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Classification Of Torbanite And Cannel Coal. Ii. Insights From Organic Geochemical And Multivariate Statistical Analysis, Zhiwen Han, Michael A. Kruge
Classification Of Torbanite And Cannel Coal. Ii. Insights From Organic Geochemical And Multivariate Statistical Analysis, Zhiwen Han, Michael A. Kruge
Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works
Petrographic and megascopic criteria have traditionally been used as the basis for the classification of torbanite and cannel coal. For this study, it was hypothesized that modern analytical organic geochemical and multivariate statistical techniques could provide an alternative approach. Towards this end, the demineralized residues of 14 torbanite (rich in Botryococcus-related alginite) and cannel (essentially, rich in organic groundmass and/or sporinite) coal samples were analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Cluster analysis performed on the Py-GC/MS data clearly distinguished the torbanite from the cannel coal, demonstrating a consistency between the chemical properties and the petrographic composition. All the torbanite …
Chemistry Of Maceral And Groundmass Density Fractions Of Torbanite And Cannel Coal, Zhiwen Han, Michael A. Kruge
Chemistry Of Maceral And Groundmass Density Fractions Of Torbanite And Cannel Coal, Zhiwen Han, Michael A. Kruge
Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works
Microscopically, torbanite and cannel coal are composed of coarser macerals set in a fine-grained to amorphous groundmass. It is often assumed that the amorphous groundmass is genetically related to the distinct macerals. The separation of macerals and groundmass from 14 late Paleozoic torbanite, cannel, and humic coals permits the analysis of individual constituents using elemental analysis and flash pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). Cluster and principal component analyses of the Py-GC/MS data further reveal the chemical similarities and differences between the various constituents. Pyrolyzates of Botryococcus-related alginites are characterized by an abundance of normal alkadienes, alkenes, and alkanes. Even their …