Data base for the analysis of compositional charateristics of coal seams and macerals. Final report, Part 6. Petrography and depositional environment of the Herrin (No. 6) seam in central, eastern and northwestern Illinois

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5457450

Russell, S J

The objectives of this study were to characterize and compare the petrography of the Herrin (No. 6) seam in the sampling areas and to relate the petrography to the sedimentology, conditions during peat deposition and to the paleobotany of the seam. Sixteen column samples of the Herrin (no. 6) seam from 9 mines in central, eastern and northwestern Illinois were described megascopically in terms of the lithotypes vitrain, clarain, duroclarain, clarodurain, durain and fusain. Ten of the columns were also analyzed petrographically. The columns were divided into subsections based on the maceral content. Two characteristic seam profiles were identified. Samples from northwestern Illinois and from central Illinois west of the peat-contemporaneous Walshville channel have a profile consisting of alternating subsections of relatively inertinite-rich lower subsections and inertinite-poor upper subsections. All coal columns studied terminate upward in n inertinite-poor subsection. The coal petrography is believed to have been controlled by fluctuations in the water table during peat deposition which were caused either by variation in rainfall or by changes in sea level. Prior to the marine transgression which ended peat accumulation, the water table in the swamp rose everywhere within the study area. The results of this work compare favorably with paleobotanical studies of the Herrin (No. 6) seam. 151 references, 41 figures, 13 tables.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Coal Research Section
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-80PC30013
• OSTI ID: 5457450
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/30013-T3; ON: DE84005495
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL SEAMS
PALEONTOLOGY
PETROGRAPHY
ILLINOIS
COAL DEPOSITS
CORRELATIONS
DEPOSITION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LITHOLOGY
LITHOTYPES
MACERALS
PEAT
SAMPLING
DATA
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION V
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INFORMATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC MATTER
RESOURCES
USA
010600* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Properties & Composition
011000 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration