Disclosed is an improved process wherein coal particles are beneficiated by froth flotation under coal froth flotation conditions to separate the desired coal particles from remaining unwanted ash and like gangue material. The improvement of the present invention comprises conducting the froth flotation in the presence of an ester-alcohol frothing agent. The preferred ester-alcohol frothing agents are reaction products of C1-C10 mono-basic carboxylic acids and diols wherein the total number of carbon atoms range from about 6-19 and monocarboxylic acid esters of polyoxyalkylene glycols which can contain up to 25-30 carbon atoms.
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