Petrochemistry and Depositional Environment of Permian Coals of Basundhara Block, Ib-Valley Coal field, Orissa, India

Abstract

This paper deals with the characteristics of coals of Basundhara block of Ib-valley.The aim of this study is to reconstnict the paleo environment condition of coal formation. A large number of pillar coal samples from Basundhara block were collected and subjected to detailed petrograplic and geochemical studies. The results show that the Basundhara block (Rampur seam) coals are rich in inetinite group of macerals. The rank of Basundhara block coals as per ASTM system and according to the mean of random vitrinite reflectance has been found to range between sub-bituminous `'A' and high volatile bituminous 'B'. The proximate analyses exhibit that coals belong to semi-coking to weakly coking range. The ultimate composition slhows hydrogen ranges between 4.87 and 6.20%, carbon from 78.7 to 86.3% and oxygen between 7.26 and 13.78% The nitrogen ranges from 0.71 to 0.76% and sulplur is between 0.53 and 0.96%. The
communities quantitative study of macerals, microlithotypes and mineral matter indicate that these coals originated from the plant
of highly fluctuating oxic and anoxic moor to oxic (dry) moor with sudden high flooding conditions. Low value of Tissue Preservative Index and high values of  Gelification Index (GI) indcate peat formation in dry condition