Process for producing deep cleaned coal

A physio-chemical process for producing deep cleaned coal, comprising the steps of:

• providing a supply of air-dried coal of particle size fractions of no greater than 1/4 inch.times.0 mesh;
• immersing the coal in an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of butylamine, propylamine, and ethylene diamine, to form a mixture, having coal in an amount to provide no greater than 40 weight percent solids content, for a time period sufficient to swell the coal and to induce natural fracturing of the coal;
• processing the mixture to recover the organic solvent;
• subjecting the swelled coal to grinding to a particle size range of minus 28 mesh or finer;
• subjecting the swelled coal to leaching with a 10 to 20% aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution containing 1 to 2% sulfuric acid at ambient conditions to remove residual pyrite from the coal;
• and
• subjecting the swelled coal to leaching with an aqueous solution containing 3 to 6% ammonium hydrogen fluoride and 2 to 3% of nitric acid or hydrochloric acid to remove residual ash from the coal.