Abstract: After pulverizing feed coal to a range of particle sizes from 1 to 250 microns, the particles are divided at approximately a micron level in the range from 37 to 74 microns into a coarse fraction and a fine fraction. The inorganic material is separated from the organic material, at least in the coarse fraction, and the particles of inorganic material are excluded from the coal that is fed to the boiler.