The scientific programme of the joint Slovak-American project of brown coal research in Slovakia is presented from the point of view of application of advanced cleaning technologies. The objective is to examine advanced clean coal technology under Slovakian conditions. At present the perspectives of brown coal mining are being assessed. The material and technological characteristics of the coal processing will be assessed together with evaluation of the perspective areas of use. Depending on the coal types, physical, chemical and biological processing technologies will be evaluated. The paper discusses the chemical characterization of different forms of as well as the Moessbauer spectroscopy of coal samples.