invention in operation it is desirable and necessary in order to effect any solution of the coal in the seam to bring the coal solvent interface to a temperature of at least 250 u00b0 c 480 u00b0 f and preferably to a temperature in the range of 300 u00b0 400 u00b0 c 570 u00b0 750 u00b0 f at the higher end of the temperature scale the rate of dissolving coal is greater than at the lower end of the temperature scale also it is desirable and necessary in order to contact as much surface of the coal with the solvents as possible to fracture the coal seam in the vicinity of the conduits 15 29 according to well known conventional techniques the drawing suggests such a fractured coal seam between the conduits 15 29 in accordance with the present invention once the method has become operative a certain amount of solvent and coal are after heating returned to the pump through conduit 37 and the balance of the solvent and coal are diverted through the centrifuge 47 and the still 43 then the recycle solvent is returned to the pump through the conduit 51 a benefit derived from the method of the invention is that heat is brought rapidly to the coal seam face and the pumping action provides agitation that enhances dissolving the coal it is contemplated that as much as 85 to 95 or more coal can be dissolved in accordance with the method of the invention depending upon the coal itself and the solvent used.