Fine particulates that are emitted from commercial coal combustion sources can be inhaled into human respiratory systems and have been known to cause various harmful effects. Therefore, legislation has been enacted to limit the emission of fine particulate matter in many countries. A fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of fine particle formation is an important step to mitigating the environmental impacts of coal combustion. In this study, 15 pulverized coal samples were burnt in a drop-tube furnace to investigate the formation of fine particulates and the influence of coal ash properties on their emission. Coal combustion was carried out at 1673 K in air. Fine particles were collected by a cyclone and a low-pressure impactor. The elemental compositions of the collected particles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We examined the chemical compositions of the fine particles as a function of particle diameter and examined the proportions of the elements in the parent coal samples. We determined that almost all particles less than 0.22 mu m in diameter were formed by means of volatilization-condensation of SiO2 and Al2O3 in the coal. We also demonstrated that the amount of SiO2 in particle size less than 0.22 mu m in diameter was related to the amount of fine included quartz and clay minerals in the parent coal. The primary components of particles greater than 0.76 mu m in diameter were SiO2 and Al2O3, and as the diameter of the particles decrease, the mass fractions of iron, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus increased. However, the particle diameter at which this tendency commenced differed depending on the element. Particles between 0.22 and 0.76 mu m in diameter were thought to have been formed by the fragmentation and coalescence of particles in the coal and by the simultaneous condensation of volatilized elements onto other particles.