Coal from the swash zone - Herrin (no. 11) coal in western Kentucky

Conference · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6577059

Hower, J C; Neuder, G L; Graese, A M; Trinkle, E J

The Herrin is typically a bright, banded coal, with abundant vitrain and bright clarain, and has a parting, the ''blue band,'' in the lower third of the seam. Herrin coal from a core in the transition zone, however, is largely a coarse breccia with calcite cement. The blue band is present in its usual position as a slickensided clay rather than as indurated siltstone as at nearby sites. A fossiliferous limestone is present in the upper third of the seam. Breccia lithotypes are duller than would be expected in the Herrin coal, but do include fragments with appearance of vitrain and bright clarain. Microscopically, however, the predominate macerals of the lithotypes are not vitrinite, as would be expected, but rather semifusinite. Vitrinite group macerals are frequently ''pseudovitrinite'' or forms showing signs of degradation. The presence of limestone ''offshore'' and as a parting within the coal and the pervasive calcite cementing between breccia fragments points to the strong influence of marine conditions on the peat. Nonbrecciated bands indicate that at least some of the seam is autochthonous. The breccia suggest a high-energy environment where peat fragments were ripped up in place or transported in from elsewhere. Any peat transport was probably along the strike of the transition zone. The peat was oxidized during fragmentation and transport, resulting in alteration of humic macerals to semifusinite and fusinite.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington
• OSTI ID: 6577059
• Report Number(s): CONF-8405216-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 68:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
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& Exploration
CARBONATE ROCKS
COAL DEPOSITS
DEPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IV
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
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KENTUCKY
LIMESTONE
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ORGANIC MATTER
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SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA