President's Message
The summer of 2026 passed quickly but it was a productive time for the CPSA. We were fortunate to be able to host two Coal Prep 102 classes, presented by Dr. Rick Honaker. Classes were held in Evansville, Indiana on July 23, and in Beckley, WV on August 20th. Both classes were well attended, with more than twenty members present in each class. Having attended several 102 classes over the years, I always walk away with new information and ideas on how to apply it. Thanks to Dr. Honaker and our members for making these events a success. The CPSA will continue to look for ways to deliver on our mission to educate in ’28.
Following up on membership feedback after CoalProTec 2026, we are in the process of refreshing our website. Our goal is to make the site more useful for our members and sponsors. The CPSA website hosts a large volume of useful coal preparation related content that is a major benefit to membership. The refresh is underway, so stay tuned for more information. Big thanks to Toni Franklin for her knowledge and efforts on this needed improvement!
The primary focus of the CPSA board of directors is to better serve our members. As a result, we solicited your feedback this summer with a survey on educational workshops. The feedback indicated a need for real-world troubleshooting and operating tips and best practices. We appreciate your feedback as we use this to guide future educational offerings.
While the coal prices are well below past levels, we saw a slight improvement in metallurgical coal prices this summer. Higher gas prices and conflict in the Middle East pushed thermal coal prices higher, as well. Tech companies’ exponential expenditure on AI development and data centers will surely impact the demand for coal. When coal prices climb in the future, those that maintain a focus on efficient coal preparation will benefit.
God Bless and Be Safe,
Eric Wolfe