Progress in research programs on low rank coal is reported under the following headings: Gasification wastewater treatment and reuse, hydrogen production, preparation of coal-water fuel slurries, coal liquefaction, 50/sub x//NO/sub x/ control, particualte characterization, cleaning of coal fines, fouling of boilers and heat exchangers, fluidized-bed combustion, combustion of fuel slurries, ash and slag characterization, molecular structure measurement of physical properties and moisture, supercritical solvent extraction, pyrolysis and devolatilization. (LTN)