The paper deals with flotability of bituminous coal and examines how individual maceral groups float in the course of a fractional flotation test. Eight samples of bituminous coal from the localities of Jaworzno, Staszicz, Marcel (Poland), three samples from the Dukla Mine, CSA, CSM (Czech Republic) and two samples from Brut Petrosani and Brut Paroseli Mines in Romania were tested by flotation. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the flotation characteristics of bituminous coal from localities in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania; using Montanol and Flotalex collector agents. The performance of these collector agents was tested and the results evaluated from the petrologic analyses. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.