Production of asphalt cement

A process for producing asphalt cement which comprises (1) forming a slurry by admixing solvent-refined coal with a fluidized catalytic cracking main column bottoms petroleum solvent in admixture quantities between about 1.0 and 5 parts by weight of petroleum solvent per part by weight of solent-refined coal, wherein said petroleum solvent has a hydrogen content distribution in which the H.sub.ar proton content is between about 30 and 50 percent, the H.sub..alpha. proton content is at least about 30 percent, and the H.sub..alpha. /H.sub..beta. proton ratio is above about 1.4;

• and (2) heating said slurry at a temperature between about 350+ F and 850.degree. F for a period of time between about 0.2 and 2 hours to convert the slurry into a homogeneous composition which has a flowable asphaltic consistency at standard temperature.