Relationships of palynology, petrography, and coal quality in some Upper Kanawha Formation coalbeds of West Virginia

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6640789

Grady, W C; Eble, C F; Gillespie, W H

29 samples of the Upper Kanawha Formation Stockton-Lewiston, Coalburg, and Winifrede coalbeds may be categorized into two groups, based upon their petrographic and palynologic characteristics. The first group contained 11 samples with moderate vitrinite abundances (V=61.6 volume %), moderate exinite (E=7.4%), moderate inertinite (I=13.1%), and high ash (average ash-17.5%). The second group of 18 samples contained moderate vitrinite (V=57.4%), high exinite (E=9.2%), high inertinite (I=22.6%), and moderate ash (8.7%). The first group of samples contained high percentages of spores (average =61.8%) assignable to arborescent lycopods (Lycospora spp.). The second group contained high percentages (average =56.2%) of marrattiaceous tree fern spores (Laevigatosporites globosus, Punctatosporites minutus, and Punctatisporites minutus). These results appear to suggest that the tree ferns occupied raised, well-drained portions of the swamps in areas of high peat oxidation, minor detrital mineral influx, and minor early syngenetic mineral formation. The arborescent lycopods appear to have been the dominant vegetation in areas of more-or-less standing water, which were less susceptible to peat oxidation and more susceptible to detrital mineral influx and early syngenetic mineral formation. These petrographic and palynologic differences were observed between full-thickness channel samples (18 included in this study) and within a single coalbed sampled in ten 6-inch increments.

• Research Organization: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Morgantown (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6640789
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Journal Information: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
58 GEOSCIENCES
COAL DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
PALYNOLOGY
PETROGRAPHY
WEST VIRGINIA
ASH CONTENT
COAL
COAL SEAMS
COALIFICATION
DEPOSITION
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
MACERALS
ORIGIN
SPORES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION III
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCES
USA
011000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)
580300 - Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics- (-1989)