Palynological characterization of the Paleocene Wuyun formation, People’s Republic of China

The Wuyun deposit of brown coal is situated on the right bank of the Amur River in the People’s Republic of China, 35–60 km away from the Arkhara-Boguchan brown coal deposit. The Belaya Gora stratotype of the latter and the southwestern flanks of the Raichikhinsk brown coal field (Russia) have been studied previously when the author analyzed in detail the Danian and Selandian-Thanetian palynoassemblages from the Upper Tsagayan Subformation. A section of the Wuyun Formation was studied at the eponymous deposit in 2002 and 2004. Based on new palynological results and analysis of data from earlier publications, two palynoassemblages distinguished there in the Paleocene coal-bearing succession enable correlation between sections of relevant deposits on the right and left banks of the Amur River. Data on the taxonomic composition of palynoassemblages are considered, and their basic and characteristic taxa are figured in paleontological plates.