The C1 coal in the Yantang Mine of Xuanwei, Yunnan Province, was deposited in the end of the Late Permian, and it is of great significance to reveal the mystery of the P/T Boundary event and the reason of the high lung cancer incidence. A total of 24 samples from coals, partings, roofs and floors of the C1 coal (including three sub-seams B1, B2, B3 in descending order) were collected using a channel-profile sampling strategy with vertical sampling space of 10 cm, and the major and trace elements were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The mineral compositions were determined by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction analysis（XRD）. The results shows that, the contents of Ca, Mn and Si in the Yantang coals are higher than those in the Chinese coal averages; W, Co , Mo, Cd, Pb, Be, Sb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Zr and V are enriched in the Yantang coals in comparison to Chinese coal averages and world coal averages. The ash-element correlation analysis and SEM-EDX analysis suggested that Cs, Ga, Nb, Ba, Rb, Th, Tl and U are present as inorganic minerals, and other elements are present as complex occurrence. The vertical distribution of the highly enriched trace elements in three sub-seams B1, B2 and B3 indicated that Co, Cu, V and Zn were probably derived from the continental weathering of the Emeishan basalt, while the contents of Be and Zr were mainly influenced by the synsedimentary volcanic ash. In addition, Ni was probably influenced by both the continental weathering of the Emeishan basalt and the synsedimentary volcanic ash. Synsedimentary volcanic ash was one of the sources of W in the C1 coal. Sb may be influenced by medium-low temperature hydrothermal fluid. Enrichment of Zr in the C1 coal is consistent with that of claystones across the Permian-Triassic boundary in other areas of South China. Since enrichment of trace elements in the C1 coal of the Yantang mine are consistent with that of indoor PM10 from the high lung cancer incidence village in Xuanwei, these results support the conclusion that the combustion of the C1 coal was the main reason for the high incidence of lung cancer in Xuanwei. The enriched poisonous trace elements of the C1 coal may be closely related to the unique environment during mass extinctions at Permian-Triassic boundary.