Concentration of fluorine in typical coals from China have been determined by half-fusion/fluoride-ion selective electrode method (FISE) The distribution regularities of fluorine in coals have been obtained The correlation between fluorine and ash, fluorine and phosphorus and their probable mode of occurrence in coals have been quantitatively analyzed and discussed respectively It was observed that fluorine concentrations in Chinese coals approximately follow logarithmic statistics normal distribution The fluorine concentration ranges between 17 and 3088 μg/g and mean value is close to 200 μg/g The fluorine concentration increases with the ash content of the sample and the coal rank Fluorine is mainly present in mineral species, but fluoraptite is not the principal hose for fluorine in the coals studied The results will be of significance for combustion, conversion and pollution control of fluorine during coal
