Mining is a critical industry to West Virginia s economic foundation.
So much of the nation right now is focused on finding ways to increase the supply of our energy sources. The new center will replace the Center for Coal and Minerals Processing established in 1988 under the sponsorship of the Virginia Center for Innovative Technologies. Researchers at CAST will study the basic science and technology of separating coal and other materials from solid impurities and from water. New methods could lead to future separation processes that are cleaner, more efficient, and less expensive. Recovering coal fines could provide a major future energy resource as well as help to eliminate an environmental concern.