No C 60/16 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 25. 5. 74 
COMMISSION 
MEDIUM-TERM  RESEARCH  AID  PROGRAMME  (1975  to 1980) 
(under  Article  55 ECSC) 
All enterprises,  research  institutes  and  individual  persons  wishing  to engage  in research 
within  the  meaning  of Article  55 of the  ECSC  Treaty  may  make  application  to the 
Commission  of the European  Communities  for the grant  of financial  assistance. 
Such  applications  must  relate  to fields  of research  specified  in the  medium-term 
assistance  programme  reproduced  as Part  A of this  Communication.  Upon  receipt, 
applications  will  undergo  selection  by the Commission,  which  will  bear  in mind  the 
need  to ensure  that  financial  expenditure  is concentrated  upon  research  projects  which 
best satisfy  the criteria  of this  medium-term  programme. 
Applications  should  be submitted  before  1 September  of each  year  in order  to be 
effective  in the following  year. 
Medium-term  research  aid programme  (1975  to 1980) 
Article  55 of the Treaty  concerning  the establishment 
of the European  Coal  and  Steel  Community  specifies 
that the  Commission  of the  European  Communities 
shall  foster  technical  and  economic  research  relating 
to the  production  of coal  and  the  advancement  of 
its consumption  and  also  to safety  in the  coal 
industry.  For  this  purpose  the Commission  is required 
to organize  appropriate  collaboration  between 
existing  research  centres. 
The first  action  of the  ECSC  was  to lay the  foun-
dations  of collaboration  between  research  workers 
and coalmining  undertakings  in the  Community 
countries  by providing  for  the  necessary  contacts. 
Since  1957  the  High  Authority  of the  ECSC  has 
granted  financial  assistance  to the coalmining  industry 
with  the  object  of giving  a new  stimulus  to coal 
research. 
In 1963  the  High  Authority  of the  ECSC,  in its 
document  entitled  'Research  Policy'  (ECSC  Bulletin 
No 41,  1963),  made  known  the  principal  areas  of research  which  it proposed  to support.  In 1967  the 
High  Authority  produced  its  first  medium-term 
assistance  programme  as an instrument  of policy  in 
the field  of coal  research  and  this  was  submitted 
to the  Council  of Ministers  in 1968  by the  Com-
mission  of the European  Communities  (CEC).  Based 
on a systematic  catalogue  of all fields  of coal  research, 
there  has  been  set up,  in 1970,  a second  Medium-
term  Assistance  Programme  for the years  1970  to 1974 
(revised  1972).  This  programme  was  submitted  to 
the Council  of Ministers,  and  has also  been  published 
in the Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 
(No C 99 of 31 July  1970  and  No  C 74 of 10 July 
1972). 
The position  of coal  in the  actual  energy  situation 
makes  research  efforts  more  urgent  in that  it resulted 
within  a reasonable  period  in important  economic 
and social  advances.  The  current  research  pro-
grammes  demonstrate  this.  The  research  effort  must 
therefore  be continued  and  intensified,  the  most 
advantgeous  fields  being  of course  selected. 
25. 5. 74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 60/17 
With  the exception  of lignite,  the coalmining  industry 
of the  Community  is, it is true,  characterized  by 
higher  production  costs  than  that  of many  other 
countries;  on the  other  hand,  as a source  of energy 
obtained  within  the  Community,  coal  represents  a 
certain  factor  in regard  to security  of supply,  prin-
cipally  for  the  steel  industry  and  electricity  gener-
ation.  The  coalmining  industry  thus  has  three  objec-
tives: 
— to improve  production  costs,  in particular  by 
raising  productivity; 
— to improve  the  processing  and  utilization  of the 
products  of coalmining; 
— to improve  working  conditions  and  safety,  as 
well as the protection  of the environment. 
These  are  also  the  objectives  of the  coal  research 
activities  and  projects  supported  by the CEC. 
In view  of the rapid  development  of technology  and 
the various  factors  and  circumstances  arising  from 
the present  situation  of the coalmining  industry  and 
bearing  in mind  the  general  Community  research 
policy  and  the  energy  situation  in the  Community, 
the CEC  has  decided  to set up a new  medium-term 
assistance  programme  for  research  under  Article  55 
of the ECSC  Treaty. 
The aim  of this  new  medium-term  assistance  pro-
gramme  for research  is: 
— to concentrate  effort  on these  fields  in which 
concrete  results  will  most  quickly  be obtained; 
— to harmonize  research  work; 
— to facilitate  the identification  of those  applications 
for assistance  which  relate  to essentially  practical 
developments; 
— to select  the most  important  projects  for financial 
support  from  the CEC. 
This  medium-term  programme  has  been  drawn  up 
by the  CEC  departments  working  in collaboration 
with  the  Coal  Research  Committee  (CRC).  This 
Committee,  which  consists  of representatives  of coal 
producers,  coal  research  institutes,  universities  and 
trade  unions  throughout  the  Community,  was  set 
up by the  CEC  with  the  task  of providing  expert 
advice  in the research  field.  -The programme  was  prepared  in three  stages: 
— actualization  of  the  systematic  catalogue  of 
research  fields,  subdivided  into  groups: 
— revision  of criteria  for  deciding  the  relative 
importance  of the different  fields  and groups; 
— selection  of fields  from  the catalogue  on the basis 
of the criteria  thus  determined. 
The systematic  list contains  the most  important  fields 
in which  coal  research  could  be  undertaken,  is 
planned  or is already  in progress.  There  are nineteen 
fields,  subdivided  into  the following  five  sectors: 
— mining  engineering; 
— mine  management; 
— processing; 
— coal  utilization; 
— environmental  pollution. 
The list of the nineteen  fields  is shown  below,  broken 
down  into  the various  sectors. 
SECTORS  AND  FIELDS 
A. OPERATIONS  UNDERGROUND 
I. Coal  measures. 
II. Development  work. 
III. Methane  studies,  climatic  problems,  rock 
pressure  and  supports. 
IV. Methods  of working  and  techniques  of coal-
getting. 
V. Outbye  services  underground. 
VI. Telecommunication,  monitoring,  remote 
control  and  automation. 
VII. Safety  and accident  prevention. 
VIII.  New  technology. 
No C 60/18 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 25. 5. 74 
B. OPERATIONAL  MANAGEMENT  AND  PLANNING 
I. Organization  and  management. 
II. Planning  and  control  of operation. 
C. PRODUCT  BENEFICATION 
I. Mechanical  coal  preparation. 
II. Coking  and  briquestting  of coal. 
III. New  chemical  and  physical  processes. 
D. UTILIZATION  OF COAL 
I. Electricity  generation. 
II. New  fields  of utilization. 
III. Marketing. 
E. HARMFUL  EFFECTS  (ENVIRONMENTAL) 
I. Measures  against  air pollution. 
II. Water  purification. 
III. Noise  control. 
The criteria  adopted  are: 
— the  aims  of the energy  policy  and  general  research 
policy  of the Community; 
— the  value  of the  research,  i.e.  the  increase  in 
productivity  anci  profitability  which  it will  offer 
the industry,  and  also  its effects  upon  working 
conditions,  safety  and environmental  protection; 
— the  interest  of the Community  in the research; 
— the  probable  date  of completion  of the  research 
and its application  in practice. 
On the  basis  of these  criteria  the medium-term  pro-
gramme  will  consist  of the  following  nine  fields. 
There  appears  to be no purpose  in arranging  them  in 
order  of priority. 
OPERATIONS  UNDERGROUND  (SECTOR  A): 
— development  work; 
— methane  studies,  climatic  problems,  rock  pressure  1 
and supports; — methods  of working  and  techniques  of coal-
getting; 
— outbye  services  underground; 
— telecommunication,  monitoring,  remote  control 
and automation. 
OPERATIONAL  MANAGEMENT  AND  PLANNING 
(SECTOR  B): 
planning  and  control  of operation. 
PRODUCT  BENEFICATION  (SECTOR  C): 
— mechanical  coal  preparation; 
— coking  and  briquetting  of coal; 
— new  chemical  and  physical  processes; 
It is pointed  out  that  technical  matters  relating  to 
safety  and  working  conditions,  will  be considered 
in the  fields  adopted,  especially  in those  concerned 
with underground  operations.  Problems  relating  to 
environmental  protection  will  be considered  in the 
field  concerned,  and  more  particularly  in that  of coal 
processing.  The  reason  for not  entering  fields  A VII 
and E explicitly  into  the  medium-term  assistance 
programme  is, that  the  problems  of environmental 
protection  and  of security  are very  closely  connected 
with  all techniques  and  technologies  to be developed, 
and that  research  projects  not sufficiently  taking  into 
account  the invironmental  protection  have  no chance 
of being  carried  out.  In addition,  one  will  find  the 
groups  of section  E, and  particularly  of fields  E I and 
E II, in the other  groups  of the chosen  fields  (C I, C II, 
C III).  This  may  demonstrate  the actual  importance 
of environmental  protection.  In addition,  the necess-
ity to harmonize  the  investigations  with  other  re-
search  in the  sphere  of safety,  hygiene  and  oper-
ational  medicine,  which  is also  financed  by the ECSC, 
will be borne  in mind.  This  research  covers  princi-
pally  the  fields  of environmental  pollution,  health 
and safety  (*). 
On the  basis  of the  abovementioned  criteria  the 
fields  of research  have  selected  with  the  following 
considerations  in mind: 
— improvements  in the  operating  results  of the 
mines  and  in productivity  can  be  achieved 
by concentrating  mining  operations,  both  in space 
(*) A medium-term  programme  will  be established  for the 
social  research  and  will  show,  in detail,  the  research 
fields  concerned. 
25. 5. 74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 60/19 
and in time,  into  very  high  production  units  and 
coal-faces.  The  fields  of development  work,  of 
natural  influences  underground,  working  methods 
and techniques,  outbye  services  underground, 
remote  control  and  automation  and  also  planning 
and control  of operation,  have  for  this  reason 
been  included  in the programme; 
— these  fields  are of great  significance  in regard  to 
mine  safety.  It is found  that  falls  of ground  and 
of coal  in the face  cause  the majority  of accidents, 
together  with  transport. 
— the  market  position  demands  research  in the field 
of coal  processing  and  this  research  should  be 
concentrated  upon  coal  preparation,  coking  and briquetting,  in particular  in widening  the  range 
of types  of coal  suitable  for  coking,  improving 
coke  quality,  increasing  the  capacity  and  profit-
ability  of coking  plant  and  discovering  new  uses 
for coal  and  dirt. 
The medium-term  assistance  programme  for  coal 
research  will  operate  for a period  of six years.  To 
the extent  that  conditions  in the  mining  industry 
demand  and  having  regard  to the  rapid  progress  of 
technical  developments,  it can  be re-examined  later 
on. 
The medium-term  programme  is shown  below, 
subdivided  by fields  and  groups  and  complemented 
by notes  on projects  and subjects. 
A. OPERATIONS  UNDERGROUND 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
A II Development  work 
1 Conventional  methods  of driving  roadways Technique  of drilling,  shotfiring  and  removal 
of material. 
2 Fully  mechanized  driving  of roadways Heading  machines  which  take  the  full 
section. 
Selective  heading  machines 
Mechanization  of supports. 
Transport  problems  related  to driving  of 
roadways. 
Integration  of the equipment  and 
organization  of the work. 
Automation  of heading  machines. 
3 New  methods  for rock-cutting 
4 Large  hole  drilling 
5 
6 Sinking  by boring 
Cutting  machines  for very  short  faces 
7 Mechanized  driving  of riseheadings  (cross 
cuts) 
8 
9 Technical  problems  of ventilation 
Technical  problems  arising  from  roof 
pressure  and  strata  supports Improvement  of  climate  and  measures 
against  methane  and  dust. 
A III 
1 Methane  studies,  climatic  problems,  rock 
pressure  and  supports 
Presence,  movement  and  release  of methane 
No C 60/20 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 25. 5. 74 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
A III 2 
3 Degassing  of seams  and  drainage 
Mine  climate Development  of methods  of methane 
drainage. 
Pre-infusion  from  a distance. 
4 Valorization  and  utilization  of methane Underground  storage  of methane. 
Recovering  methane  from  closed  pits  and 
old workings. 
5 
6 Ventilation: 
(a) Measuring  appliances 
(b) Techniques 
(c) Prediction  and  calculation 
(d) Auxiliary  ventilation 
Rock  mechanics Use of analogue  models. 
Control  of  methane  emission  on  high 
performance  faces. 
Applied  rock  mechanics 
Formation  of breaks  and  cleavages. 
7 Rock  pressure  and  supports: 
(a) Stone  drifts 
(b) Gateroads  * 
(c) Face 
(d) Face-ends 
(e) Other  excavations Strata  bolting. 
8 Roof  and  floor  control  in various  geological 
and working  conditions 
9 Preventions  of rockbursts  and  bumps 
10 Powered  supports Adapting  to various  geological  conditions 
and methods  of winning. 
Remote  control  and  automation. 
11 New  support  systems: 
(a) Face 
(b) Roadways 
(c) Face-ends Shield  supports,  etc. 
12 Special  problems  relating  to production  in: 
(a) Thick  seams 
(b) Steep  seams 
25. 5. 74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 60/21 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
A IV Methods  of working  and  techniques  of 
coalgetting 
1 Workability  of coal 
2 Winning  in fully  mechanized  places: 
(a) Cutting  machines  and  ploughs Improving  equipment  for  controlling 
machines. 
(b) Powered  supports Adapting  to various  winning  conditions. 
(c) Face  conveyors Development  and  application  for  transport 
of equipment. 
(d) Stowing  and  caving Mechanization  and  remote  control. 
(e) Face  crushers 
3 Fully  integrated  mechanized  systems  of Problems  of face-ends. 
production 
Elimination  of idle  time. production 
Elimination  of idle  time. 
Programming  individual  processes  and  face 
operations. 
Remote  control  and  automation  in the face. 
Development  of  high  power  machines 
requiring  little  maintenance  and  repairs. 
4 Special  problems  of working: 
(a) Semi-steep  seams 
(b) Steep  seams 
(c) Thin  seams 
(d) Thick  and  very  thick  seams 
5 New  methods  of winning By hydromechanical  methods. 
By auger  mining  in level  seams. 
In steep  seams. 
In thick  seams. 
6 Technical  problems  of ventilation Ventilation,  improvement  of climate  and 
measures  against  methane  and  dust. 
7 Technical  problems  arising  from  rock 
pressure  and  strata  supports 
A V Outbye  services  underground 
1 Manriding 
2 Transport  of products  and  material > 
3 Mechanized  loading  points 
4 Automation  of main  haulage 
No C 60/22 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 25. 5. 74 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
A V 5_ New  transport  systems Monorails. 
Conveyor  trains  (Couloirs-roulants). 
Tyred  vehicles,  etc. 
6 Power  supplies  for underground  operations Higher  voltage  supplies. 
Cylindrical  transformer,  etc. 
Fire resistant  liquids. 
7 Research  and  analysis  on dynamic  defor-
mations  in shafts 
A VI 
1 Telecommunication,  monitoring,  remote 
control  and  automation 
Telemetry 
2 Monitoring  systems Perfection  and  development  of mine  control 
centres. 
Monitoring  equipment  for  underground 
electricity  networks,  etc. 
3 Remote  control Including  interlocking  systems  for conveyors. 
4 Programmed  control  of individual  methods 
of working  and  their  equipment 
.5 
6 Optimization  of integrated  processes  and 
operations 
Automation Ventilation. 
Reliability  of electronic  equipment. 
For example,  main  haulage  systems. 
Ventilation. 
B. OPERATIONAL  MANAGEMENT  AND  PLANNING 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
B II Planning,  organization  and  control  of 
operations 
1 
2 
3 Reduction  in time  of workings  and  pits  and 
improvement  of the  rate  of utilization  of 
the machines 
Improvement  of ratip  between  nett  and 
gross  output 
Problems  relating  to the  structure  under-
ground  and  at the surface 
1 Elimination  of idle  time. 
Treatment  of data  received  at the  control 
centre. 
Simplification  of the  structure. 
Improvement  of  knowledge  on  inter-
dependence  of services. 
Improvement  of cost  system. 
Studies  of underground  and  surface  services. 
25. 5. 74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 60/23 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
B II 4 
5 
6 Assessment  of coal  reserves  including  brown 
coal 
New  planning  techniques  —  integrated 
planning  systems 
Mathematical  models Selection  of haulage  methods. 
7 Optimization  of underground  workings Cross-section  of roadways,  layout  of 
districts,  face  and  roadway  operations. 
C. PRODUCT  BENEFICATION 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
c I Mechanical  coal  preparation 
1 
2 Properties  of raw  coal  and  treated  products 
Stockpiling  and  homogenization Evaluation  of parameters  measurable 
quantitatively. 
3 Mechanism  of the  mechanical  treatment 
process Reduction  of proportion  of smalls  and 
finest  material  by gentle  crushing  of grades 
sizes. 
4 Development  of conventional  techniques  for 
coal preparation Treatment  of fines  (flotation). 
Development  of vacuum  filtration. 
5 Development  and  introduction  of  new 
methods Electrostatic  and  pneumatic  processes. 
6 Control  of the process Control  systems. 
Automatic  rapid  methods  for determination 
of ash,  moisture  and  sulphur  content. 
Relation  between  parameters  quantitatively 
measurable  and  parameters  of uncontrolled 
techniques  (i.e.  not  directly  measurable). 
7 
8 Desulphurization  of the  coal 
Waste  disposal 
No C 60/24 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 2.5. 5. 74 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
c II Coking  and  briquetting  of coal 
1 Properties  of coking  coals  and  carbonization 
products Automatic  sampling  and  continuous 
preparation  of samples. 
Evaluation  of parameters  measurable 
quantitatively. 
Evaluation  of qualities  of coals,  e.g.  size 
distribution  of coke  produced. 
Widening  of the coking  coal  basis. 
2 Mechanism  of coking  (pyrolysis) Pyrolysis  under  extreme  conditions. 
Quantitative  research  on behaviour  of coal 
swelling  in coke  ovens. 
3 Development  of conventional  coking 
techniques: 
(a) New  methods  of research 
(b) Increased  capacities  and  the productivity 
of coke  oven  batteries 
(c) Mechanization  and  automation  of the 
processes 
(d) Manufacture  of foundry  coke Determination  of swelling  pressure  of coals. 
Thermal  studies  on regenerators  of coke  oven 
batteries. 
Charging  pre-heated  coking  coal. 
Blending  charges. 
Refractory  material  allowing  a reduction  in 
the width  of the  stretchers  (wall  thickness), 
i.e. bricks. 
Increasing  the  temperature  of the  flues. 
4 Thermal  balance  and  process  control Optimization  of oven  heating. 
Reduction  of heat  required  for coking. 
Influence  of higher  temperatures  of walls 
(arches)  on quality  of coke,  swelling  and 
productivity. 
Relation  between  the  parameters  (see  part 
C I b) and  the variable  technical  parameters. 
Determination  of temperature/time  re-
lationship. 
5 Production  and  benefication  of by-products 
and coking  gas Increasing  the  yield  of simple  aromatics 
from  coal  tar. 
Benefication  of complex  aromatics  from  coal 
tar for  utilization  in the  chemical  and 
plastics  industry. 
6 New  methods  of coking  for coal Continuous  coking  process  of smalls  and 
fines  for the production  of formed  coke. 
7 New  methods  of briquetting  brown  coal Based  on rough  coal,  dried  coal  and  small 
coke. 
25. 5. 74 Official  Journal  of the  European Communities No C 60/25 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
c II 
8 Methods  of  manufacturing  smokeless 
briquettes  from  coal 
9 Technical  and  economic  problems  in 
environmental  protection Measures  against  emission  during  charging 
and discharging  the ovens. 
c III New  chemical  and  physical  processes  and 
products  from  coal 
(a) Fundamental  research  for new  chemical 
and physical  processes 
1 Chemical  constitution  of coal Studies  of coal  constitution  and  reactions 
involved  in processing. 
2 Petrographic  methods  of analysis Classification. 
Physical  and  chemical  constitution;  proper-
ties of petrographic  constituents. 
Use in process  control. 
3 Physical  properties  of coal Physical  properties  as they  affect  the pro-
cessing  of coal. 
4 High  intensity  chemical  reactions 
(b) New  products  and  processes  from  coal High  temperature  and/or  pressure  reactions 
in pyrolysis,  gasification,  hydrogenation,  etc. 
1 Gasification Pressure  gasification.  High  and  low  calorific 
value  gas. 
Utilization  of heat  from  nuclear  reactors. 
2 Production  and  benefication  of hydrogen 
from  coke  oven  gas and  other  gases Hydrogenation  using  coke  oven  gases. 
3 Dissolving  coal  and  extracting  constituents Conversion  of extraction  constituents  into 
high value  materials,  e.g.  electrode  cokes, 
carbon  fibres. 
4 Hydrogenation  and  hydrocracking  of coal, 
extraction  products  and  tar aromatics Production  of hydrocarbons  for  chemical 
and plastics  industries. 
5 Oxidation  of coal,  coal  extracts  and  coal 
tar fractions Production  of chemicals  containing  carboxyl 
groups,  etc. 
6 Adsorption  agents  from  coal Activated  carbons  and  coals  for  the  puri-
fication  of gaseous  and  liquid  effluents. 
7 Electrode  coke  and  reducing  agents  from 
coal Special  cokes  with  properties  adapted  to 
market  requirements,  e.g.  for  metallurgical 
and electrochemical  industries. 
No C 60/26 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 25. 5. 74 
Sector Field Group Designation Notes 
c III 8 Building  and  other  materials  from  coal  and 
shale Cement  from  flotation  waste,  road-building 
materials,  lightweight  aggregates. 
9 Improved  methods  of  combustion  and 
utilization  of heat New  and  improved  combustion  methods. 
Combined  cycles  for  power  generation. 
High  pressure  methods.  Plasma  physics. 
10 Microbiological  treatment  of coal Production  of protein. 
11 Technical  and  economical  problems  in 
environmental  protection New  techniques  and  improvement  of pro-
cesses  aimed  at reducing  noxious  emissions.