Abstract: A process for upgrading a low rank coal and a heavy oil to produce an improved coal product and an improved oil product. First, the low rank coal is dewatered to reduce its moisture content to less than about 4 percent in order to render the low rank coal more oleophilic. Next, the dewatered low rank coal is mixed with a quantity of the heavy oil of between about 15 and 40 percent of the dry weight of the low rank coal so that the heavy oil substantially contacts the low rank coal in order to produce a mixture. The mixture is then heated to a temperature less than the mild thermal cracking limit of the mixture in order to separate hydrocarbons from the mixture and to produce the improved coal product. The hydrocarbons separated from the mixture during the heating step are then collected in order to produce the improved oil product.

Abstract: A process for the flotation of particles of lignitic coal, subbituminous coal or oxidized bituminous coal contained within a slurry of coal and gangue, comprising the steps of dispersing a surfactant throughout the slurry, first conditioning the slurry such that the surfaces of the particles of coal are selectively coated by the surfactant to produce activated particles of coal, dispersing an oil throughout the slurry, second conditioning the slurry such that the surfaces of the activated particles of coal are selectively coated by the oil to produce oiled particles of coal, and floating the oiled particles of coal on the surface of the slurry for separation from the slurry and gangue.