Coal pipeline completedIn 1956, construction was completed on the first U.S. commercial coal pipeline. This coal slurry pipeline ran 108 miles from a coal mine (Georgetown Preparation Plant of the Hanna Coal Company, near Cadiz, Ohio) to a power station (Cleveland Illuminating Company, in Eastlake, Ohio). The 10¾- in diam. pipeline could transport over a million tons of coal per year. Mixed with an equal amount of water, it delivered 150 tons of coal per hour. It was placed in operation on 4 Jun 1957. After processing to remove the water, the coal slurry was ready for burning as fuel for the power plant. Slurry pipelines now exist transporting over twenty types of minerals, including iron-ore concentrate, copper ore, phosphate rock concentrate and mineral sands. Pipeline transportation costs less than by railroad.« |
