In this paper, C-OES, XRF and ICP-AES are used to determine twenty-two trace elements and contents in 21 whole rock samples from late Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic coal-bearing series in the east of Yunnan. The result shows that platinum and palladium are to various degree enriched in different geological periodic coal-bearing series with Pd/Pt<1. It can be seen that As-Pt-B-Au-Pd-V-Sb-U-Pb-W-Ag-Zn concentrate in the coal-bearing series of the Lower Carboniferous Wanshoushan Formation, B-Mo-As-Pt-U-W-Pb-Pd-V-Sb-Cr-Ag do in that of the Lower Permian Liangshan Formation, Pt-Cu-Mo-Pd-As-V-Ag-W-Pb do in that of the Upper Permian Xuanwei Formation, As-B-Pb-Pt-Pd-U-W-Sb-Mo-Zn-Ag-V do in that of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation and Pt-As-Pb do in the lignite of the Pliocene Ciying Formation. With the geological analysis of sedimentary environments and volcanic activity, the paper concludes that higher contents of Pt, Pd and Cu in the coal-bearing series of the Xuanwei Formation tend to be related to the Permian basalt (Emeishan basalt).