The extraction kinetics of two lignites and one bituminous coal with benzene, toluene and pyridine were studied at both sub and supercritical conditions in a batch reactor equipped with a coal basket. The time-extract yield data of lignites at supercritical conditions could'nt be treated due to severe thermal decomposition and heating-up effects. The data for Zonguidak coal and those for subcritical extraction of Cizre lignite could be fitted into a first order rate equation with the rate constants changing 0·02-0·05 min−1range.