The petrographical and organic geochemical composition of coal from the East field, Bogovina Basin (Serbia)

Abstract

A petrological and organic geochemical study was performed on coal samples from the East field deposit, Bogovina Basin, Serbia. Fourteen coal samples were collected from different parts of the Main and Upper coal seams from fresh, working faces in the underground subbituminous coal mine. The Lower Miocene (?) coal of the East field is a typical humic coal with huminite, liptinite and inertinite concentrations of up to 81.4 vol.%, 16.1 vol.% and 13.5 vol.%, respectively. Densinite is the most abundant maceral with variable amounts of ulminite and gelinite. Sporinite and liptodetrinite are the most common macerals of the liptinite group. Exsudatinite was detected in the lower part of the Lower coal seam. Inertodetrinite is the most abundant maceral of the inertinite group. The mineral matter consists mostly of clay minerals and carbonates. The mean random huminite reflectance (ulminite B) for the Main coal seam is 0.42 +/- 0.04%Rr, and 0.41 +/- 0.04%Rr for the Upper coal seam, which are typical for an immature to early mature stage of the organic matter. The distribution and abundance of n-alkanes and steranes indicates a significant contribution of epicuticular waxes from higher plants. High amount of phyllocladane-type diterpenoids (16 alpha(H)-phyllocladane) suggests that coal forming plants were conifer families Taxodiaceae, Podocarpaceae, Cupressaceae, Araucariaceae, Sciadopityaceae, and Phyllocladaceae, while a higher amount of pimarane and norpimarane suggests Pinaceae. Taxodiaceae, and Cupressaceae. The pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratio implies variable anaerobic to oxic conditions during sedimentation. The distribution of the hopanes detected in the Bogovina East field coal indicates an immature to early mature stage of the organic matter, which is in agreement with huminite reflectance. The high coal sulphur contents from the East field are characteristic for slightly alkaline depositional environments generated by bentonite from the basement of the Main coal seam. The petrological observation and biomarker composition provide evidence for the generation of immature hydrocarbons which, most probably, originated from the resins and waxes of higher plants, mostly gymnosperms.