This contract for fundamental combustion studies of low-rank coal slurries was initiated March 1, 1984. Slurries being studied are primarily those produced from steam-dried lignite coal provided by the Grand Forks Project Office. Contract work includes virgin coal and slurry characterization, slurry spray and atomization measurements, detailed mapping of combustion products and pollutants for low-rank coal slurries in a laboratory reactor, and comparison of results with computer model predictions and with data obtained under similar conditions from combustion of high-rank coal-water mixtures. Progress reports are presented for the following three tasks: (1) coal slurry characterization; (2) coal slurry spray characterization; an (3) coal slurry combustion tests. 11 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.