Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are prepared in large scale from Taixi anthracite coal using arc discharge technique.The properties of the arc plasma during the arcing process are analyzed in situ using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and are correlated to the yield of SWCNTs to understand the growth mechanism of SWCNTs.The SWCNTs are characterized by TEM，TGA，Raman spectroscopy and N2 adsorption technique.The results show that Taixi anthracite is a suitable carbon source for mass production of SWCNTs with Y2O3 and Ni as catalysts at a helium pressure of 0.05 MPa.The yield of SWCNTs increases as the carbonization temperature of coal-based anode increases.In the SWCNTs，there are metals and minerals that account for about 40%(mass).The coal-based SWCNTs have a diameter of 1.5—2.4 nm and a surface area of 199 m2·g-1.The OES analysis reveals that active species such as C2 dimers and CN species are present in the arcing plasma and the active intermediates involved in the formation and growth of SWCNTs.