Palynologic and petrographic cycles in the McLeansboro Group, Western Kentucky

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5818478

Hower, J C ^[1]; Helfrich, C T ^[2]; Williams, D A ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Center for Applied Energy Research
2. Eastern Kentucky Univ., Richmond, KY (United States)
3. Kentucky Geological Survey, Henderson, KY (United States)

The McLeansboro Group in the Western Kentucky coal field spans the upper Desmoinesian and the Missourian and Virgilian series. Extensive drilling has demonstrated the lateral continuity of major and minor beds in the group, making it possible to study vertical and lateral changes in palynology and petrology. The Desmoinesian (Westphalian D) Baker (No. 13) and Wheatcroft (No. 13a) coal beds were included in the study but the primary emphasis is on the Missourian and Virgilian (Stephanian) coals. Patoka fm (lower Missourian) coals are dominated by tree fern spores with lesser sphenopsids, ferns, and cordaites. This is in marked contrast to the arborescent lycopod-dominated Desmoinesian coals. Only the No. 15 coal bed exceeds 80% vitrinite with the No. 16 coal bed vitrinite content of < 72% being the lowest of any Western Kentucky humic coal. The Bond Fm. (upper Missourian) represents a distinct floristic cycle with a greater diversity of plant groups including herbaceous lycopods, relatively minor contributors to the Patoka coals. The coals generally exceed 80% vitrinite. The Mattoon Fm. (Virgilian) coals have a variety of polynomorph assemblages. The low-sulfur Geiger Lake coal bed is dominated by tree ferns with important contributions from ferns and sphenopsids. Similar to the underlying tree fern interval, vitrinite contents are <80%. The uppermost Mattoon coals are dominated by ferns and are notable in being the only >1 m thick coals in the Stephanian portion of the section, with the top coal being 4.3 m thick. The uppermost coals are generally > 80% vitrinite. The palynologic/petrographic cycles appear to represent fluctuating dry (low vitrinite) and wet intervals within the Missourian/Virgilian which itself was drier than the Desmoinesian.

• OSTI ID: 5818478
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 24:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
&amp; Peat-- Reserves
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&amp; Exploration
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL SEAMS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
KENTUCKY
MACERALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY
PALYNOLOGY
PETROGRAPHY
RESOURCES
STRATIGRAPHY
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VITRINITE