Coal　combustion　particles　(CCPs)　are　linked　to　the　high　incidence　of　lung　cancer　in　Xuanwei　and　in　Fuyuan,　China,　but　studies　on　the　chemical　composition　of　the　CCPs　are　still　limited.　Single　particle　aerosol　mass　spectrometry　(SPAMS)　was　recently　developed　to　measure　the　chemical　composition　and　size　of　single　particles　in　real-time.　In　this　study,　SPAMS　was　used　to　measure　individual　combustion　particles　emitted　from　Xuanwei　and　Fuyuan　coal　samples　and　the　results　were　compared　with　those　by　ICP-MS　and　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM).　The　total　of　38,372　particles　mass-analyzed　by　SPAMS　can　be　divided　into　9　groups　based　on　their　chemical　composition　and　their　number　percentages:　carbonaceous,　Na-rich,　K-rich,　Al-rich,　Fe-rich,　Si-rich,　Ca-rich,　heavy　metal-bearing,　and　PAH-bearing　particles.　The　carbonaceous　and　PAH-bearing　particles　are　enriched　in　the　size　range　below　0.56　mu　m,　Fe-bearing　particles　range　from　0.56　to　1.0　mu　m　in　size,　and　heavy　metals　such　as　Ti,　V,　Cr,　Cu,　Zn,　and　Pb　have　diameters　below　1　mu　m.　The　TEM　results　show　that　the　particles　from　Xuanwei　and　Fuyuan　coal　combustion　can　be　classified　into　soot　aggregates,　Fe-rich　particles,　heavy　metal　containing　particles,　and　mineral　particles.　Non-volatile　particles　detected　by　SPAMS　could　also　be　observed　with　TEM.　The　number　percentages　by　SPAMS　also　correlate　with　the　mass　concentrations　measured　by　ICP-MS.　Our　results　could　provide　valuable　insight　for　understanding　high　lung　cancer　incidence　in　the　area.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.