Ultra-clean char is used to generate hydrocarbons and/or electricity in a clean environmentally friendly process. The ultra-clean char is produced by pyrolizing organic matter, such as coal or various organic waste. The pyrolized organic matter may be combusted in the presence of oxygen to produce heat, which can be used to generate electricity in a conventional boiler/generator system. Further, pyrolized organic matter can be combusted in the presence of carbon dioxide and further processed to produce various hydrocarbons. In other embodiments, the ultra-clean char may be subjected to an extraction process for capturing valuable rare earth elements.