The ash contents (on dry basis) of the Philippi peat range up to 46 wt.%, indicating increased inorganic supply to the fen. The acquisition of backscattered electron images (BEI) using scanning electron microscope (SEM) provided all initial differentiation between the inorganic fraction and the organic matter. Spectral patterns obtained from several inorganic particles, in combination with X-ray diffraction studies, revealed the abundant occurrence of carbonates, clay minerals, quartz, feldspars, gypsum and pyrite. Clay minerals, quartz grains and feldspars tend to incorporate into humodetrinite, while carbonates and pyrite occur both in humodetrinite and empty cell lumens of humotelinite. Elemental microprobe X-ray mapping of the elements Ca, P, S, Si, Al and Fe provided an initial fingerprint of the elemental distribution and can be a useful tool for understanding the relationship between minerals and macerals within coals. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.