<p>This study aims to describe the application of a simple process to recover fine coal and the relevant trace elements from fine coal waste. In the present study, fine coal waste was processed through oil agglomeration. The results indicated that a product with 15.2% ash was obtained, and it was produced from a feed that was 54.2% ash; the yield was a remarkable 44.2%. The results revealed that the concentration of rare earth elements (ash base) in the agglomeration product was 302.6&#xa0;ppm, where Ce, La, Nd, and Y represented 77.9% of the rare earth elements that were present. Therefore, oil agglomeration represents a reasonable proposal that allows to utilize the coal discarded by a coal preparation plant and simultaneously takes a place among the various methods for concentrating rare earths before chemical leaching.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>