TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The carbonaceous material further comprises hydrogen and nitrogen. The base comprises hydroxide compound i.e. metal hydroxide compound, including alkali metal hydroxide compound. The carbonaceous material is coal having rank of lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous or anthracite; or coke, coal tar or peat. The carbonaceous material comprises amorphous carbon. Preferred Composition: The carbonaceous material comprises 50-90 (preferably 60-75) wt.% carbon. The carbon/hydrogen weight percent ratio is greater than 6, greater than 8, greater than 10, greater than 12 or greater than 16. Preferred Process: The carbonaceous material undergoes hydrogen-producing reaction in solid phase. The carbonaceous material and base undergo hydrogen-producing reaction in the presence of liquid water or water vapor. The hydrogen-producing reaction does not form carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. The hydrogen-producing reaction further forms carbonate or bicarbonate compound. The process further comprises reacting carbonate or bicarbonate compound with metal hydroxide compound. A carbonate or bicarbonate precipitate is thermally decomposed to produce metal oxide. The reaction step includes electrochemical reaction. The electrochemical reaction occurs in electrochemical cell into which organic material, base and electrolyte are placed to form electrochemical reaction system, where electrochemical cell includes anode and cathode in contact with electrochemical system. The electrochemical reaction is initiated upon application of voltage between anode and cathode. EXAMPLE - Carbon black (0.3 g) and solid sodium hydroxide (2.0 g) were intimately mixed and placed into stainless steel cylinder reactor. The sodium hydroxide included is 5% by weight of water. The carbon black and sodium hydroxide occupied is 25% of the volume of reactor. Electrical coils were wrapped around the reactor for heating and the temperature was controlled. The reactor was sealed and flushed with helium to remove oxygen from reactor. In flushing process, the cylinder was first evacuated with vacuum pump and charged with flowing helium until the pressure reached atmospheric pressure. The process was performed thrice. At the end of third charge with helium, the helium was left in reactor. The reactor was wrapped with insulation and raised to desired reaction temperature. Hydrogen was generated by instant reaction and the experiment was halted when sufficient time had elapsed to create a pressure of 50 psi in reactor. The process was stopped and the reactor was allowed to cool down to room temperature to take a gas sample.