The　study　of　mineral　components　in　respirable　particles　(particulate　matter　with　diameter　less　than　10　mu　m,　PM10)　in　ambient　air　is　important　in　understanding　and　improving　air　quality.　In　this　study,　PM10　samples　were　collected　in　various　areas　around　Beijing　during　2002　similar　to　2003,　including　an　urban　setting,　a　satellite　city　and　a　rural　area.　The　mineralogical　composition　of　these　PM10　samples　was　studied　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　environmental　scanning　electron　microscopy　/　and　energy-dispersive　X-ray　analyzer　(ESEM/EDX).　The　results　indicated　that　mineral　composition　of　PM10　in　different　seasons　and　in　different　region　varied　significantly.　Mineral　mass　concentration　in　Beijing　PM10　reached　the　highest　percentage　in　the　spring　and　fell　to　the　lowest　level　in　the　autumn.　The　minerals　in　the　spring　PM10　were　dominated　by　clay　minerals　and　quartz,　followed　by　plagioclase,　K-feldspar,　calcite,　dolomite,　hematite,　pyrite,　magnesite,　gypsum　and　laumontite　as　well　as　some　unidentified　materials.　Fewer　mineral　types　were　collected　in　summer,　however　some　new　components,　including　K(NH4)Ca(SO4)(2)center　dot　H2O,　NH4Cl　and　As2O3　center　dot　SO3　were　noted　to　be　present,　suggesting　that　atmospheric　chemical　reaction　in　Beijing　air　were　more　active　in　summer　than　in　other　seasons.　Mineral　components　in　Beijing　urban　air　were　at　a　higher　percentage　with　fewer　phases　than　that　in　satellite　city　air.　In　conclusion,　there　was　considerable　variation　in　mineral　components　in　PM10　samples　collected　in　different　seasons　and　areas,　which　reflects　the　related　air　quality　of　sampling　areas.