This paper reports the results of current fundamental research at the Department of Process Engineering, University of Miskolc on the processing of clean coal from Mecsek bituminous coal, Southern Hungary. The theoretical possibility of the separation of different petrographic components was proven experimentally and their liberation degree was determined based on the petrographic composition, flotation kinetic study of isolated components (groups of components), scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analyses. The mill with stirred ball media was chosen for the ultra-fine liberation of the coal components. It was revealed that along with the liberation of coal components, their surface oxidation and spontaneous agglomeration, entrapping the mineral impurities take place in ultra-fine grinding. This paper discusses the interfacial phenomena occurring in the ultra-fine grinding process and their influence on the flotation. The concept for the advanced preparation of clean coal was developed, tested and proved. The main steps of this concept are the ultra-fine liberation in the stirred-media mill, the de-agglomeration of flocs spontaneously formed during the ultra-fine grinding and the induced (hydrophobic) flocculation with the following two-step flotation in a flotation column. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.