Crushing reduces the overall topsize of the ROM coal so that it can be more easily handled and processed within the CPP. Crushing requirements are an important part of CPP design, and a number of different types.

Stockpiles provide surge capacity to various parts of the CPP. ROM coal is delivered with large variations in production rate of tonnes per hour (tph). A ROM stockpile is used to allow the washplant to be fed coal at lower, constant rate.

A simple stockpile is formed by machinery dumping coal into a pile, either from , pushed into heaps with  or from  booms. More controlled stockpiles are formed using  to form piles along the length of a conveyor, and  to retrieve the coal when required for product loading, etc.