Grants awarded for coal-mining research

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- Grants worth nearly $3 million were awarded this week for research into improving energy efficiency in the coal-mining industry.

The projects include improving the processes used to remove moisture from coal to help burn cleaner and to make use of the fine coal dust particles that can be recovered and burned for fuel.

Another project involves the development of software to better monitor the mining process and find ways to improve efficiency.

Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said in a statement Friday while coal is plentiful source of energy for the United States, the mining process is in itself energy intensive.