Possible integration of the studies that are being conducted at the institutes of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences within the framework of the program of the interdisciplinary study of sulfur transformations in the course of industrial use of coal is discussed. The program is based on the concept of industrial metabolism. In that, it involves a wide scope of fundamental and applied problems. Implementation of the program would provide progress both in the policy of fuel resources use and in the environmental protection activity. In particular, it would enable evaluation of the environmental protection strategies through analysis of material flows.