Introduction

This Atlas of Coal Macerals presents the current classifications of the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) together with examples of coal macerals. Photomicrographs of macerals were taken on polished sections under a reflected light microscope (with oil objective) in white or fluorescent light. 

Macerals are microscopically recognizable constituents of organic matter in coal. The term maceral was first used by Stopes in 1935 for a component of coal detected under a microscope. Over the years, the ICCP has established standard rules for maceral analysis, maceral definitions and classifications. This atlas uses the most current maceral classification as regulated by ICCP (ICCP System, 1994). Articles where these revised classifications are published (ICCP, 1998; 2001; Sykorova and others, 2005) are also included for reference. Permission to reprint these papers was granted by Elsevier.