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Organic matter characterization of carbonaceous shales from Raniganj coalfields and its implications on depositional condition: A palynofacies and petrographic overview

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Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

The present work deals with the palaeoenvironment and depositional setting of the subsurface sediments from bore hole RT-4 of Tamra block from Raniganj coalfield of Damodar Basin, India. Nineteen shale samples were subjected to palynological and coal petrographical analyses. On the basis of botanical affinity between the miospores and the parent plants as well as the different plant groups, each coal plant assemblage was determined. The dominance of bisaccates such as Scheuringipollenites, Faunipollenites (=Protohaploxypinus), Striatopodocarpites and presence of monosaccates such as Densipollenites, Parasaccites reflect a peat forming community composed mainly of gymnosperms. Subordinate trilete spores derived from filicopsids (Cyclogranisporites, Horriditriletes, Brevitirletes, Callumispora, Microbaculsispora, Microfoveolatispora, Cyclobaculisporites), lycopsids (Indotriradites, Gondispoirtes and Didecitriletes) and sphenopsids (Laevigatosporites ) are less abundant occurring in variable proportions reflecting a hypautocthonous taphocenose. Presence of Botryococccus algae has been recorded. Palynofacies and petrographic analyses suggest deposition in open mires in a Limnic to limno-telmatic conditions with intermittent flooding of the site.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53 University Road, Lucknow Uttar Pradesh, 226 007, India

    S. Mahesh, Srikanta Murthy, K. Pauline Sabina & Vikram Partap Singh

  2. Department of Botany, National PG College, 2 Rana Pratap Marg, Hazratganj, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Shinjini Saran

  3. Department of Palaeontology and Stratigraphy, Institute of Geoscience, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) Av. Bento Goncalves, 9500, Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil

    S. Mahesh

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  1. S. Mahesh
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  2. Srikanta Murthy
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  5. Vikram Partap Singh
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Mahesh, S., Murthy, S., Sabina, K.P. et al. Organic matter characterization of carbonaceous shales from Raniganj coalfields and its implications on depositional condition: A palynofacies and petrographic overview. J Geol Soc India 87, 132–144 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-016-0381-1

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