A selected-dissolution method was investigated in order to analyze a crystal-grain and grain-boundary phase in aluminium nitride which was used as a high thermal-conductivity substrate. Unreacted Y2O3 in the sample was dissolved by 1.5 M hydrochloric acid. A crystal in the residual sample after hydrochloric acid dissolution was dissolved by 2 M sodium hydroxide. The residue which was not dissolved by them was used to determine the grain-boundary phase. EDTA titration, acid-base titration, ICP-AES and X-ray diffraction were used to analyze the composition of the crystal-grain and grain-boundary phase. In the aluminium nitride, to which Y2O3 was added, two grain-boundary phases were constructed (Y3Al5O12 and YAlO3). Also, it was confirmed that they influence the thermal conductivity.