TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOLOGY - Preferred Components: The hydrolytic microbial population of step (b) includes an acetogen. The hydrolytic microbial population of step (b) is a member selected from Acetivibrio, Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, Zootermopsis, and other Firmicutes, and/or Proteobacteria. The microbial population of step (c) is a member selected from Aerobacter, Aeromonas, Alcaligenes, Bacillus, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Leptospira, Micrococcus, Neisseria, Paracolobacterium, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Rhodopseudomonas, Sarcina, Serratia, Streptococcus and Streptomyces, Methanobacterium omelianskii, Methanobacterium Formicium, Methanobacterium Sohngenii, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanosarcina Methanica, Methanosarcina Masei, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, Methanobacterium bryantii, Methanobrevibacter smithii, Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus, Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, Methanospirillum hungatei, Methanococcus vannielli, Methanothrix soehngenii, Methanothrix, Methanosarcina mazei, Methanosarcina thermophila, Methanobacteriaceae, Methanosarcinaceae, Methanosaetaceae, Methanocorpusculaceae, Methaanomicrobiaceae, and/or other archaea.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The liquid of step (a) is selected from an alkali (preferably sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), or Lewis base; especially NaOH or KOH), or a peroxide (preferably hydrogen peroxide).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The steps (a)-(c) are performed in different vessels. The coal used in step (a) is pulverized coal or coal that has been treated to remove at least a portion of non-coal impurities. The step (a) comprises: i) treating coal with an alkali; ii) treating coal with a 1-4C carboxylic acid and/or benzoic acid, or their salts or esters; and iii) treating coal with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron, where the order of such steps is not essential. The anaerobic process consists of a single phase, two phases or more than two phases of hydrolysis and biogasification. In the process, more than one hydrolysis phase and biogasification phase vessels are utilized. At least one of the treating steps is performed in a tank, hydrolysis vessel or bioreactor that is agitated, stirred or mixed either continuously or intermittently. The step (c) occurs in a container that contains within it a material that provides a medium for growth of methanogenic bacteria and which increases the surface area for the growth. The process includes a device to separate the effluent solids and liquids from the biogasification reactor, such that the solids can be disposed of or put to a beneficial use, and such that the liquids can be further treated, if necessary, and recycled to the chemical treatment tank. The anaerobic microbial population of step (c) includes methanogenic bacterial cells, and the methanogenic bacterial cells are separated from the effluent liquid and solids and retained within a reactor. The step (a) comprises: a1) treating coal with sodium hydroxide; a2) treating at least a portion of the product from (a1) with acetic acid or its salt or ester; and a3) treating at least a portion of the product from (a2) with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron. Preferred Components: The liquid of step (a) is a solvent selected from aromatic hydrocarbons, creosote or heavy oils (preferably an aromatic hydrocarbon selected from phenanthrene, chrysene, fluoranthene and pyrene, nitrogenous ring aromatics, anthracene, fluorene, and catechol), or a carboxylic acid or its salt or an ester (preferably benzoic acid or its salt or ester) or 1-4C carboxylic acid or its salt or an ester (preferably acetic acid or its salt or ester). The nitrogenous ring aromatic is acridine or carbazole. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.