Petrographic composition and sulfur content of selected Pennsylvania bituminous coal seams

Technical Report · Mon Aug 02 04:00:00 EDT 1965

OSTI ID:5364714

Mansfield, S P; Spackman, W

Eleven column samples of bituminous coal seams were collected from three general areas: near Clearfield, Clearfield County; near Corsica, Jefferson County; and near the western border of the state. Each column was cut vertically so that fractions were available for megascopic and microscopic petrographic examination and sulfur analyses. Megascopic examination of polished master columns indicated that seven lithotypes (clarain I, clarain II, clarain III, durain, fusain, bone, and inorganic partings) were present. Further, lithotype variation existed between the samples with a general tendency for the coal seams to become more durainic in a westward direction across the bituminous coal field. Quantative microscopic petrographic analyses were made on all samples and representatives of the vitrinite, exinite, and inertinite suites of macerals were recognized as well as pyrite and other mineral matter. Sulfur analyses were made of each inch level of each column sample and vertical sulfur profiles were drawn. From these it was noted that sulfur content was not constant from the top to the base of the coal seams. Zones of high sulfur accumulation were most often associated with small fusain lenses within clarain III lithotypes. Finally, a general tendency was noted for an increase in sulfur content of the coal seams from east to west across the bituminous coal field.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
• OSTI ID: 5364714
• Report Number(s): SR-50
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010600* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
BITUMINOUS COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COAL
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGY
MACERALS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
PENNSYLVANIA
PETROLOGY
SULFUR
USA