Abstract: For investigating the relationship between the organic affinity of trace elements and the rank of coal,the sequential extraction procedures for 12 coal samples have been carried out.The result show that the organic affinity of trace elements in brown coal is higher.In bituminous coal,the organic affinity of trace elements decreases.The organic affinity of trace elements decreases further in anthracite.It seems reasonable to assume that the organic affinity of trace elements decreases with the coal rank increasing.