The partitioning of the elements antimony, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, molybdenum and vanadium between the products of combustion of coals containing them burnt as pulverised fuel in excess air has been modelled using the MTDATA thermodynamic equilibrium package with data from the MTOX silicate melt model added to the standard database and trace element data added where necessary. The coals examined were Gascoigne Wood, ElCerrejon and Harworth coals as normally supplied (washed) and after additional washing, and Binungan low ash coal only as normally supplied, represented by the analyses for coal, coal mineral and trace elements obtained in a study of the partitioning carried out in a pilot scale pf combustor by PwerGen on behalf of the United Kingdom DTI. Excess air levels were 1% for all coals and 3% in addition for Harworth. The equilibrium amount of silicate melt was predicted to fall more rapidly with falling temperature for additionally washed than for normally washed coals. It was also predicted that Ba and Co would be almost immobile, Be and V would be relatively immobile, and Sb, Cd and Mo would be mobile. Additional calculations were carried out for niobium and tungsten as trace elements in the coals, and Nb was found to be relatively immobile and W mobile. The mobilities of Ba, Be, Co, Cd, Mo, Sb and V were in agreement with those implied by the ratio of bottom ash to fly ash concentrations found in experimental investigation. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.