The central theme of this investigation is to evaluate the feasibility of using bituminous coal as a precursor material for the production of chars and activated carbons using physical and chemical activation processes. The chemical activation process was accomplished by impregnating the raw materials with different dehydrating agents in different ratios and concentrations, prior to heat treatment (ZnCl2, KCl, KOH, NaOH and Fe-2(SO4)(3)center dot xH(2)O). Steam activation of the precursor material was adopted for the preparation of activated carbon using physical activation technology. Different types of bituminous coal; namely, contaminated Columbian (contaminated with pet. coke), pure Columbian, Venezuelan and New Zealand bituminous coal were used in the production processes. BET surface area, micropore area, pore size distribution and total pore volume of the chars and activated carbons were determined from N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherm, measured at 77 K. Charring conditions, charring temperature of 800 degrees C and charring time of 4 h, proved to be the optimum conditions for preparing chars. Contaminated Columbian were found to be the best precursor material for the production of char with reasonable physical characteristics (surface area = 138.1 m(2) g(-1) and total pore volume of 8.656 x 10(-0.2) cm(3) g(-1)). An improvement in the physical characteristics of the activated carbons was obtained upon the treatment of coal with dehydrating agents. Contaminated Columbian treated with 10 wt% ZnCl2 displayed the highest surface area and total pore volume (surface area = 231.5 m(2) g(-1) and total pore volume = 0.1227 cm(3) g(-1))with well-developed microporisity (micropore area = 92.3 m(2) g(-1)). Venezuelan bituminous coal using the steam activation process was successful in producing activated carbon with superior physical characteristics (surface area = 863.50 m(2) g(-1), total pore volume = 0.469 cm(3) g(-1) and micropore surface area = 783.58 m(2) g(-1). (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.