Mining conditions and deposition in the Amburgy (Westphalian B) coal, Breathitt Group, central Appalachian basin

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · AAPG Bulletin

OSTI ID:411931

Greb, S F; Eble, C F ^[1]; Hower, J C ^[2]; Phillips, T L ^[3]

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1. Kentucky Geological Survey, Lexington, KY (United States)
2. Center for Applied Research, Lexington, KY (United States)
3. Univ. of illinois, Urbana, IL (United States)

Carbonate concretions called clay balls are rare in the Central Appalachian Basin, but were found in the Amburgy coal overlain by the Kendrick Shale Member. In the study area, the Amburgy coal is 0.7 to 0.9 meters thick, moderate to high in sulfur content, moderate to high in ash yield, and mostly bright clarain, except at the top near the area of coal balls, where durain of limited extent occurs. The coal is co-dominated by lycopod and cordaites; tree spores, with subordinate Calamites. The local durain layer is dominated by Densosporites, produced by the shrubby lycopod Ompbalophloios. Coal balls were encountered where the durain is immediately overlain by a coquinoid hash of broken and whole marine fossils, along a trend of coal thinning. The coal balls contain permineralized cordaites, lycopods, calamites, and ferns. The Amburgy coal accumulated as a succession of planar mires. Local splits in the seam are common, indicating contemporaneous clastic influx. The abundance of Cordaites may indicate brackish mire waters related to a coastal position and initial eustatic rise of the marginal Kendrick seas. Near the end of the Amburgy mires, the high ash-Omphalopbloios association is interpreted as a local area that was being drowned by the Kendrick transgression. Ravinement within this local embayment, rapid inundation by marine waters, and concentration of carbonate-bearing waters within transgressive scours may have contributed to the formation of coal balls and pyritic concretions in the upper part of the coal bed.

• OSTI ID: 411931
• Report Number(s): CONF-9610180--
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin, Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 80; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
APPALACHIAN BASIN
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL MINES
ORIGIN
PALEONTOLOGY
STRATIGRAPHY