Thermo-chemical processing of coal via solvent extraction

A method comprising:

• providing a coal-based feedstock, wherein said coal-based feedstock is at least partially derived from coal;
• contacting said coal-based feedstock with one or more solvents under solvent treatment conditions for generating a soluble phase product and a remainder insoluble phase product, wherein said contacting comprises a counter current extraction, the counter current extraction comprising:
• flowing a coal slurry in a first direction through a counter current extraction vessel, wherein the coal slurry comprises said coal based feedstock;
• flowing a solvent in a second direction through the counter current extraction vessel, the second direction being opposite to the first;
• wherein the solvent contacts the coal slurry in a series of chambers, the chambers being defined by static baffles, each chamber having at least one agitator paddle circulating therein;
• and
• fractionating said soluble phase product generating at least two fractions under conditions such that at least one of said fractionated products is said high value product.

A method of processing a coal-based feed stock to make a high value product, said method comprising:

• providing said coal-based feedstock, wherein said coal-based feedstock is at least partially derived from coal;
• contacting said coal-based feedstock with one or more solvents under solvent treatment conditions for generating a soluble phase product and a remainder insoluble phase product;
• and
• fractionating said soluble phase product generating at least two fractions under conditions such that at least one of said fractionated products is said high value product;
• and
• wherein said high value products are polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters, epoxy polymers or precursors thereof.