cutinite

maceral

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June 25, 2026

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Cutinite is a maceral, which is a microscopically recognizable organic constituent of coal, analogous to minerals in inorganic rocks but lacking a definite crystalline structure. Macerals are coalified plant remains that change chemically and physically as the rank of coal increases.1

Cutinite belongs to the liptinite group of macerals, which are derived from the cuticles and resinous parts of plants and are characterized by a high hydrogen content. Liptinites typically make up 5 to 15 percent of most coals. Other macerals in this group include sporinite and resinite. Liptinites generally have the lowest reflectance values among macerals in a given coal sample.12

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coal
Macerals
…typically preserved as flattened spheroids), cutinite (part of cross sections of leaves, often with crenulated surfaces), and resinite (ovoid and sometimes translucent masses of resin). The liptinites may fluoresce (i.e., luminesce because of absorption of radiation) under ultraviolet light, but with increasing rank their optical properties approach those of the…
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…typically preserved as flattened spheroids), cutinite (part of cross sections of leaves, often with crenulated surfaces), and resinite (ovoid and sometimes translucent masses of resin). The liptinites may fluoresce (i.e., luminesce because of absorption of radiation) under ultraviolet light, but with increasing rank their optical properties approach those of the…
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