Further, the coal is low on sulfur and fly ash content, which increases its attractiveness.

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Or to extract germanium from the fly ash from the burning of coal.

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The concrete is often made with foam, fly-ash or other waste materials to make it lighter as well as cheaper.

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Past incidents of aircraft trying to fly through volcanic ash clouds and suffering damage and engine failure led European officials to shut their air spaces rather than risk a catastrophe, said Joe Sultana, an official at Eurocontrol, the intergovernmental body that manages European air travel.

CNN: Air travel paralyzed as volcanic ash cloud lingers

While most of the freight will have been flown straight on from last weekend's season-opener in Qatar, the cloud of ash has created a no-fly zone over much of northern and central Europe and made it impossible for many team personnel to reach Japan.

BBC: Volcanic ash cloud forces postponement of Japan MotoGP

The Reds were forced to abandon plans to fly direct to Spain as a result of the volcanic ash cloud that has caused travel chaos across northern Europe.

BBC: Liverpool arrive in Madrid after marathon journey

The UK is enduring a fourth day as a virtual no-fly zone, as the travel chaos caused by volcanic ash drifting from Iceland shows no sign of ending.

BBC: Volcano cloud threatens Formula 1 preparations

But the no-fly zone still applied to most of Britain, and a new cloud of volcanic ash was reported to be on its way.

ECONOMIST: The effect on business and leisure

The 24-year-old defending champion will fly with several other Kenyan competitors whose plans for Sunday's race changed after planes were grounded by volcanic ash.

BBC: Britain's Mara Yamauchi arrives in London for Marathon