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              SECOND AMENDMENT TO ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT AND RELEASE

This Second Amendment to Assignment Agreement and Release ("Agreement") is
entered into effective as of March 29, 1996 (the "Effective Date") by and
between SGI International ("SGI") and Ernest P. Esztergar ("Esztergar").

                                    RECITALS

A.       SGI and Esztergar entered into an Assignment Agreement dated November
         13, 1994 (the "Assignment"), by and between Esztergar and Synfuel
         Genesis, Inc., a predecessor to SGI by merger.

B.       Pursuant to the Assignment, Esztergar was to be paid a royalty or
         certain income in accordance with the terms of the Assignment.

C.       Esztergar and SGI desire to amend the Assignment and the First
         Amendment dated November 13, 1994 to provide for a waiver and release
         of the royalty in return for other good and valuable consideration to
         be paid to Esztergar.

                                    AGREEMENT

         NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the matters set forth in the
Recitals and for other good and valuable consideration the parties hereto agree
as follows:

1.       WAIVER AND RELEASE. Esztergar agrees to waive and release all of his
         past, present, and future rights (hereafter "Claims" as further
         defined) to any income of any kind or any other payment to be made in
         accordance with the Assignment and any amendments or modifications
         thereto.

2.       WARRANTY. Each of the parties hereto represent and warrant to the other
         that to the extent of his or their knowledge, the recitals set forth
         herein are true, correct, and accurate.

3.       CLAIMS. As used herein, "Claims" shall mean any and all claims,
         demands, agreements, contracts, covenants, representations, warranties,
         promises, undertakings, actions, suits, causes of action, obligations,
         debts, fees, costs, expenses, accounts, damages, judgments, losses,
         injuries and liabilities of whatsoever kind or nature in law related to
         the Assignment and only to the Assignment, whether in equity or
         otherwise, present or future, known or unknown, suspected or
         unsuspected, asserted or unasserted, whether against any party hereto
         or not, and whether or not concealed or hidden, based upon any facts,
         acts, or omissions occurring prior to the date hereof in any way
         involved in or related to any of the matters which are or were the
         subject of, or directly or indirectly involved with the facts relating
         or comprising this Agreement.

                                 EXHIBIT 10.3.3
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4.       RELEASE. Esztergar, on behalf of himself, including assignees,
         representatives, agents, or successors (collectively the "Releasors")
         do hereby and forever remise, release and discharge SGI and any of its
         agents or representatives, and any successors of and from any and all
         Claims, and in particular any claims relating to the Assignment and
         only the Assignment, which any of said Releasors have, have had, may
         have had, or now have or hereafter, can shall or may have against SGI
         or any of its officers, directors, representatives or successors.

5.       WAIVERS. IT IS EXPRESSLY UNDERSTOOD THAT Section 1542 of the Civil Code
         of California provides as follows:

             "A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR
             DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME OF
             EXECUTING THE RELEASE WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY
             AFFECTED HIS SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR."

             The provisions of Section 1542 of the Civil Code of California, if
             in any way applicable to this Release, as well as any similar
             provisions of the law of California or any other jurisdiction, ARE
             HEREBY KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVED AND RELINQUISHED by all
             parties hereto, and each of them. Each of the parties acknowledges
             that he, she, or it, or his, her, or its representatives, may
             hereafter discover facts in addition to or different from those
             which he, she, or it now believes concerning the subject matter of
             this Agreement, and that notwithstanding any such new or different
             facts, this General Release shall remain in full force and effect
             and shall not be challenged in any way or sought to be voided or
             avoided. Such parties acknowledge and agree that this waiver is an
             essential and material term of this Release without which
             consideration agreed to have been given by each of the parties
             would not have been delivered or agreed to by the parties. All of
             the parties have been advised of their respective rights by legal
             counsel regarding this Agreement and this waiver and understand and
             acknowledge its significance and the consequence of the release and
             waiver of Section 1542.

6.       NO ADMISSIONS. The parties hereby acknowledge and agree that this is a
         compromise settlement, which is not in any respect nor for any purpose
         to be deemed or construed to be, or in any way to be used as evidence
         of any admission or concession of any liability whatsoever on the part
         of any of them or any other person, firm or corporation whatsoever.

7.       FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTY. Each of the parties hereto
         warrants and represents that such party has not assigned or in any way
         conveyed, transferred or encumbered all or any portion of the Claims or
         other rights covered by this Agreement and that this Agreement has been
         duly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of each party and is
         valid and enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms
         and each party further acknowledges and agrees that these warranties
         and representations are an essential and material term of this
         Agreement without which consideration would not have been given and
         delivered.

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8.       ATTORNEYS FEES. Each party agrees to bear all of its own costs and
         attorneys' fees and all other costs with respect to the matters
         described in this Agreement.

9.       GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement is made and entered into in the State of
         California and is to be governed by and interpreted in accordance with
         the laws of the State of California.

10.      INTERPRETATION. If there is any dispute with respect to this Agreement
         the interpretation of the words herein shall be made with respect to
         the fair meaning of the words and not for or against any party because
         one party drafted the document.

11.      COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts,
         each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together
         shall constitute one and the same instrument.

                   IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have this day and year
executed and delivered this instrument.

SGI International                                 Ernest P. Esztergar

By: /s/Joseph A. Savoca                           By:/s/Ernest P. Esztergar
- - ------------------------------                    ------------------------------
Joseph A. Savoca, President                       Ernest P. Esztergar


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