Both macerals and microlithotypes, the microscopic assemblages of macerals, reveal basic information on coal depositional environments and coal utilization. The combined analysis of the full ICCP suite of macerals and microlithotypes on oriented block samples provides a powerful synergistic technique in petrographic analysis. An example applying a combined maceral/microlithotype analysis of a Nova Scotia coal demonstrates the value of the technique in providing detailed information on the nature of the megascopically identifiable coal lithotypes. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.