Vitrinite- and inertinite-rich samples separated from Shenfu-Dongsheng (SD) and Pingshuo (PS) coals were extracted with CS2 and the extraction solutions were analyzed with GC/MS. The results show that extract yields of the two maceral-rich samples (MRSs) from PS coal are much higher than those from SD coal; for MRSs from the same coal, the yield of vitrinite-rich sample is larger than that of inertinite-rich sample; there is no remarkable difference in chemical composition from the extraction solutions between the two MRSs separated from PS coal, whereas the difference between those separated from SF coal is significant. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.