Mulugeta Sissay (PhD)Yahye Ahmeda2025-06-232025-06-232025-02https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/5623This study investigates the proximate Analysis and flotation performance of coal from the Biyo Gurgur area in the Somali Region of Ethiopia to assess its quality and industrial potential. Despite Ethiopia’s heavy reliance on imported energy, domestic coal resources such as those in Biyo Gurgur remain underutilized due to limited characterization and beneficiation data. This study’s main objective was to evaluate the coal quality in the Biyo Gurgur region using flotation experiments, calorific value, and proximate analysis. ASTM standards determine important factors such as moisture, ash, volatile matter, fixed carbon, calorific value, and sulfur content. Proximate analysis showed that the coal is low-grade lignite with high ash content (19.3%-63.2%), moderate volatile matter (19.5%), and low fixed carbon (13.2%-50.6%), resulting in a calorific value of 1626.48cal/gm. With a sulfur content level of 0.16%, there was little risk of sulfur emission to the environment. Flotation experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of particle size and collector dosage on grade and recovery. The findings showed that both parameters significantly influence efficiency. The highest recovery (11.84%) and grade (97.85%) were achieved at a particle size of -125+75 with a 10mL collector dosage, while coarser particles exhibited lower recovery rates. The flotation process effectively separated hydrophobic coal particles from hydrophilic ash-forming minerals, highlighting its potential as a beneficiation technique to improve coal quality. These results demonstrate the coal’s limited energy potential and significant impurity levels, which restrict its industrial use in its unprocessed form. However, flotation and other beneficiation techniques can improve its quality for industrial and energy applications. The study concludes that although biyo gurgur coal has limited application in its raw state, beneficiation through flotation can significantly improve its quality for industrial and energy uses.en-USFlotation ExperimentParticle sizeCollector dosageProximate analysisThesis