Abstract: In a conventional air burner for combustion of pulverized coal having a back and a front, and a coal feeding tube for the pulverized coal extending from the back to the front, an oil igniter connected to the front of the burner, an oil feeding tube connected to the oil igniter, the oil igniter when fired ignites the oil projecting a starter flame at the front of the burner, the starter flame ignites a continuous supply of the pulverized coal conveyed to the starter flame at the front of the burner to create a pulverized coal fueled flame, an improvement wherein a metal tube for conveying a suspension of fine-grained coal in a liquid or aqueous slurry is inserted through the burner and extends from the back to the front and wherein the metal tube is attached to a nozzle oriented and adapted to spray the aqueous slurry into the pulverized coal fueled flame.