TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ENVIRONMENT - Preferred Process: The process involves passing the slurry through a heat exchanger, where at least one gas is vented, to produce a conditioned slurry; reacting the conditioned slurry in a first reaction, where steam and gas is liberated, to produce the reacted feed; lowering temperature and pressure of the reacted feed to produce an intermediate feed; separating the at least one mineral from the intermediate feed, thus producing a mixture comprising at least one reacted liquid product and water; diverting the water to storage; subjecting the reacted liquid product to a second reaction where carbon solids and a mixture of hydrocarbon vapor and gases are produced. The preparing involves driving off ammonia from the feedstock. The first reaction is carried out at 150 - 330 (preferably 170 - 250)degreesC and at a pressure of 20 - 120 (preferably 50) atmospheres. The reacting drives off at least one contaminant selected from sulfur-containing material, mercury-containing material or halogen-containing compound; and steam. The steam is redirected to heat the slurry during the preparing. The separating involves a first separation and a second separation. The process further involves prior to the converting, diverting a portion of the liquid product and separately converting the portion into at least one specialty chemical comprises a fatty acid. The second reaction takes place at 400 - 600 degrees C or 300 - 225 degrees C and at a pressure of 15 - 50 psi. The first reacting drives off chlorine-containing contaminant.Preferred Apparatus: The pre-treatment unit comprises: a feedstock preparation unit (a1) including a slurrying device to create a feedstock slurry from the feedstock; a vessel communicating with (a1) to receive the feedstock slurry, a pump configured to pressurize the slurry, and a heat exchanger configured to heat the slurry to produce the heated slurry. The first stage reactor additionally drives off steam that is redirected to the feedstock preparation unit. The apparatus further comprises a unit for receiving a portion of the reacted liquid product and converting into specialty chemical; and a storage unit for the useful material.Preferred Component: The liquid product comprises at least one fat derivative or fatty acid. The solid product comprises at least one mineral compound. The solvent is oil obtained from said converting. ACTIVITY - Fertilizer.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - None given.