Abstract: A process is provided for recovering oxygen from air and particularly providing a product stream comprising a mixture of oxygen and steam useful, for example, in coal gasification processes. The instant process involves contacting a suspension of manganese dioxide in an aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide with air in a low pressure absorbing zone. The resulting liquid oxygen enriched stream is then pumped into a relatively high pressure generating zone where it is contacted with steam to release oxygen absorbed in the absorbing zone and thereby provide the above mentioned product.