ASTM D4596-09 (R2015) PDF Download

Guidelines are provided for the collection of face channel coal samples in a mine by the ASTM D4596-09 (R2015) standard. To get representative cross-sections of the coal bed at the sampling location, channel samples are taken. These samples are utilized for a variety of tasks, including assessing coal quality, classifying coal for commercial assessments and mine planning, figuring out coal rank, and carrying out geologic coal resource studies.

The standard highlights that the number and spacing of sample points, as well as the diversity of coal properties in a particular area, determine how reliable the data obtained from channel samples are. It issues a warning that a single sample might not be representative of the overall quality of the coal bed at other sample points due to possible lateral variations.

The standard further emphasizes that it is improper to assess the quality of commercial coal shipments using channel samples. These shipments ought to be sampled in compliance with additional pertinent procedures like ASTM D2234/D2234M.