PURPOSE: To easily obtain good-quality activated carbon having a large specific surface area from caking coal with high activation yield by adding the specified amount of pulverized vegetable to pulverized coal and thereafter pressurizing and molding the mixture to produce granulated coal, carbonizing, grading and activating this granulated coal.

CONSTITUTION: Only the slightly-caking coal and caking coal or coal blended with both non-caking coal and caking coal are preferably pulverized smaller than 74μm. Vegetable which has mean particle diameter smaller than 100μm and has been dried and pulverized is added at 11wt.% or more and less than 50wt.% to this coal and mixed therewith. This mixture ie pressurized and molded to produce granulated coal. This granulated coal is carbonized in a carbonizing furnace and graded and thereafter activated. Further the granulated coal is intactly granulated, carbonized and thereafter activated. Acidic gas and liquid substance are generated from the above-mentioned vegetable in the heating stage. This vegetable is not softened and melted and therefore coal particles are prevented from being tightly welded with each other. Macro holes are formed so that activating gas is easily diffused into the inside of carbide at the time of activation. When the loadings of vegetable are less than 11wt.%, the macro holes are not sufficiently formed. Further when the loadings thereof are 50wt.% or more, the mechanical strength of granulated coal is deteriorated and powdered and the yiold of activated carbon is deteriorated.