Abstract: An ashless liquid fuel of good quality is produced by mixing powdery coal with a pitch having a C/H ratio of from 0.90 to 1.20 in an amount of at least 50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the powdery coal, subjecting the mixture to a heat treatment conducted at from 400.degree. to 450.degree. C. and thereafter, removing a solid coagulated material formed in the treated product. The pitch having an atomic ratio C/H in the range from 0.90 to 1.20 is obtained by the heat treatment of a residual oil in the distillation of crude oils.

Abstract: A process for liquefying coal to produce liquid fuel and pitch-like substes suitable as starting materials for various carbonaceous materials, which process comprises incorporating powdery coal with a heavy oil of petroleum series having a high carbon content of at least 0.9 in terms of the atomic ratio C/H in an amount of at least 50 parts by weight per 100 parts of the powdery coal, subjecting the mixture to a heat treatment conducted at 320.degree.-400.degree. C for 0.5-10 hours thereby liquefying the coal.

Abstract: Micro-beads having a carbonaceous structure are produced by a process comsing heating pitch at about 350-500.degree.C to form optically anisotropic spherules, extracting the resulting spherules with an organic solvent to remove substantially all remaining pitch therefrom, and then carbonizing the pitch-free spherules in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The optically anisotropic micro-beads substantially free of pitch can be shaped to a desired form and then carbonized to produce a shaped carbonaceous structure. If the carbonizing temperature is above about 1500.degree.C, a graphite crystalline structure results.