HIGH PROFILE
In the South Gobi region of Mongolia, low-quality coal has accumulated in the stockyard of a 1 Mt / y coal mine. Conventional wet coal preparation requires substantial amounts of water, posing economic and operational challenges in the Gobi region, where annual precipitation is less than 100 mm.
In October 2025, MeiTeng Technology commissioned a fully dry intelligent sorting solution with a capacity of 1.5 Mt / y. The TDS ®+ TGS ® system provides full-size-range dry separation without process water, achieving an overall misplace rate of coal in reject below 3 % and increasing product calorific value by approximately 2,200 kcal / kg. Coal with impurity levels as high as 60-80 % was successfully upgraded to meet market specifications.
Conventional air-based coal separation has long been applied; but its accuracy remains lower than that of wet processing, particularly in the treatment of fine coal. To address the separation requirements of different size fractions, The DCP Intelligent Full Particle Size Coal Dry Preparation Dream Plant employs two complementary technology routes, TDS ® and TGS ®, for lump coal and fine coal, respectively, extending the application range of dry separation. For 25-200 mm lump coal, MeiTeng uses the TDS ® Intelligent Dry Sorter. TDS ® integrates X-ray and CCD recognition with high-pressure air jets, while multi-stage material distribution and AI-based image segmentation improve particle dispersion and recognition. An optimised air-jet control algorithm further enhances separation accuracy.
Project operating data show that the misplace rate of coal in reject of TDS ® is below 1 %. For fine coal, the independently developed TGS ® Intelligent Gradient- Fluidisation Separator is designed to address the limitations of dry separation. It covers a size range of-80 mm to 3 mm. For a 3-25 mm feed, a single unit can process up to 600 t / h. TGS ® combines air jigging stratification, X-ray detection, and intelligent density control. A digital air-supply system establishes a stable fluidised bed, while air flow, vibration and gravity jointly promote stratification. An X-ray separationperformance analyser monitors sorting performance in real time, and an intelligent density-control system dynamically adjusts
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MeiTeng dry separation in South Gobi
Using MeiTeng dry separation technology, a customer in Mongolia was able to upgrade low-quality to marketable coal
operating parameters. The coordinated operation of these subsystems helps maintain stable separation performance.
This MeiTeng Dream Plant adopts a modular design and consists of three main process modules: the ROM hopper and primary crushing module, the screening and TDS ® module, and the TGS ® module, together with a bulk stacking and materialhandling system. Auxiliary facilities include the power generation unit, compressed-air system, dust-collection system and MCC and control room, providing power, compressed air, dust control and centralised process control, respectively.
The plant comprises 27 equipment units, with an installed capacity of 1,777 kVA, hourly power consumption of approximately 1,046 kWh, and a total footprint of approximately 18,000 m ². The system features a simplified flowsheet, a limited number of equipment units, all-steel structural construction, and a modular layout. It therefore requires relatively little installation space and facilitates rapid installation, deployment and commissioning.
Since full-scale production in October 2025, the system has maintained stable operation. Key operating indicators include a system processing capacity of 285 t / h; an increase in product calorific value of approximately 2,200 kcal / kg; an ash reduction of more than 25 %; overall misplace rate of coal in reject < 3 %; and gangue rejection rate > 95 %. The TDS ® and TGS ® operating mode is fully automatic, with adaptive response to fluctuations in feed quality.
MeiTeng supplied modular equipment for rapid on-site assembly. Factoryintegrated manufacturing combined with fast installation reduced on-site work, shortened the construction schedule, and reduced reliance on local skilled labour. In the Gobi, this also helped mitigate project implementation risks.
The contract was signed on December 27, 2024. Construction officially started on April 13, 2025, major equipment arrived on May 29, system commissioning began on August 4, and trial production started on September 1, all within 10 months, covering the construction and commissioning of the cross-border project.
This schedule relied on coordinated cross-border transport and customs clearance of 725 t of materials over 1,900 km. The flexible EPS model split responsibilities: MeiTeng handled core process design, major equipment supply, PLC programming, commissioning and technical guidance; the owner managed civil works, installation, permits and logistics. Clear role division allowed both sides to play to their strengths, and the project was completed with zero lost-time injuries. For cross-border projects, a shorter timeline reduces equipment, personnel and sitemanagement commitments plus accelerates production startup.
As ore grades decline and mining conditions grow more complex, while water and energy efficiency gain priority, low-grade resource utilisation is drawing increasing attention. Meanwhile, advances in drysorting technology, sensing, separation and intelligent control have steadily improved accuracy, capacity and environmental adaptability.
Flow Chart of DCP Full Particle Size Intelligent Dry Separation System
International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2026