This paper describes initial work into the production of coke from high volatile bituminous coal using microwave energy. A series of batch experiments were carried out using an 8 kW multimode microwave to heat 300 g of a UK high volatile bituminous coal, sized at -3 mm, at different treatment times of 10, 25 and 70 min. Devolatilisation started after 1 min of heating and was complete within 5 min. Subsequent heating yielded no further volatiles and the power was maintained to prolong the coking process. Characterization of each product was carried out using thermogravimetric analysis, microscopy and dielectric property measurement in order to investigate the impact of residence time and provide a comparison with coke material produced using conventional methods. The measured characteristics of each sample became increasingly similar to those of two conventional cokes as treatment time was increased. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.