Abstract: In order to verify the spontaneous combustion tendency of three different metamorphic grade coal samples, including Yuhua long flame coal, Anshan non e stick coal and Huafeng gas and fat coal, a programmed temperature rising test was applied to establish an Arrhenius formula between the oxygen consumption rate a nd the coal temperature and the activation energy equation was obtained from the logarithmic treatment method. The linear regression straight line gradient of the equa tion was analyzed and the low temperature oxidized apparent activation energy of the coal sample was calculated. Then the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer wa s applied to the analysis on the surface molecule structure of the coal sample and to reveal the causes of the spontaneous combustion tendency differences with defere nt metamorphic coal samples. The results showed that in the three test coal samples, with the metamorphic degree increased, the apparent activation energy would be i n a steadily increased tendency and the spontaneous combustion tendency would be decreased. With the metamorphic degree increased, in the surface molecule struct ure of the coal sample, the favorable spontaneous combustion groups would be reduced, the unfavorable spontaneous combustion groups would be increased and thus the spontaneous combustion tendency would be steadily reduced.