Nano-quartz　in　Xuanwei　coal,　the　uppermost　Permian　(C1)　coal　deposited　in　the　northwest　of　Yuanan,　China,　has　been　regarded　as　one　of　factors　which　caused　high　lung　cancer　incidence　in　the　local　residents.　However,　mineralogical　characterization　of　the　fine/ultrafine　particles　emitted　from　Xuanwei　coal　combustion　has　not　previously　been　studied.　In　this　study,　PM1　and　ultrafine　particles　emitted　from　Xuanwei　coal　combustion　were　sampled.　Chemical　elements　in　the　ambient　particles　were　analyzed　by　inductively　coupled　plasma　mass　spectrometry　(ICP-MS),　and　mineralogical　characterization　of　these　ambient　particles　was　investigated　using　scanning　electronic　microscopy　(SEM/EDX)　and　transmission　electronic　microscopy,　coupled　with　energy-dispersive　spectroscopy　(TEM/EDX).　Our　results　showed　that　the　size　distribution　of　mineral　particles　from　the　coal　combustion　emissions　ranged　from　20　to　200　nm.　Si-containing　particles　and　Fe-containing　particles　accounted　for　50.7%　of　the　150　individual　particles　measured,　suggesting　that　these　two　types　of　particles　were　major　minerals　in　the　ambient　particles　generally.　The　nano-mineral　particles　were　identified　as　quartz　(SiO2)　and　gypsum　(CaSO4)　based　on　their　crystal　parameters　and　chemical　elements.　Additionally,　there　also　existed　unidentified　nanominerals.　Armed　with　these　data,　toxicity　assessments　of　the　nano-minerals　will　be　carried　out　in　a　future　study.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.