Abstract: A process for the gasification of low rank carbonaceous material, including the steps: (a) subjecting said low rank carbonaceous material to shearing stresses in order to cause attritioning of the microporous structure of said low rank carbonaceous material and release of water contained in the micropores; (b) continuing the shearing attritioning of step (a) until the low rank carbonaceous material forms into a plastic mass; (c) compacting the plastic mass of step (b) into compacted bodies; (d) heating the compacted bodies at temperatures sufficient to thermally decompose the compacted bodies to produce a reactive carbonaceous product; (e) reacting the reactive carbonaceous product with water vapour at a temperature sufficient to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide containing gas.