal-clay and water~based carrier mixture is best added to the soil as ~ liquid intermix-ture in a prep-ared diked area~ Said diked area, being made by forming a rais-ed berm around said area to be treated such that a liquid depthof not less than about two inches is achieved over any cross-section thereof. ~he topsoil should first be scarified down to the subsoil so that the coal-clay mixture may seal off said subsoil, thus containing the water above the subsoil and ar-ound the root zones of the growing plants. The topsoil should be scarified prior to, and subsequent to, the application of said coal-clay water-carrier mixture, to ensure good penetr-ation and mixing of the additive mixture with the topsoil, and to ensure a high degree of pore volume throughout said soil structureO In the treatment of vas~t land masses such as the Sahara Desert which covers 3-2-million square miles the coal additives are applied in the proportion of 10 ~tonnes/s~a~e~le~

1~5~39~9 In the fifth embodiment of the present inven-tion the third por-tion fine particulate coal~clay material may be utili~ed in one or more of the six embodiments, being added to raw domestic sewage waste as a stabilizing means prior to its use as a liquid carrier for the transportation of humus-clay and liquid fertilizing mixture to arid, eroded and desertified land masses, and also to humus/and or clay defi~ent soils (~^Jhich includes most of the Canadian and U.S. prairie soils as well as the presumed ex-croplands of the 3,500,000 square miles of the great Sahara Desert of ~frica), since it has been found that as much as 1 to 3 inches of topsoil may be removed from the cropland in a year by rain and erosion. As one inch of topsoil represents about 165 tons co~ering an acre o~ land, which includes almost all of its essential mature humus, clay, fresh organic matter and trace minerals, the loss is a further step in the co~plete exhaustion of the soil. In the sixth emb-odiment of -the present invention the first portion burned fine particulate and larger sized coal materials are produced, being added to a soil deficient in water and fertilizer holding cap-ability. ~he fine particulate burned coal materials are bestadded to the soil after the transportation of any other soil building ingredients and sho-uld not be -transported byPipeline because of the porous and highly abrasive nature of the burned fine particulate coal materials. ~he fine particula-te burned coal materials are added to the soil in a proportion of appr-oximately 50% of the first portion absorbent sand, 25% of the second portio~ mature humus, and 25% of the third portion coal-cla~ mixture, in a liquid organic sewage waste carrier. A finer grind of the fine particulate burned coal material (325-) be-ing utilized in a supportive functional role, and the larger size burned coal materials serving as filter media through whi~h a pollutant industrial stream is directed (similar -to said lar-ger sized materials of said second portion) being mixed -toget-her as aggregates in an improved asphalt mixture for storage.
~ 36 -~lS~34~
D~FINITION 0~ APP~ICAN~'S CANADIAN AND U.S. pA~E~rrs AS US~D
IN TH~ SINGU~AR AND SUPPORTIVE RO~S AS V~RSA~I~E BAR~RING
COMMODI~IES OF '~HE PR~S~NT INVENTION.

~ or the purpose of the present invention the singular util-itarian role therein comprises the production and utilization of a first, second and -third portion reduction-products from the clayey coal material of the invention, and their fur-ther utilization in supportive functional roles as versatile bart-ering commodities in both domestic and International markets, as hereinbefore described on pages 2 and 3 o~ the present dis-closure, and thereafter herein.

~RSATI~ BA~ERING COMMO~
When a large scale new business venture is contemplated at either the domestic or International export level of trade, it is axiomatic that a need be found that the proposed under-taking seems to satisfy. ;~
The versatile new products presented herein are unique inthat each of the new products satisfy not one, but many exis-ting demands. The questionable value of the clayey coal mat-erials required, of themselves give promise of a wide new rangeof applications to the marginal coal materials and was-tes of the coal mining industry, and the product manufacturing proc-essing involve a new concept of total usage of the coal res-ource, while conserving from 50% to 100% of the fuel normally used in their manufacture.
These factors, in combination, with the present oil glut being experienced by the OP~C oil producers and Mexico, prov-ide a unique and unusual sellers market situation for Canada for the beneficial exchange of mutually needed commodities, at the highest level of International trade, between said have, and have not, trading partners.

i;23~
Adjoining some of the more prolific oil producin~ countries and forming a rnajor portion of the land mass of some of -them, is the vast Sahara Desert consisting of 3,500,000 square miles (9,065,000 square kilome-ters), of North Africa. It is the western part of a great arid zone that continues into ~outh-West Asia, extending more than ~,000 ~iles from the A~tlan-tic Ocean to the Red Sea. The desert includes most of the Spanish Sahara, Mauri-tania, Algeria, Niger, ~ibya, and ~gypt; -the Southern portions of Morocco and ~unisia; and the Northern parts of Senegal, Mali, Ghad, and Sudan.

The recent United Nation's Conference on Desertifica-tion (COD) concluded that the causes of vegetation loss were rooted in the interaction between "sensi~tive dryland environment and man's use and occupation of it". ~he COD map on "Status of Deser-tification in the ~Iot Arid Regions" found Africa to be the continent with the highest percentage incidence of moderate and severe desertification.

Faulty rural management in Africa, COD said, made Africa the most desertified continent in the world. COD iden-tified 75 mill-ion Africans (excluding North Africa, which was lumped withthe Mediterranean Basin) living in regions vulnerable -to drou-ght and therefore prone to desertification~ Further, COD found ~frica to be the continent with the second highest probability of serious drought (Australia was -the first) and the concom-itant increase in soil salinization, created by the interplay of physical condition and the human use of the environment, must rank as one of Africa~s primary agricultural and pastoral dilemmas.

It was proposed at the ~OD conference, that the arid sandy soil `be given the humus which is indispensible to growing crops by treating the soils with lignite coal, such coals are known to con-tains large quantities of humus
- 3 ~ -~lS~23~

It can be seen, tha-t if only a small fraction of the arid, eroded and desertified ex-croplands in the Sahara Desert and ad~oining countries were to be made productive the world-wide shor-tage of foodstuffs would be brou~ht under control and the suffering of many millions of peoples would be allev--iated.

~ or example, the potential world wide market for the products of the present invention are seen to be able to reach astron~
omical heights, probably as much as 100 million tonnes yearly (in a sellers market, as opposed to our present coal sales to a buyers rnarke-t), of the coal-based new products. '~he needs of -the peoples in these drought ridden coun-tries is well known, Canada through its vast deposi-ts of suitable coal materials has a possible solution to their long lasting and re~curring problems. ~y the same token, the oil producing countries of OP~C have a depressed oil market which may run well into the next century because of the so-called oil g]ut.
Canada, the U.S.A. and Japan will have a need for OPEC oil for a long time into the forseeable future, it makes good sense therefore, to barter one product for another, since the basic needs are well defined. ~ssuming a produc-t price on our side of $85 per -tonne landed at our tidewater (similar to -the price received for our best metallurgical coal), then 100 million tonnes of the coal-based products of the present invention would be worth about $8-~- billion yearly to the economy of Canada, ormore-than sufficient to wipe out the reported Canadian oil deficit costs of ~7-l- billion.
Coal materials suitable for use for the manufacture of the products of the present invention, are available close to areas of greater potential use in both domestic and export markets~
similarly, facilities for refining crude oil are also located near coal deposits suitable for use as versatile bartering com-- 3~ -~LiS~3~
modities after processing. Suitable coal^deposits are loca-ted in several of the Atlantic provinces, in the prairie prov-inces of both Saskatchewan and ~lberta, the Province of Ontario, and in the Province of British Columbia, While almost all Canadian Provinces were hard hit by the rapid increase in the cost of crude oil, the more indus-trialized provinces of Ontario and Quebec are the greatest sufferers, because of their greater use of oil products. Paradoxically, the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec may well be the provinces to benefit the most from the use of the vexsatile bartering comm-oditvv of the present invention. For example, north of ~oronto and south of James Bay lies one of the larger deposits of lignite coal in Canada, the Onakawana ~ignite ~ield. While only preliminary tests have been carried out by me up to the present time, the lignite material has many of -the desired characteristics required for the purposes of the inven-tion.
While the Onakawana lignite coal is but marginally suitable for -thermal use, because of its extremely high moisture cont-ent, low B.~.IJ~ value, and distance from areas of potential use, the coal material`is expected to prove most satisfactory for use in the presen-t invention. While the exact tonnage of lignite coal in the Onakawana deposit is not known, (by me) it is thought tha-t because drilling by the provincial govern~
ment contractors has delineated a lignite bearing area cover-ing about threesqUare miles to depths of from 20 to 64 feet, it is expected thereis enough lignite in the deposit to treat the pollution problems of both provinces effectively, and as an added bonus provide a sufficent tonnage of produc-ts sui-t-able for use as versatile bartering commodity products in deal-~0 ing with offshore crude oil suppliers. It is expected, thatan exchange of this sort may well be possible because of the present oil glut of OP~C crude oil suppliers~ probably suff~

~ ~0 ~

3~
icient tonnages of produc-ts may be exchanged between the prov-ince of Ontario and the OP~C oil producing nations to effect a considerable reduction or eliminate the oil deficiency debts of both Ontario and ~uebec, as well Canada's oil def'-ici-t situatio~. On Canada's west coas-t, in the Province of British Columbia, abou-t ~125 miles from tidewater, there is located what is reported to be the largest deposit of low "
grade coa] material, coDcentrated in one small area, in the world. It is said to contain about 15 billion tonnes of coal material. Assuming a potential 100 million tonne a year mar-ket exists for the product of the invention world-wide, then this one coal deposit (when used in the total use concept of the present invention), will sustain a continuing market of this size for from 100 to 150 years. At this level of poten-tial sales~ it would be economically feasible to transport the cleansed coal-based product as a coal-in-water slurried mixture by means of a pipeline to both the Canadian and U.S.A.
prairies (possibly by an existing pipeline network) or to tidewater to export markets.

~y the same token 9 Canada imports 50,000 barrels of crude oil daily from ~exico (ano-ther large oil producing country whose land area for the most part is also arid, eroded and desertified), at a cost of ~0 per barrel, which amounts to $2 million per day or about $750 million yearly. Assuming that Mexico's new President follows through on his promise develop the countries ~rid'lands for the benef'it of the poorer farmers, and was to step up its ongoing -time--table for -the developmen-t of its vast acreages of arid lands, then a trade-off deal may be contemplated, wherein an exceptionally large potential market could be developed between Canada and Mexico for the versatile bartering commodities of the present invention ~ 41 -3~9 l'his trade-off deal, which would increase Mexico's level of oil sales while a-t the same time serving to accelera-te the early development and crop production of their potential croplands, while at the same time helping reduce our oil-imp-ort balance of payment problems.

Thus Canada as well as the U.S.A. and Japan have an oil dep-endency on both the OP~`C and Mexican oil producing countries for their crude oil supplies. ~herefore if a versatile bart-ering commoditvv having both singular and multiple utilitarian ~-uses (such as the products of the present invention), -that --would serve to benefit the buyer, seller, and ul-timate user, were available, then a very large potential market could be developed between Canada, the U.S.A. and Japan with Mexico.

~ or example, Canada (as the coal-based product supplier) could contemplate acting for her own account in trading with Mexico, or the U.S.A. may contempla-te -taking delivery of the coal-based product by means of barter from Canada by means of pipeline transportation to the U.S~ prairies while deliver-ing crude oil from its Alaska oil fields to Canada~or Japan may contemplate picking up a load of the slurried coal-based products from Canada for delivery to the aforesaid OP~C or Mexican oil producers either for its own account or Canada's, in either of these cases Canada would be the main beneficiar~.

~ here are many diverse ways of trading on the International market, I have just noted but a few, selling, bartering and/or gift giving, wherever the exchange would work for the benefit of all concerned, and a-t the same time aid in reducing the overall cos-ts of our own and other countries' oil deficits, and help in aleviating the shortage of foodstuffs in many of the developing countries, stabilize and diversify the econom-ies of both our own and those of the oil producing countries.

~ ;

Z3~9 VhRSATILE ~ART~RlNG GOMMODITY
' `
1. Coal ~aw Material Absorbent Sand Il. A. \~ ~
Panama Canal \ \ ~ ~ ~ . Oil 'l'anker - ~ \ \ ~ J~'~____ T:ranspo-r-t \ \ 4. Transpor-ta-tion ~ 4 ~\ Ro-uting. ~

Major Oil Producers f t 1. Saudi Arabia9. Cameroon \ ~ f~ 1 ~ ~ \l I~
2. Libya10. Zaire \ ~ ~ 4 U J
3. Algeria 11. Angola ~ ~ ~ /
4. Nigeria 12. SeneGambia ~ ~ ~ y
5. Iran 130 Benin
6. Iraq 14. Bahrain
7. Ivory Coast -15. United Emirate
8~ Gabon 16. Qatar The above composite diagram shows in (1) the coal raw material, (2) as a humus, c~a~v,absorbent sandor m-ix, (3) the transportation means (in slurry form), (4) the commodity ~transportation routes to and from Africa and Canadian, U.S.
and Japanese ports.

3L~S~3~

One particular method of enriching soils in soil re~s-truc-t-uring applications is with domestic organic-sewage liquid-waste and coal material additives using my invention, is detailed in the steps following:

1. The liquid sewage waste is first analysed to determine i-ts quali-ty in respect of fresh organic matter, trace minerals, plant growth fer-tilizer and biological food and energy nut-rients contained therein 2. A coal ma-terial ls then chosen from the group consisting of coal, bone coal, coal dirt, coa~L shale, clayey coal, near coal, burned and unburned coal wastes, brown coal, lignite coal, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, bot-tom ash, fly ash, and leonardi-te, which are known to have latent soil and biol-ogical enriching constituent parts therein suitable for usesoil re-structuring applications including mature humus7 clay, absorbent material, fer-tilizer ma~terials, trace minerals, and food and energy substances needed by ni-trogen-fixing soil microorganisms when added to soils deficient in -these ma-terials.

3. ~ low grade clayey thermal coal material is se:Lected then crushed and screened sufficiently to provide a coarse coal-material composition in which the particle size i~ such -that the particles pass through a 3/4 inch mesh screen, and -then dividing the coal material into first, second and third portions.

4. A ~irst portion of ~the coal material i.s burned at a -temp-erature of from about 350F. -to 8500F., to produce a reddish-coloured, highlvv porous, absorben-t and abrasive artificial sand material.

_ 44 _ ~152;39~

5. ~ fur-ther quan-tity of -the low grade clayey ther~al coal material is dried then screened -to separa-te the clay frac-tion from the thermal coal frac-tion of the clayey coal, as dry crumbly clay material, to produce therefrom a second portion thermal coal and a third portion coaley-clay material.

6. Then the ln-ternal and ex-ternal sur:~ace areas of the second portion of the therrnal coal ma-terial is expanded by exposing the coal material to one or more periods of wetting and drying.

7 ~ solvent material is then chosen from the group consisting of hot or cold air, ho~t or cold water, steam, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, or various mixtures -to remove soluble and adhering substances from the expanded second portion coal material~ to produce af-ter drying ei-ther a cleansed thermal coal or a coal humus ma-terial.

8. Then pulverizing the first, second and third por-tions of coal materials separately, and producing as separate quan-tities, coal-based soil re-s-tructuring additives comprising fine par-t-iculate first portion absorbent ar-tificial sand, second por-tion cleansed thermal coal/ coal humus, and third portion coaley-clay material water and soil s-tabilizer, the fine par-ticulate coal material additives having a maximum par-ticle diameter which passes through a 200 mesh screen.
9. And then adding the first, second and third 200 mesh size fine particula-te coal material portions either separately or in predetermined cornbinations thereof to a water-based liquid carrier so as to form liquid carrier mixtures ~thereof capable of supplying the known soil de~iciencies in -the soils being re-structured.
- ~5 -~1523~
10. A w~ter~based liquid carrier is -then chosen ~rom the group consisting of fresh wa-ter, natu~ally or artificially mineralized water, industrial water dlscharges, or organically polluted domestic, agricultural, or manufac-turing was-te lNa-ter.
11. An organically polluted domestic liquid sewage waste is chosen as a poten-tial liquid carrier because of its high con-ten-t of fresh organic matter or po-tential rna-ture residual humus, its content of immediately available plan-t-growth soil-enriching fertilizing nutrients, and i-ts content o~ food and energy and ni~~ogen needed by air, water and soil ni~trogen-fixing and other microorganisrns for -the re-vi-taliza-tion and enrichmen-t of the newly ~ormec~ soil being re-struc-tured, and its con-tent o~ sulphur, iron and zinc needed by -the sàld micro-organisms as trace rninerals for their invigoration and stim-ula~tion.
12. Then stabilizing the organically polluted domestic liquid sewage waste prior to use and handling in soil or fores-try applications, by the addition and in-termixing of -the said third por-tion 200 mesh fine particulate coaley-clay material -to the liquid sewage carrier in a propor-tion of from 100 lbs to 1,Ooo lbs of the coaley-clay ma~terial additive to 1 million gallons of liquid sewage mixture, and -therea~ter ponding ~the coal additive and liquid-sewage carrier mixture in a quiescent manner for at least 30 days.

~.~
,~

3 1S~3fl~
13. The stabilizecl liquid carrier mixture is then u~tilized as a pathogen-free odourless, non-sep-tic carrier ei-ther alone in the re-habilitation of arid, devastated, depleted or exhaus-ted land masses, ex-croplan~s and over-summer-fallowecl windblown 5 farmlands or, naturally acid or artificlally acidified, saline or alkaline soils, or for the fertilizer and biological enrichmen-t of humus and fer-tilizer-deficient soils, or ~ertilizer application of forestry lands, or agaln in combination with one or more of said firs-t, second and third coal-material additive portions in predetermined carrier mixtures of the present invention.

`i~

Claims (25)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:
1. A method of producing improved soil re-structuring mixtures suitable for use as versatile bartering commodities from low-grade clayey thermal coal materials and water-based liquid carriers, said mixtures having strong utilitarian application and a plurality of supporting functional roles, and the products produced by practicing the method, said method comprising the steps of:

a. drying, crushing and screening a low grade clayey thermal coal material to produce a quantity of coal materials having a maximum diameter passing through a 3/4 inch screen, and dividing said coal materials into first, second and third portions, b. burning a first portion of said coal material at a temp-erature of from 350°F. to 850°F. to produce therefrom a reddish-colured, highly porous, absorbent and abrasive, artificial sand material, c. separating the coal fraction from the clay fraction in said dried low-grade clayey thermal coal material by screening out said clay fraction as dry crumbly material therefrom, to produce therefrom a second portion thermal coal material, and a third portion coaley-clay material, d. expanding the internal and external surface area of said coal material second portion by exposing said coal material to at least one cycle of wetting and drying, e. leaching said second portion expanded coal material with a solvent material to remove soluble and adhering substances therefrom, and produce after drying a cleansed thermal coal/coal-humus material, f. pulverizing said first, second and third portions coal mat-erials separately to produce as separate quantities thereof, fine particulate first portion absorbent artificial sand, second portion cleansed thermal coal/coal-humus, and third portion coaley-clay water and soil stabilizer, said fine particulate portions of said coal materials having a maximum diameter passing through a 200 mesh screen, g. re-pulverizing said first portion 200 mesh size burned coal material to produce a material having a maximum particle diameter such that no more than 12% is retained on a 325 mesh screen when passed therethrough, the re-pulverized material obtained providing an insect and weed control, dusting and spraying material for use in said re-structuring soil applications, h. adding said first, second and third portions of said pulver-ized 200 mesh size fine particulate coal materials, after prior wetting, to a water-based liquid carrier such that coal material additives in a water-based liquid carrier are formed therefrom, said fine particulate coal material portions being added to said water based liquid carrier in a proportion of at least 50% of said first portion to 25%
of said second portion and 25% of said third portions coal materials, such that the liquid to coal material additive ratio ranges from 1 to 0.07 to 1 to 3, i. providing within said first, second and third coal material portions and an organically polluted water-based carrier a wide range of needed plan-t-growth and biologically suitable chemical and mineral-element trace mineral materials, including sulfur, iron, and zinc, j. stabilizing a water-based liquid carrier from domestic organic liquid-sewage-wastes prior to its use in said soil re-structuring applications by the addition thereto and intermixing therewith of said third portion 200 mesh fine particulate coaley-clay material in a proportion of from 100 lbs to 1,000 lbs of said coaley-clay material additive to 1 million gallons of said liquid sewage, and thereafter ponding said coal additive and liquid-sewage mixture in a quiescent manner for at least 30 days.
2. The method as recited in Claim 1, wherein the low grade clayed thermal coal material is selected from the group con-sisting of coal, bone coal, coal dirt, coal shale, clayey coal, near coal, burned and unburned coal wastes, brown coal, lignite coal, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, bottom ash, fly ash, and leonardite.
3. The method as recited in Claim 1, wherein the water-based liquid carrier is selected from the group consisting of fresh water, naturally or artificially mineralized water, industrial water discharges, or organically polluted domestic, agricult-ural, animal or manufacturing waste water.
4. The method as recited in Claim 1, wherein the low grade clayey thermal coal material additives and water-based liquid carrier mixtures are selected from the group consisting of said burned, expanded and leached coal-material portions and said liquid carriers.
5. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising burning said first portion of said coal materials at a temp-erature of from 450°F. to 650°F., with limited access to air for from two to ten hours.
6. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising expanding the surface area of said second portion coal material within a confined treatment area, by flood irrigating low flat-topped stockpiles of said coal materials at half hour intervals for from two to ten hours while agitating said material.
7. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising exposing said coal material second portion to at least ten wetting and drying cycles.
8. The method as recited in Claim 11 further comprising leaching said second portion of said coal materials with a material selected from a group consisting of hot or cold air, hot or cold water, steam, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof.
9. The method as recited in Claim 8, further comprising leaching said second portion of said coal materials with a base then an acid.
10. The method as recited in Claim 11 further comprising drying said second portion coal materials to remove the water therein, by heating said coal materials with radiant energy for from one to ten hours while agitating said coal materials.
11. The method as recited in claim 1 I further comprising screening out larger filter-size aggregates from 200 mesh to 3/4 inch from said second portion coal material.
12. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising exposing in said expanded new surface areas after said leaching, the original cleansed thermal coal/coal humus from which the coal-forming material was derived.
13. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising recovering from said clayey-coal material the clay fraction thereof, said coal-clay fraction being fully representative of the ancient coal-dirt in which the coal-forming material was grown.
14. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising increasing the pore volume of the soils in said re-structured soils to promote good root growth and provide a maximum penet-ration of soil air and water therethrough, by leveling then scarifying the soil to a desired depth, then flood irrigating said scarified soil with said water-based coal-additive and liquid carrier mixture to a depth such that said carrier mixture penetrates to a predetermine plant root zone, and subsequently roto-tilling said treated soil to ensure maximum pore volume distribution of said pores throughout said soils being re-structured,
15. The method as recited in Claim 1, further comprising modifying the non-organic pollutant-content of marginal quality waters for eventual use in the formation of said coal-material additive and water-based liquid-carrier mixtures, said waters known to contain unacceptably high levels of said polluting materials including alkaline, saline and acid substancies, by forming a sorptive aggregate filter medium in a filtering device from said 3/4 inch larger size second portion coal materials and directing said polluted waters therethrough.
16. The method as recited in Claim 5, further comprising improving the water and fertilizer storing capacity of said re-structured soils and providing a colour-coded method of visually determining the area so treated, by intermixing said burned, reddish coloured, first portion absorbent artificial sand coal material with said soil being re-structured.
17. In a soil restructuring process, the improvement in providing multiple-choice soil restructuring product mixtures, wherein said soil restructuring product mixtures are obtained by the method of Claim 1, and wherein said product mixtures are derived from said low grade clayey thermal coal materials or waste coal materials, and said water-based liquid carriers, said multiple-choice product mixtures comprising pre-determined mixtures of one or more of said product mixtures comprising:
a) said first, second and third fine particulate coal material portions and said water-based liquid carrier; or b) said second and third fine particulate coal material portions and said water-based liquid carrier; or c) said third fine partic-ulate coal material portion and said water based liquid carrier;
or d) said first portion 200 mesh pulverized fine particulate burned coal material and said water-based liquid carrier; or e) said stabilized and ponded domestic organic liquid sewage waste containing therein to form a mixture thereof, said third portion fine particulate coal material as a water-based liquid carrier mixture, or f) said first portion 325 mesh re-pulver-ized fine particulate burned coal material and said water-based liquid carrier, said mixtures being applied singly or in any of said pre-determined combinations thereof, at variable timed intervals or seasons according to pre-determined soil restructuring application schedules.
18. An improved soil-restructuring process, as claimed in Claim 17, wherein said pre-determined product mixtures are applied to forest soils being restructured, by aerial spraying, dusting or flood irrigation to improve the tree growth cycle of said trees in said forest lands and reduce the normal time-span in said growth cycle of said trees of 90 years by approx-imately one half or 45 years.
19. An improved soil-restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein the crop-producing potential of said soils being restructured is protected from the yearly or cyclical depradations or infestations of winged or crawling insect pests by the application thereto and inhalation, ingestion, abrasion and eventual dessication, of said first portion 325 mesh size burned coal material, said material being applied to said insects in their breeding grounds, feeding areas or in flight or in any other suitable gathering and application area, by aerial spraying, dusting or flood irrigation.
20. An improved soil restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said stabilized, liquid-organic-sewage product mixture is added to said soils being restructured to provide an immediately-available source of plant-growth fertil-izer nutrients and an additional water source.
21. An improved soil restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein is provided in said stabilized, liquid organic sewage-waste carrier product-mixture a wide range of plant fertilizing substances needed by growing plants and for providing for long term crop producing potential as residual crop-growth materials, including mature humus, stabilizing clay, absorbent sand material, trace minerals, plant fertilizer nutrients, fresh organic matter, dissolved and suspended plant-growth micro-substances and nutrients, and an additional water source needed in said soil restructuring applications.
22. An improved soil restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein said clay-deficient soils being restructured are provided the stability needed therein by the addition thereto and intermixing therewith of said fine particulate 200 mesh size third portion clayey coal material in a water-based liquid carrier, said carrier and clayey-coal additive product-mixture being added to said clay deficient soil being restruct-ured, which has previously been scarified and leveled, in the proportion of at least 15% of the total weight of said coal additive and said liquid carrier, said weight being calculated on the dry weight of said coaley coal material additive prod-uct mixture, said treated soil subsequently being roto-tilled to a pre-determined depth or to the evident subsoil to ensure maximum stabilization of said re-structured soil.
23. An improved soil restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein bacterial food and energy substances are recovered by said aiar, water, and soil nitrogen-fixing and other soil-beneficiating microorganisms present in said stabilizing domes-tic, organic-sewage liquid wastes and said coal-material add-itive product-mixtures and converted in said prepared soil en-vironment into plant growth materials, including atmospheric nitrogen, plant growth nitrogen, mature humus, fresh humus and trace minerals on said application of said product-mixtures to said soils being restructured.
24. An improved soil restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sulphur, iron and zinc content of said trace minerals contained in said first, second and third coal mater-ial additive portions and said fresh humus, suspended and dissolved substances in said stabilized organic-sewage liquid carrier product mixtures are utilized to stimulate and invig-orate the growth and proliferation of said air, water and soil nitrogen-fixing and other soil beneficiating microorganisms, when added to said soil being restructured.
25. An improved soil restructuring process, as claimed in claim 17, wherein the gathering, stabilization and carriage of said organic and domestic liquid sewage wastes is carried out as it is collected from producing areas, towns, municipal-ities and cities, having a large enough population to generate a sufficient volume of said organic sewage waste for eventual use in large scale commercial application, and conducting said stabilized liquid organic sewage wastes to a centrally located ponding and storage area, then holding said ponded stabilized domestic-organic liquid sewage waste for at least 30 days to ensure the demise of any harmful non-beneficial bacteria and pathogens therein, and thereafter as required conducting said stabilized pathogen-free and odour-free non-septic domestic-organic liquid sewage to a suitable mixing and shipping point, then formulating said first, second and third 200 mesh size fine particulate coal-material portions into predetermined coal-based-additive product-mixtures within a predetermined water-based liquid carrier to form therefrom said improved versatile bartering-commodity product-mixtures.
CA000393532A 1982-01-04 1982-01-04 Coal-based, versatile bartering commodity Expired CA1152349A (en)

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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0168556A2 (en) * 1984-03-30 1986-01-22 Columbus Neunkirchen Foundry GmbH Agent to introduce and improve the cation exchange activity in soils by biological fermentation
WO2011060904A1 (en) * 2009-11-20 2011-05-26 Terranova Energy Gmbh Method for producing soil additives for improving the cationic exchange capacity, the nutrition and the water retention capacity of soils
WO2016172240A1 (en) * 2015-04-23 2016-10-27 Omnis Mineral Technologies, Llc Coal-derived mineral matter as a soil amendment
CN110284013A (en) * 2019-07-30 2019-09-27 中国科学院过程工程研究所 A kind of bone coal navajoite curing production equipment and bone coal navajoite curing production method
CN116267079A (en) * 2023-03-22 2023-06-23 美丽华夏生态环境科技有限公司 Method for recovering vegetation of coal gangue mountain by using starch-based biodegradable plant-growing bag

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0168556A2 (en) * 1984-03-30 1986-01-22 Columbus Neunkirchen Foundry GmbH Agent to introduce and improve the cation exchange activity in soils by biological fermentation
EP0168556A3 (en) * 1984-03-30 1988-01-07 Columbus Neunkirchen Foundry GmbH Agent to introduce and improve the cation exchange activity in soils by biological fermentation
WO2011060904A1 (en) * 2009-11-20 2011-05-26 Terranova Energy Gmbh Method for producing soil additives for improving the cationic exchange capacity, the nutrition and the water retention capacity of soils
WO2016172240A1 (en) * 2015-04-23 2016-10-27 Omnis Mineral Technologies, Llc Coal-derived mineral matter as a soil amendment
CN107531584A (en) * 2015-04-23 2018-01-02 地球科技美国有限责任公司 Coal measures mineral matter as soil conditioner
US9896388B2 (en) 2015-04-23 2018-02-20 Earth Technologies Usa Limited Coal-derived mineral matter as a soil amendment
AU2016251664B2 (en) * 2015-04-23 2020-01-16 Earth Technologies Usa Limited Coal-derived mineral matter as a soil amendment
RU2718002C2 (en) * 2015-04-23 2020-03-27 ЭРТ ТЕКНОЛОДЖИЗ ЮЭсЭй ЛИМИТЕД Coal-derived mineral matter as soil amendment
CN110284013A (en) * 2019-07-30 2019-09-27 中国科学院过程工程研究所 A kind of bone coal navajoite curing production equipment and bone coal navajoite curing production method
CN110284013B (en) * 2019-07-30 2023-08-29 中国科学院过程工程研究所 Stone coal vanadium ore curing production equipment and stone coal vanadium ore curing production method
CN116267079A (en) * 2023-03-22 2023-06-23 美丽华夏生态环境科技有限公司 Method for recovering vegetation of coal gangue mountain by using starch-based biodegradable plant-growing bag
CN116267079B (en) * 2023-03-22 2024-01-02 美丽华夏生态环境科技有限公司 Method for recovering vegetation of coal gangue mountain by using starch-based biodegradable plant-growing bag

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