The products of lignite and coal combustion were tested as the catalysts in two reactions of the oxidative conversion of methane : deep oxidation and oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). It has been observed that these products may display a good performance in either deep oxidation and OCM depending on reaction conditions - temperature and oxygen partial pressure. The detailed study of the composition of products obtained was carried out. It was established that the products are the glass-crystal microspheres with the content of crystal phase of 86-90 wt% and glass phase of 10-14%. The crystal phase consists of the complex solid solution with spinel structure based on magnetite (FeFe2O4) with Mg and Mn spinels (MgFe2O4, MnFe2O4) and small concentration of hematite Fe2O3. The basis of glass phase is calcium aluminosilicates. The active components which are responsible for the reaction proceeding over both routes are considered,