Sample records for resinite

  1. Fluorescence spectral analysis of resinite macerals from coals of the Hanna Formation, Wyoming, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Teerman, S.C.; Crelling, J.C.; Glass, G.B.

    1987-01-01

    Flourescence spectral analysis indicates that resinite macerals from Tertiary Hanna Formation coals (Hanna Coal Field, southcentral Wyoming, U.S.A.) can be separated into five distinct groups. The first resinite group fluoresces a a medium green (in blue light); its average spectral maximum occurs at or below 440 mm with a red/green quotient of 0.22. The second resinite group fluoresces yellow-green with an average spectral maximum of 500 nm and a red/green quotient of 0.53. The third resinite group displays a yellow fluorescence having an average spectral maximum of 580 nm and a red/green quotient of 0.86. The fourth resinite group fluorescence orange-brown having an average spectral maximum of 610 nm and a red/green quotient of 1.20. These four groups mostly occur as primary globular resinites exhibiting scratches and fractures, indicating that they are brittle, solid substances. Primary cell-filling and secondary fracture-filling resinites also occur in these four groups. The fifth group only occurs as a secondary void-filling material and lacks evidence of br of brittle properties. It fluoresces a reddish-brown, has a spectral maximum at 690 nm, and a red/green quotient of 1.54. The fifth group has properties resembling exsudatinite. The five resinite groups can be separated on the basis of their nine spectral properties alone, without qualitative petrographic interpretation. The relative quantities of the five resinite groups vary among Hanna Formation coals. The origins of these five resinite groups are probably related to their botanical properties and pre- and post-depossitional conditions. Overall, Hanna Formation resinites have petrographic characteristics similar to other North American resinites; however, only four resinite groups have been distinguished in in certain coals from Utah and New Mexico (U.S.A.), and western Canada. ?? 1987.

  2. A geochemical study of macerals from a Miocene lignite and an Eocene bituminous coal, Indonesia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stankiewicz, B.A.; Kruge, M.A.; Mastalerz, Maria

    1996-01-01

    Optical and chemical studies of maceral concentrates from a Miocene lignite and an Eocene high-volatile bituminous C coal from southeastern Kalimantan, Indonesia were undertaken using pyro-Lysis, optical, electron microprobe and FTIR techniques Pyrolysis products of vitrinite from bituminous coal were dominated by straight-chain aliphatics and phenols. The huminite of the Miocene lignite produced mostly phenolic compounds upon pyrolysis. Differences in the pyrolysis products between the huminite and vitrinite samples reflect both maturation related and paleobotanical differences. An undefined aliphatic source and/or bacterial biomass were the likely contributors of n-alkyl moieties to the vitrinite. The resinite fraction in the lignite yielded dammar-derived pyrolysis products, as well as aliphatics and phenols as the products of admixed huminite and other liptinites. The optically defined resinite-rich fraction of the bituminous coal from Kalimantan produced abundant n-aliphatic moieties upon pyrolysis, but only two major resin markers (cadalene and 1,6-dimethylnaphthalene). This phenomenon is likely due to the fact that Eocene resins were not dammar-related. Data from the electron microprobe and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry strongly support the results obtained by Py GC MS and microscopy.

  3. Organic geochemistry and petrology of subsurface Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox and Claiborne Group coal beds, Zavala County, Maverick Basin, Texas, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hackley, Paul C.; Warwick, Peter D.; Hook, Robert W.; Alimi, Hossein; Mastalerz, Maria; Swanson, Sharon M.

    2012-01-01

    Coal samples from a coalbed methane exploration well in northern Zavala County, Maverick Basin, Texas, were characterized through an integrated analytical program. The well was drilled in February, 2006 and shut in after coal core desorption indicated negligible gas content. Cuttings samples from two levels in the Eocene Claiborne Group were evaluated by way of petrographic techniques and Rock–Eval pyrolysis. Core samples from the Paleocene–Eocene Indio Formation (Wilcox Group) were characterized via proximate–ultimate analysis in addition to petrography and pyrolysis. Two Indio Formation coal samples were selected for detailed evaluation via gas chromatography, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 13C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy. Samples are subbituminous rank as determined from multiple thermal maturity parameters. Elevated rank (relative to similar age coal beds elsewhere in the Gulf Coast Basin) in the study area is interpreted to be a result of stratigraphic and/or structural thickening related to Laramide compression and construction of the Sierra Madre Oriental to the southwest. Vitrinite reflectance data, along with extant data, suggest the presence of an erosional unconformity or change in regional heat flow between the Cretaceous and Tertiary sections and erosion of up to >5 km over the Cretaceous. The presence of liptinite-rich coals in the Claiborne at the well site may indicate moderately persistent or recurring coal-forming paleoenvironments, interpreted as perennially submerged peat in shallow ephemeral lakes with herbaceous and/or flotant vegetation. However, significant continuity of individual Eocene coal beds in the subsurface is not suggested. Indio Formation coal samples contain abundant telovitrinite interpreted to be preserved from arborescent, above-ground woody vegetation that developed during the middle portion of mire development in forested swamps. Other petrographic criteria suggest enhanced biological, chemical and physical degradation at the beginning and end of Indio mire development. Fluorescence spectra of sporinite and resinite are consistent and distinctly different from each other, attributed to the presence of a greater proportion of complex asphaltene and polar molecules in resinite. Gas chromatography of resinite-rich coal shows sesquiterpenoid and diterpenoid peaks in the C14–17 range, which are not present in resinite-poor coal. Quantities of extracts suggest bitumen concentration below the threshold for effective source rocks [30–50 mg hydrocarbon/g total organic carbon (HC/g TOC)]. Saturate/aromatic and pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios are different from values for nearby Tertiary-reservoired crude oil, suggesting that the Indio coals are too immature to source liquid hydrocarbons in the area. However, moderately high HI values (200–400 mg HC/g rock) may suggest some potential for naphthenic–paraffinic oil generation where buried more deeply down stratigraphic/structural dip. Extractable phenols and C20+ alkanes are suggested as possible intermediates for acetate fermentation in microbial methanogenesis which may, however, be limited by poor nutrient supply related to low rainfall and meteoric recharge rate or high local sulfate concentration.

  4. Petrographic and biomarker analysis of xylite-rich coal from the Kolubara and Kostolac lignite basins (Pannonian Basin, Serbia)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Đoković, Nataša; Mitrović, Danica; Životić, Dragana; Bechtel, Achim; Sachsenhofer, Reinhard F.; Stojanović, Ksenija

    2018-02-01

    The maceral and biomarker characteristics of 4 sublithotypes of xylite-rich coal (SXCs), pale yellow, dark yellow, brown and black, originating from the Kolubara and Kostolac lignite basins were determined. Based on these results, differences in sources and changes of organic matter (OM) resulting in formation of 4 SXCs were established. Conifers (particularly Cupressaceae, Taxodiaceae and Pinacea) had a significant impact on the precursor OM of all SXCs. The contribution of gymnosperm vs. angiosperm vegetation decreased in order pale yellow SXC>dark yellow SXC>brown SXC>black SXC. The distribution of non-hopanoid triterpenoids indicates that change of SXC colour from yellow to black is associated with reduced input of angiosperm plants from the Betulacea family. Differences in hopane distribution, bitumen content, proportion of short-chain n-alkanes and degree of aromatization of di- and triterpenoids of pale yellow SXC are controlled by microbial communities which took part in the diagenetic alteration of OM. The content of total huminites increased from black to pale yellow SXC, whereas contents of total liptinite and inertinite macerals showed the opposite trend. SXCs differ according to textinite/ulminite ratio, which sharply decreased from pale yellow to black SXC, reflecting increase in gelification of woody tissue. Regarding the composition of liptinite macerals, the SXCs mostly differ according to resinite/liptodetrinite and resinite/suberinite ratios, which are higher in yellow than in brown and black SXC. This result along with values of TOC/N ratio and Carbon Preference Index indicate that the contribution of well preserved woody material, including lignin tissue vs. the impact of epicuticular waxes decreased from yellow to black SXC.

  5. Organic geochemistry of resins from modern Agathis australis and Eocene resins from New Zealand: Diagenetic and taxonomic implications

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lyons, P.C.; Mastalerz, Maria; Orem, W.H.

    2009-01-01

    A maturation series of resins and fossil resins from New Zealand, ranging in age from Modern to Eocene and ranging from uncoalified to high volatile C bituminous coal, were analyzed by elemental, pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC), Fourier Transform infrared (FTir), and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) techniques. For comparison, four resin samples from the Latrobe Valley, Australia, were analyzed. All of the resins and fossil resins of this study show very high H/C atomic ratios, and are characterized by dominant peaks in the 10-60??ppm range of solid-state 13C NMR spectra and prominent bands in the aliphatic stretching region (2800-3000??cm- 1) of FTir spectra, all indicating a highly aliphatic molecular structure. The 13C NMR and FTir data indicate a diterpenoid structure for these resins. There is an abrupt loss of oxygen that occurs at the Lignite A/Subbituminous C stage, which is attributed to a dramatic loss of carboxyl (COOH) from the diterpenoid molecule. This is a new finding in the diagenesis of resins. This important loss in oxygenated functional groups is attributed to a maturation change. Also, there is a progressive loss of exomethylene (CH2) groups with increasing degree of maturation, as shown by both 13C NMR and FTir data. This change has been noted by previous investigators. Exomethylene is absent in the fossil resins from the Eocene high volatile C bituminous coals. This progressive loss is characteristic of Class I resinites. FTir data indicate that the oxygenated functional groups are strong in all the resin samples except the fossil resin from high volatile C bituminous coal. This important change in oxygenated functional groups is attributed to maturation changes. The 13C NMR and FTir data indicate there are minor changes in the Agathis australis resin from the living tree and soil, which suggests that alteration of A. australis resins begins shortly after deposition in the soil for as little as 1000??years. The Morwell and Yallourn fossil resins from brown coal (lignite B) Australia do not have some of the FTir characteristics of the New Zealand resins, which most likely indicates they have a different plant source because different degrees of oxidation and weathering and changes due to fires (i.e., charring) can be ruled out. Our results have implications for studies of the maturation, provenance, and botanical sources of fossil resins and resinites in Eocene and Miocene coals and sediments of New Zealand and Australia. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bulut, Y.; Karayigit, A.I.

    The coal-bearing Soma basin is one of the most productive lacustrine coal basins of western Anatolia-Turkey. This study mainly focuses on petrography of the feed coals (FCs) in the Soma power plant. A total of 16 feed coal samples were systematically collected once a week over an eight-week period from both group boiler units, B1-4 with 660 MW and B5-6 with 330 MW capacity. The most abundant maceral group of FCs is huminite, in which texto-ulminite, eu-ulminite, attrinite, densinite are rich. Liptinite group macerals in FCs include mainly sporinite, resinite, and liptodetrinite, which are considerably higher than the other identifiedmore » liptinite macerals. In the inertinite group, fusinite and inertodetrinite are more abundant. Identifiable minerals with petrographical studies are pyrite, siderite, other minerals (e. g., carbonates, clay minerals, quartz, feldspar, etc.), and fossil shells. This study shows that FCs used are subbituminous in rank with mean random ulminite reflectance of 0.43% Rr oil from B1-4 units and 0.39% Rr oil from B5-6 units. This indicates that coal rank is slightly higher in the central mines (southern Soma) than in the Denis mines (northern Soma).« less

  7. The nature and fate of natural resins in the geosphere VI. Analysis of fossil resins from Axel Heiberg Island Canadian Arctic

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anderson, K.B.; LePage, B.A.

    1995-06-01

    Ambers are well known and abundant in terrestrial sediments all over the world; however, due largely to the absence of definite morphological characteristics, the precise botanical origin of most amber samples, are at best, often a matter of speculation. This has severely restricted the usefulness of amber in paleobotanical and paleoecological interpretations. The molecular composition and structural characteristics of fossil resins however, may preserve evidence of their botanical origin, which could be of great value in both geochemical, paleobotanical, and paleoenvironmental studies. The remains of a number of exceptionally well-preserved Taxodiaceae-dominated swamp-forest communities have been identified in the sediments ofmore » the middle Eocene (45 million years old) Buchanan Lake Formation of Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The amber collected from these ancient in situ forests provides a unique opportunity to characterize these resins chemically and taxonomically. Resinite associated with Metasequoia, Pinus and Pseudolarix has been characterized using Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. This method provides a direct analysis of the molecular structure and composition of the resin. In several cases, both bled resin and cone-resin samples have been characterized. The results of these analyses are presented and discussed. The implications of these results for the botanical origins of other ambers represented in the fossil record (including succinite) will also be discussed.« less

  8. Species-level determination of closely related araucarian resins using FTIR spectroscopy and its implications for the provenance of New Zealand amber

    PubMed Central

    Sadowski, Eva-Maria; Schmidt, Alexander R.

    2015-01-01

    Some higher plants, both angiosperms and gymnosperms, can produce resins and some of these resins can polymerize and fossilize to form ambers. Various physical and chemical techniques have been used to identify and profile different plant resins and have then been applied to fossilized resins (ambers), to try to detect their parent plant affinities and understand the process of polymerization, with varying levels of success. Here we focus on resins produced from today’s most resinous conifer family, the Araucariaceae, which are thought to be the parent plants of some of the Southern Hemisphere’s fossil resin deposits. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the resins of closely related Araucariaceae species were examined to test whether they could be distinguished at genus and species level and whether the results could then be used to infer the parent plant of a New Zealand amber. The resin FTIR spectra are distinguishable from each other, and the three Araucaria species sampled produced similar FTIR spectra, to which Wollemia resin is most similar. Interspecific variability of the FTIR spectra is greatest in the three Agathis species tested. The New Zealand amber sample is similar in key shared features with the resin samples, but it does differ from the extant resin samples in key distinguishing features, nonetheless it is most similar to the resin of Agathis australis in this dataset. However on comparison with previously published FTIR spectra of similar aged amber and older (Eocene) resinites both found in coals from New Zealand and fresh Agathis australis resin, our amber has some features that imply a relatively immature resin, which was not expected from an amber of the Miocene age. PMID:26157631

  9. Resin rodlets in shale and coal (Lower Cretaceous), Baltimore Canyon Trough

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lyons, P.C.; Hatcher, P.G.; Minkin, J.A.; Thompson, C.L.; Larson, R.R.; Brown, Z.A.; Pheifer, R.N.

    1984-01-01

    Rodlets, occurring in shale and coal (uppermost Berriasian to middle Aptian, Lower Cretaceous), were identified from drill cuttings taken from depths between 9330 ft (2844 m) and 11, 460 ft (3493 m) in the Texaco et al., Federal Block 598, No. 2 well, in the Baltimore Canyon Trough. Under the binocular microscope, most of the rodlets appear black, but a few are reddish brown, or brownish and translucent on thin edges. They range in diameter from about 0.4 to 1.7 mm and are commonly flattened. The rodlets break with a conchoidal fracture, and some show an apparent cellular cast on their longitudinal surfaces. When polished and viewed in reflected light, the rodlets appear dark gray and have an average random reflectance of less than 0.1% whereas mean maximum reflectances are 0.48-0.55% for vitrinite in the associated shale and coal. These vitrinite reflectances indicate either subbituminous A or high-volatile C bituminous coal. The rodlets fluoresce dull gray yellow to dull yellow. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and light microscope reveal the presence of swirl-like features in the rodlet interiors. Minerals associated with the rodlets occur as sand-size grains attached to the outer surface, as finely disseminated interior grains, and as fracture fillings. Electron microprobe and SEM-energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) anlayses indicate that the minerals are dominantly clays (probably illite and chlorite) and iron disulfide; calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, potassium aluminum silicate (feldspar), titanium dioxide, zinc sulfide, and iron sulfate minerals have been also identified. The rodlets were analyzed directly for C, H, N, O, and total S and are interpreted as true resins on the basis of C and H contents that range from 75.6 to 80.3 and from 7.4 to 8.7 wt. % (dry, ash-free basis), respectively. Elemental and infrared data support a composition similar to that of resinite from bituminous coal. Elements determined to be organically associated in the rodlets include S (0.2-0.5 wt.%), Cl (0.03-0.1 wt.%), and Si (0.05-0.08 wt.%). The ash content of the resin rodlets ranges from 4 to 24 wt.% and averages 12 wt.%. Total sulfur contents range from 1.7 to 3.6 wt.%. Resins of fossil plants are known to have little or no sulfur and ash; therefore, these data and the presence of minerals in fractures indicate that most of the sulfur and mineral matter were introduced into the resin partly or wholly after the time of brittle fracture of the resin. The probable source of the resin rodlets is fossil pinaceous conifer cones, which are known to have resin canals as much as 2400 ??m in diameter. ?? 1984.

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