Petrographic and Fluorescence Spectral Properties of Liptinite and Vitrinite Coal Macerals

摘要

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the properties of the various liptinite and vitrinite macerals. Because it is both expensive and very difficult to separate the various macerals from coal, the macerals will be studied in situ by quantitative fluorescence microscopy. This method has only recently been applied to the study of coal and has already lead to the discovery of new macerals, and a better understanding of coal rank and the coalification process. During this year there were accomplishments in three areas: (1) all of the computer programs for the acquisition, correction, and evaluation of fluorescence spectra have been developed and made operational, (2) two or more varieties of the coal macerals fluorinite, sporinite, and cutinite have been distinguished and characterized in both the Herrin (No. 6) and the Harrisburg-Springfield (No. 5) seams on the basis of their fluorescence spectra, (3) in both the Herrin (No. 6) and Harrisburg (No. 5) seams, the spectral parameters of the various varieties of sporinite and cutinite show a systematic change with an increase in coal rank.