This volume is the first of two Collaborative Papers which contain the technical papers presented at an IIASA Seminar under the generic title "Coal: Issues for the Eighties" which was held in Szczyrk, Poland in November 1979. The seminar was jointly organized by IIASA and the Polish institutes collaborating in this study. The papers are here reproduced for the convenience of those attending the seminar and for reference by those involved in this continuing industry study. The second volume contains those papers concerning the environmental issues, CP-80-24.