Processing Colombian coal in experimental retort demonstrated a number of specific features of the process: Normal downward passage of the initial material through the retort was possible only by dry extraction of the solid residue (semicoke) from the retort Low-temperature retorting proceeds smoothly, the residual content of volatiles is readily reduced from 36 % to as low as 2 % producing paraffinic oil and high calorific low ash low sulfur semicoke The Colombian low ash coal may be regarded as an attractive feed for retorting in low-temperature zero-waste technology.