A range of lower rank coals from Australia, Indonesia, and the USA have been dried under hydrothermal dewatering conditions at 320 degreesC for 30 min in a 500 ml autoclave using a 1:3 dry coal/water mixture. The hydrothermally dewatered (HTD) products were characterised by elemental analysis (both organic and inorganic components), volatile matter determinations, moisture holding capacity, calorific value and mercury porosimetry. The total organic carbon (TOC) and the concentrations of inorganics in the waste waters were also determined. The coals fell into two broad groups, the lower rank Australian brown coals with gross calorific values in the range 10-16 MJ/kg (afm) and the higher rank Indonesian and US coals with gross calorific values in the range 18-25.5 MJ/kg (afm). Rank was the major factor influencing the properties of the HTD products but lithotype was also important. TOC values of the waste water from drying of the low rank Australian coals were much higher than those of the waste water from the higher rank coals. Important variations in the amount of leached calcium, magnesium, and iron were noted. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.