PURPOSE: To provide the titled composition having an excellent handleability because of its excellent flowability in spite of low water content, which comprises a powdered coal, water and a saponification product of a half ester of a styrene-maleic acid copolymer and optionally other fluidizers capable of using together with the half ester.

CONSTITUTION: The titled composition comprising 100pts.wt. powdered coal having an average particle size of 10W100μ (A), such as a lignite, a (sub) bituminous coal and an anthracite, 20W200pts.wt. water (B) and 0.1W5pts.wt. fluidizer (C) comprising a saponification product of a half ester of a styrene- maleic acid copolymer having a number average molecular weight of 1,000W9,000 of the formula [wherein X is R or POR' wherein R and R' are a (cyclo)alkyl; Y is Na, K, Ca or NH4; k is 1W5; m is 1W3; and n is 4W10] which has been prepared by half esterifying a styrene-maleic acid copolymer with an alcohol etc. and saponifying the product with NaOH, Ca(OH)2, NH4OH, etc., and optionally other fluidizer capable of using in combination with the component (C) and selected from formalin condensate salt of (alkyl) naphthalenesulfonic acid, formalin condensate salt of naphthalenesulfonic acid and lignosulfonic acid, etc.