A series of samples from different growth bands of Porites coral skeleton were studied using Raman, infrared reflectance methods. The Raman spectra proved that skeleton samples from different growth bands have the same mineral phase as aragonite, but a band at 133cm(-1) for the top layer shows a transition from ∼120cm(-1) for vaterite to ∼141cm(-1) for aragonite. It is inferred that the vaterite should be the precursor of aragonite of coral skeleton. The positional shift in the infrared spectra of the skeleton samples from growth bands correlate significantly to their minor elements (Li, Mg, Sr, Mn, Fe and U) contents. Mg, Sr and U especially have significant negative correlations with the positions of the antisymmetric stretching band ν3 at ∼1469cm(-1). And Li shows a high negative correlation with ν2 band (∼855cm(-1)), while Sr and Mn show similar negative correlation with ν4 band (∼712cm(-1)). And Mn also shows a negative correlation with ν1 band (∼1082cm(-1)). A significantly negative correlation is observed for U with ν1+ν4 band (∼1786cm(-1)). However, Fe shows positive correlation with ν1, ν2, ν3, ν4 and ν1+ν4 bands shifts, especially a significant correlation with ν1 band (∼1082cm(-1)). New insights into the characteristics of coral at different growth bands of skeleton are given in present work.