Abstract: Pyrolysis of oil shale or removal of valuable hydrocarbons from other hydrocarbon-containing materials is achieved through heating of induction-heatable objects which can transfer heat to the oil shale or other hydrocarbon-containing material in a dynamic process matrix. The induction-heatable materials should be conductive and resistive. The induction-heatable materials may also be resistive. The induction-heatable objects are exposed to a rapidly-changing magnetic field which causes current to flow within the induction-heatable objects. Resistive heating results, which generates heat within the induction-heatable objects. If the induction-heatable objects are also magnetic, then heat is secondarily generated within them by magnetic hysteresis. The induction-heatable objects are mixed with oil shale feedstock to form a dynamic process matrix either before or after they are heated by induction heating.