Coal-based activated carbon was manufactured using a bench-scale rotary-kiln-type furnace. The effects of various operating variables on the process yield and product quality were investigated. Two kinds of Chinese coal were used as the feed to the process. In the process, coal powder was mixed with coal tar pitch as a binder and pelletized into ellipsoids. The experimental variables were activation temperature, activation time, and amount of steam. From the result of this study, it was found that the optimum activation temperature, activation time, and amount of steam were 900℃, 240 min., and 1g·steam/g coal·hr, respectively, under the experimental conditions. Also, it was found that the highest iodine value of the manufactured activated carbon was about 1080 mg/g with an associated yield of about 25%.