The specific objective of the second year program at HYCRUDE are: (1) to evaluate the hydroretorting characteristics of the three selected shales supplied by MRI, (2) to evaluate the particle integrity of a briquetted beneficiated shale supplied by MRI, (3) to evaluate the hydrocarbon products produced from the combined MRI beneficiation-HYTORT process, (4) to scale up the hydroretorting data to a commercial plant scale, and (5) to assess the potential environmental impact for a conceptual commercial HYTORT plant operation which utilizes beneficiated shales as feedstocks.