This report is a detailed review of the progress in research programs at the University of North Dakota Energy Research Center on low rank coals, involving especially: gasification pilot plant waste water treatment and reuse, hydrogen production, coal-water slurry production (and study of rheology of slurries and coal drying), combustion and fluidizied-bed combustion, flue gas characterization and purification, ashes and boiler fouling, fine coal preparation, ashes and slags characterization, chemical structure of low rank coal, moisture, supercritical solvent extraction, pyrolysis and devolatilization. (LTN)