Coal　middlings　are　usually　highly　intermixed　and　notorious　for　economic　reprocessing　using　conventional　mechanical　methods.　In　this　study,　the　high　voltage　pulse　(HVP)　technique　is　employed　to　retreat　coarse　coal　middlings　(26.5–37.5　mm)　with　the　purpose　of　improving　middlings　processability.　Part　1　of　this　study　assesses　the　breakage　characteristics　of　the　coal　middlings,　the　liberation　properties　and　the　potential　for　retreatment　via　density　and　size.　Part　2　investigates　the　mineralogical　composition,　mineralogical　texture　and　granulometric　composition　to　discern　the　key　factors　affecting　coal　middlings　processibility.　Part　1　of　this　study　includes　full　densimetric　analyses　of　the　coal　middlings　prior　to　and　after　breakage　using　the　electrical　disintegration　(ED),　Electro-hydraulic　disintegration　(EHD)　and　roller　crusher.　The　additive　contributions　from　EHD　effects　in　the　ED　process　were　experimentally　demonstrated.　The　ash　and　sulfur　deportment　by　density　and　size　behavior　was　also　investigated.　It　was　concluded　that　the　HVP　multiple　particle　test　method　was　capable　of　liberating　the　coal　middlings　into　low　and　high-density　fractions.　A　theoretical　81.73%　organic　matter　recovery　with　a　sulfur　grade　of　0.97%　and　an　ash　content　of　9.02%　could　be　achieved　by　scavenging　just　50.26%　mass,　and　72.97%　of　the　sulfur　remained　in　the　heavy　fractions　with　the　mineral　matter.　The　results　encouraged　the　application　of　HVP　retreatment　for　coal　middling,　however,　not　as　a　direct　mean　to　achieve　separation,　but　as　a　preparatory　process　for　gravity-based　downstream　process　to　achieve　middlings　deashing　and　desulfurization.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd