In the mineral matter of coal there are microelements chemically bounded to organic matter or mineral impurities in various
combinations that catalyzes the evolution / involution of a spontaneous combustion phenomenon as an accelerator in the oxidation
reaction or which slows down these processes.
Specialised literature analyzes the phenomenon of coal self-heating based on several theories of which we exemplify the theory of
coal oxidation, the theory of pyrite and the theory of the microelements role in the process of coal oxidation.
For the determination of these microelements in coal, the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry method by
means of which the mineral concentrations of hard coal and lignite samples were determined.
The present paper proposes to perform a comparative analysis of the results obtained by laboratory determinations on samples taken
from various coal basins (Valea Jiului, Motru, Jilt, Rovinari, Berbesti).