Abstract: Methods of converting raw coals into low ash fuels which are competitive with the heavier grades of petroleum-based fuels and into other products. The raw coal is comminuted in aqueous slurry until resolved into separate, particulate phases of coal and mineral matter. Then, an agglomerating agent is mixed with the slurry until the coal particles have coalesced into agglomerates, and the agglomerates are recovered from the slurry. The ash content of the product coal can be reduced even further by redispersing the product coal in clean water and then reagglomerating the particles of coal and/or by subjecting it to an acid leach.