The effect of pulsed nanosecond laser radiation (wavelength 532 nm, pulse duration 14 ns, pulse repetition frequency 6 Hz, the density of laser radiation power 0.2–0.6 J/cm2) on the tableted samples of high volatile C bituminous coal in argon medium is investigated. Among the gaseous products of pyrolysis, H2, CH4, C2H2, CO and CO2 are detected. The volume fractions of gaseous products from sample pyrolysis depending on the laser radiation power density is established. Within the laser radiation power density range 0.2–0.4 J/cm2, the volume of the formed combustible gases per unit mass of the reacted sample increases, and remains almost unchanged with further increase in power density. The volume fraction of combustible gases in the mixture of gaseous pyrolysis products are only slightly dependent on the laser radiation power density. The action of nanosecond laser radiation with a power density of more than 0.4 J/cm2 causes intense ablation of the tableted sample containing 0.005 wt.%. polyvinyl alcohol. A tableted sample containing no binding material is destroyed under the action of nanosecond laser radiation with a power density of more than 0.2 J/cm2.