The adsorption capacity for vapor-phase elemental mercury(Hg0 ) of residual carbon separated from fly ash was studied in an attempt for the control of elemental mercury emissions from combustion processes. At Iow mercury concentrations ( ＜ 200 μg/m3),unburned carbon had higher adsorption capacity than commercial activated carbon. The adsorbality of unburned carbon was also found to be source dependent. Isotherms of FS carbon(separated from fly ash of a power plant of Shishi in Fujian Province) were similar to those classified as type Ⅱ. Isotherms of XJ carbon (separated from fly ash of a power plant of Jingcheng in Shanxi Province) were more like those classified as type Ⅲ. Due to the relatively Iow production costs, these residual carbons would likely be considerably more costeffective for the full-scale removal of mercury from combustion flue gases than other technology.