This thesis deals with various physical-chemical aspects of agricultural and environmental applications of the South Moravian lignite. The main attention was paid to the behavior of lignite in an aqueous environment and the application potential of lignite as a cheap, effective and universal sorbent. In the experimental part of the thesis, aqueous extracts of lignite were characterized in detail (by measurement of pH, conductivity, and by the qualitative and quantitative determination of inorganic constituents). The high sorption affinity towards polar (cationic dyes) and nonpolar compounds (petroleum products) was confirmed experimentally. At last, simple methods of the laboratory preparation of lignite granules was designed and optimized. The main aim of this part was to combine the unusual sorption properties of lignite with an improvement of the end-use properties of the product (user-friendly handling, controlled release of the lignite into the aqueous environment, etc.). The thesis represents a complex compilation of the results of pilot experiments which represent the starting point of detailed future works focused on the non-energetic application of this valuable natural material.