Abstract: The sedimentary facies of the late Late Permian coal measures in western Guizhou were once interpreted by the previous workers as delta facies or tidal-flat facies, both of which graded westwards into fluvial facies, and eastwards into a carbonate platform.
Unlike previous studies, the author contends in this paper that the above-mentioned two sedimentary facies occurred simultaneously in western Guizhou at least during the late Late Permian. They may be ascribed to the delta system and barrier-lagoon system, respectively. The coexistence of the two depositional systems in places is interpreted by the author as the delta-barrier complex which is similar, to a certain extent, to that of the Upper Cretaceous coal measures in Utah and to that of the Carboniferous coal measures in eastern America. The late Late Permian coal measures in the study area are believed to be composed of delta system, barrier-lagoon system and their complexes.