TRANSPORTATION: Flushing Coal to Market

Most of the coal to fire President Carter's energy program (TIME, May 2) will be shipped by rail. But if other states or Congress pass laws like the one signed by Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. last week, an increasing amount will be transported by slurry pipelines. Working much like toilets, the pipelines are supposed to "flush" a slurry mixture of water and pulverized coal from mine to market. When the blend gets to its destination, usually an electric utility plant, the coal is separated from the water by filter or centrifuge...

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