Surface soil samples collected from Shilong coal mining area were tested for saturated hydrocarbons by means of GC-MS,and 85 representative kinds of chemical compounds including normal alkanes,steroids,terpenoids,etc.,were detected.Composition and distribut ion characteristics of the saturated hydrocarbons in soils of different functional zones were analyzed and their sources were explored,with their molecular organic geochemical parameters taken into account.Results show that the soils in the areas affected by coal mining were much higher in content of saturated hydrocarbons than those in non affected areas,especially higher in soils around the gangue damping grounds and coking plants;with normal alkanes,the portion high in carbon number was small,but the portion low in carbon number was great,and their C_max were at 16 or 18,and their Pr/Ph and hopane/moretane ratios were high;and the content of sterane of geological configuration type and C₂₉ααα20R-sterane were high,too.These geochemical characteristics were quite close to those of raw coal,suggesting that the surface soil layer of the Shilong area is not of contemporary sediments or naturally formed surface soil.Deposition of large volumes of coal slack or dust generated from the coal mining operation,such as dumping,storage,transport and processing of coal and gangue may be the major source of organic manure in the soils of the coal mining area.