WesTech designs and manufactures thickeners for the coal prep industry for product concentration, tailings disposal and CCD circuit washing, including HiFlo Thickeners and Deep Bed Paste Thickeners. Paste thickening is a proven technology increasing the profitability of mining operations. In the coal preparation plant there are two applications for paste thickening: concentrating fine coal and producing paste from coal tailings for increased water recovery and elimination of tailings ponding. Paste thickeners...
Hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") as a method to stimulate shallow, hard rock oil wells began in the 1860s. It was used in Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Initial efforts used explosive nitroglycerin in oil, water, and gas wells. Nonexplosive acid for well stimulation was introduced in the 1930s. Acid etching prevented fractures from closing completely, enhancing recovery. The same phenomenon was later discovered with...