Coal rank and petrography of Upper Carboniferous seams in the Amasra coalfield, Turkey

摘要: Abstract The Amasra coalfield is a part of the Upper Carboniferous Zonguldak coal basin Turkey within Istanbul zone, Hercynian deformed unit forming eastern continuation Moesian platform in SE Europe which was later by Alpine tectogenesis. mainly Westphalian aged coals were sampled from an underground mine and cores nine exploration wells petrographic (maceral microlithotype) analysis mean maximum vitrinite (telocollinite) reflectance (% R max oil) determined. characterised low ash total sulphur contents, abundant vitrinite-group macerals relatively vitrite, clarite duroclarite microlithotypes. Vitrinite range 0.58–1.04% , indicating ranks high volatile C bituminous to A coal. % generally increases with increasing depth wells, gradients ranging 0.21 0.40% /km average 0.30% /km. highest value occurs south region folding thrusting. relationship between thrusts suggests that rank developed pre-thrusting but some arguably, show evidence for post-thrust coalification. Peak coalification probably occurred during Late Mesozoic–Early Tertiary rifting, so after are likely be age whereas pre-date may have been structures.