Abstract: A system and method is provided for beneficiating, or “cleaning”, ultra-fine raw coal with a combination of small diameter water-only cyclones and spiral concentrators. The inventive system includes multiple pre- and post- classification systems to size the finer sized raw mineral to develop a pre-sized mineral fraction smaller that a predetermined first size (approximately 0.15 mm). The pre-sized mineral fraction is fed to at least one water-only cyclone which separates the pre-sized mineral fraction according to specific gravity. The high specific gravity mineral fraction is fed to at least one spiral concentrator, wherein the at least one spiral concentrator separates the high specific gravity mineral fraction into clean mineral and refuse by specific gravity. Water may be added to the inlet of the at least one spiral concentrator to maintain a constant flow through the at least one spiral concentrator. Additionally, residual minus 0.