Criteria to aid in the establishment of genetic boundaries within a carboniferous basin: Mary Lee Coal Zone, Black Warrior Basin, Alabama
- Auburn Univ., Auburn, AL (United States)
The upper part of the Mary Lee coal zone of the Lower Pennsylvanian (Westphalian A) Pottsville Formation in northwestern Alabama is composed of the Mary Lee and the Newcastle coal seams. The Mary Lee coal seam has been economically significant in terms of both mining and coal-bed methane production. A sedimentological, paleontological, and geochemical investigation of the lithologies associated with this coal zone was done to define the changes that occur in facies changing from terrestrial into marine facies. A ravinement bed, ranging in thickness from 13.0 deposits. Fifteen surficially exposed sections were observed and sampled in the study area. Geochemical analyses were done on samples collected from seven sections along the perimeter of the study area. The analyses conducted involved inductively coupled atomic plasma spectrometry (ICAP) for seven elemental oxides that include aluminum, iron, silica, calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese. Atomic absorption was used to determine sodium content. Carbonate carbon was determined by weight percent difference after hydrochloric acid treatment, whereas organic carbon content was determined by use of a carbon analyzer on a LECO[sup TM] induction furnace. Sulfur content was also determined by a LECO induction furnace equipped with a sulfur analyzer. Loss-on-ignition (LOI) percentage was based upon change in weight of samples after a period of 30 min in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 1000[degrees]C. The combination of sedimentological, paleontological, and geochemical characteristics were used to better understand the depositional setting of the upper Mary Lee coal zone in terms of a transgressive event. These criteria can be used in similar basin systems to better understand the depositional history of those settings.
- OSTI ID:
- 6919365
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9310237-; CODEN: AABUD2
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 77:9; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) mid-continent section meeting, Amarillo, TX (United States), 10-12 Oct 1993; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Carboniferous terrigenous clastic facies, hydrocarbon producing zones, and sandstone provenance, northern shelf of Black Warrior basin
Depositional environments of the Pratt-Mary Lee intragroup clastic sequence in the Lower Pennsylvanian Pottsville Formation, Warrior coal basin, Alabama
Related Subjects
COAL
GEOCHEMISTRY
COAL DEPOSITS
LITHOLOGY
COAL SEAMS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
DEPOSITION
ALABAMA
PALEONTOLOGY
SEDIMENTATION
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLOGY
RESOURCES
USA
011000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Reserves
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& Exploration
010600 - Coal
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& Peat- Properties & Composition