Petrography and depositional environment of the Herrin (No. 6) seam in central, eastern and northwestern Illinois
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 and inertinite-poor coal. Samples from eastern Illinois and from central Illinois east of the Walshville channel have a profile of relatively inertinite-rich lower subsections and incertinite-poor upper subsections. All coal columns studied terminate upward in an inertinite-poor subsection. Durains generally have a low quartz and clay mineral content and their dominant inertinite maceral is degradofusinite. The pyrofusinite content of the durains is higher than that of any other lithotype except fusain. Most durains of the Herrin (No. 6) seam are believed to have formed from subaerial exposure of the peat.
- OSTI ID:
- 5965906
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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