Facies architecture of alluvial floodbasin deposits: three-dimensional data from the Upper Triassic Callide Coal Measures of east-central Queensland, Australia

A detailed investigation of floodbasin facies architecture was undertaken in the Upper Triassic (Carnian-Rhaetian) Callide Coal Measures in east-central Queensland, Australia, using extensive highwall and exploration borehole data from ongoing mining activities. The composite Callide Seam Member varies up to 23 m in thickness and is locally split by a number of clastic partings up to several metres thick, ranging from claystone to coarse sandstone. A subset of the nine lithofacies recognized in surface exposures was identified from geologists' logs of cored and uncored drillholes through the Callide Seam Member. Facies mapping of each clastic parting (split) was then undertaken using all available highwall and drilling data. Sequential maps of facies and interval thickness for each coal body and clastic parting over the mine area (6000 × 2500 m) record sediment accumulation in alluvial channel and floodbasin environments (including levees, splays and splay complexes, and mires). The maps indicate that the numerous splays have dominantly elongate plan geometry (up to 4 km long), with lesser irregular and rare lobate shapes. Small, elongate splays were evidently formed during single flood events, whereas larger, elongate bodies and more irregularly shaped complexes were the product of longer-term splay construction over several flood cycles. Quantitative summaries of splay dimensions indicate a wide variety of shape and size. The distribution of splay orientations is similar to the palaeocurrent distribution in major alluvial channel deposits as established from cross-bedding. Alluvial channels that sourced the splays and other clastic sediments within seam splits were of low sinuosity, braided planform, constructed sediment bodies up to 2800 m wide and were dominantly loaded rather than incised into underlying peat-rich substrates.     

A sequence stratigraphic model for the Lower Coal Measures (Upper Carboniferous) of the Ruhr district, north-west Germany

Upper Carboniferous Coal Measures strata have been interpreted traditionally in terms of cyclothems bounded by marine flooding surfaces (marine bands) and coal seams. Correlation of such cyclothems in an extensive grid of closely spaced coal exploration boreholes provides a robust stratigraphic framework in which to study the Lower Coal Measures (Namurian C–Westphalian A) of the Ruhr district, north-west Germany. Three distinct types of cyclothem are recognized, based on their bounding surfaces and internal facies architecture. (1) Type 1 cyclothems are bounded by marine bands. Each cyclothem comprises a thick (30–80 m), regionally extensive, coarsening-upward delta front succession of interbedded shales, siltstones and sandstones, which may be deeply incised by a major fluvial sandstone complex. The delta front succession is capped by a thin (<1 m), regionally extensive coal seam and an overlying marine band defining the top of the cyclothem. (2) Type 2 cyclothems are bounded by thick (≈1 m), regionally extensive coal seams with few splits. The basal part of a typical cyclothem comprises a thick (15–50 m), widespread, coarsening-upward delta front or lake infill succession consisting of interbedded shales, siltstones and sandstones. Networks of major (>5 km wide, 20–40 m thick), steep-sided, multistorey fluvial sandstone complexes erode deeply into and, in some cases, through these successions and are overlain by the coal seam defining the cyclothem top. (3) Type 3 cyclothems are bounded by regionally extensive coal seam groups, characterized by numerous seam splits on a local (0·1–10 km) scale. Intervening strata vary in thickness (15–60 m) and are characterized by strong local facies variability. Root-penetrated, aggradational floodplain heteroliths pass laterally into single-storey fluvial channel-fill sandstones and coarsening-upward, shallow lake infill successions of interbedded shales, siltstones and sandstones over distances of several hundred metres to a few kilometres. Narrow (<2 km) but thick (20–50 m) multistorey fluvial sandstone complexes are rare, but occur in a few type 3 cyclothems. Several cyclothems are observed to change character from type 1 to type 2 and from type 2 to type 3 up the regional palaeoslope. Consequently, we envisage a model in which each cyclothem type represents a different palaeogeographic belt within the same, idealized delta system, subject to the same allogenic and autogenic controls on facies architecture. Type 1 cyclothems are dominated by deltaic shorelines deposited during a falling stage and lowstand of sea level. Type 2 cyclothems represent the coeval lower delta plain, which was deeply eroded by incised valleys that fed the falling stage and lowstand deltas. Type 3 cyclothems comprise mainly upper delta plain deposits in which the allogenic sea-level control was secondary to autogenic controls on facies architecture. The marine bands, widespread coals and coal seam groups that bound these three cyclothem types record abandonment of the delta system during periods of rapid sea-level rise. The model suggests that the extant cyclothem paradigm does not adequately describe the detailed facies architecture of Lower Coal Measures strata. Instead, these architectures may be better understood within a high-resolution stratigraphic framework incorporating sequence stratigraphic key surfaces, integrated with depositional models derived from analogous Pleistocene–Holocene fluvio-deltaic strata.     

Coal quality controls of the Danville Coal in Indiana (Illinois Basin, central USA)

The Danville Coal Member (Dugger Formation, upper Desmoinesian, Pennsylvanian) is a significant economic coal resource in the Illinois Basin, central USA. Deposition of the Danville Coal (peat) was in coastal environments, varying distances from the coastline and, in turn, variable influences from saline waters. The purpose of this study is to examine the coal quality and petrography of the Danville Coal; and to discuss their relationship with depositional environment as it relates to the final coal product. A medium sulfur (1.0–1.5 wt.%) Danville Coal reserve area (northern Indiana coalfield) was compared to a low sulfur (<1.0 wt.%) Danville Coal (central Indiana coalfield) reserve area, the two being approximately 70 km apart. The medium sulfur coal resulted from the peat being deposited in a near-marine environment less protected from the influence of saline waters, whereas the low sulfur coal resulted from fine-grained, clay-dominated sediment protecting the peat from the direct influence of saline waters. Within both areas, the coal quality, coal composition, and trace element concentrations vary as a function of the proximity of the coal to the overlying Busseron Sandstone Member (Pennsylvanian). Where the Busseron Sandstone rests near or directly on the coal, the sulfur content is significantly higher in the top third of the seam. Conversely, where there is a thick section (>3 m) of finer-grained clastic sediments atop the Danville, the sulfur and trace elements contents are significantly lower.     

Palaeoenvironmental control on coal formation, distribution and quality in the Permian Vryheid Formation, East Witbank Coalfield, South Africa

The No. 1 and No. 2 coal seams from the Permian Vryheid Formation in the east Witbank Coalfield, South Africa are described with respect to their distribution, thickness and quality. These two coal seams accumulated in a postglacial climatic environment and peat accumulation was closely associated with and influenced by deposition in a braided river system. The fluvial channels that were syndepositional with peat accumulation have resulted in thinning of coal below and above channel axes and pinch-out of coal adjacent to channel margins. Low-ash coal originated from peat which accumulated in areas away from the influence of clastic sedimentation. In contrast, higher-ash coals are situated adjacent and parallel to channel margins where interbedded channel sand and silt contaminated the peat.The lower No. 1 seam peat originated under near-optimum conditions in a lacustrine swamp which blanketed an underlying platform of glaciofluvial braided river sediment. This peat swamp was not subjected to syndepositional clastic contamination and as a result is of superior quality (lower ash/higher calorific value and volatile matter) than the overlying No. 2 coal seam. The No. 2 seam is split by a clastic parting produced by a braided fluvial channel which transected the swamp midway through peat accumulation. This fluvial clastic parting deleteriously affected coal thickness and quality.A comparison of the Gondwanan Permian peat-forming conditions with those from Carboniferous northern hemisphere counterparts suggests that the differences in coal characteristics between these two regions are probably related to different palaeoclimatic conditions and basin tectonics. Cool-temperate climatic conditions which prevailed over the Permian peat swamps resulted in less species diversification of vegetation at these high-latitude settings than the diverse floral assemblages of the Carboniferous swamps. A stable intracronic basin platform caused lateral dispersion of sedimentary facies rather than the stacking of vertical facies which occurred in rapidly subsiding depositories. Partial exposure of the Permian peat swamps during peat accumulation may account for the relatively higher inertinite content of the coals.     

豫西荥巩——新密煤田太原组、山西组的沉积环境和聚煤规律

荥巩和新密煤田是豫西北部的两个相邻煤田。主要含煤地层为晚古生代晚石炭世太原组和早二叠世山西组,总厚100—150m;下石盒子组及晚二叠世的上石盒子组在本区仅偶含薄煤层。太原组位于含煤岩系最底部,为碳酸盐岩和碎屑岩交替沉积,灰岩形成于清澈、温暖、浅水的陆表海潮下环境,碎屑岩则为潮道和潮间带为主的潮道、潮坪沉积。太原组含有6—7层薄煤层,形成于咸水或半咸水的泥炭沼泽中。山西组几乎全由碎屑岩组成,下部发育本区的主要可采煤层二1煤。二1煤以下层位为潮坪和横向与之共生的潮道、潮沟及河口潮汐砂脊沉积,二1煤以上为河流作用为主的三角洲沉积,三角洲由北向南进积到半咸水的海湾中。二1煤形成于海退时期,它们堆积在滨海平原的淡水泥炭沼泽中,其厚度变化及发育程度主要受成煤前沉积环境控制,但在本区西部构造较复杂处,煤层厚度受后期构造影响较大。沉积环境对煤层原生厚度的影响主要表现在潮坪和废弃的潮道、潮沟、河口潮汐砂背沉积物之上,煤层发育好,而在二1煤之下有活动的潮道及河口潮汐砂脊发育时,煤层较薄或不发育。     

Petrography and depositional conditions of the 64/65 coal seam in the Intrasudetic Basin,SW Poland

Variation in petrological composition of the coal of the 64/65 seam has been studied. Two types of vertical lithotype succession were distinguished. The first type is represented by bright lithotypes interlayered with clastic partings, while the second one shows a succession of lithotypes from bright to dull between clastic partings. The occurrence of these two types is believed to be the result of a different rate of subsidence. A trend of upward-decreasing vitrinite content has been observed in the seam with the second type of the vertical succession. This pattern was frequently interrupted by clastic partings. This tendency was not developed in the seam of the first succession type.On the basis of microlithotype and maceral composition it is found that the 64/65 seam represents a wide range of peat-forming environments from telmatic forest moor to open moor. Almost all bright-banded and banded coals were deposited in telmatic forest moor facies, while dull-banded coal, depending upon its petrographic composition, represents telmatic forest moor, telmatic reed moor, limno-telmatic forest moor and limno-telmatic reed moor. Dull coal represents only an open moor environment.Facial analysis of clastic sediments surrounding the seam revealed that there was a relationship between coal and clastic sedimentation. The features of the seam are strongly related to sub-peat topography, distance from active distributaries, and stability of the area.Sulfur and ash contents as well as character of clastic partings and petrology of the seam suggest conditions typical for groundwater and surface dominated swamps with pH a little higher than 4.     

湘西北叶溪育含钒石煤矿地质特征及稀土元素分析

叶溪育石煤是湖南省境内一种比较特殊的煤种,其赋矿层位属"下寒武统黑色含矿岩系",主要分布于寒武系下统小烟溪组下段,一般含石煤层3层,个别地段为4-5层。叶溪育石煤矿可采石煤主要为第二层,厚度4.98～9.18m,平均7.49m。该矿石煤分布面积大,层位稳定,连续性较好;原煤发热量3.52～10.23MJ/kg,灰分产率52.12%～74.32%,全硫平均含量1.56%,为中硫、高灰分、低发热量的劣质煤;煤系地层中同时含钒矿体Z1、Z2、Z3,呈似层状、透镜状产出,其中Z1矿体已达中型规模;根据稀土元素地球化学分析,含煤岩系形成于缺氧的还原环境,矿床成因属于生物地球化学沉积矿床。     

东胜煤田锡尼布拉格勘查区煤层对比

东胜煤田锡尼布拉格勘查区主要含煤地层为中侏罗统延安组,含煤层层数较多,且钻孔间距较大,煤层对比难度较大。根据区内勘查成果结合区域资料,采用煤层组合宏观结构、沉积旋回、地震波阻抗追索、测井曲线特征、标志层、煤层间距及煤层结构对比法等综合手段进行煤层对比,使3-1、4-1、4-2、5-1、5-2主要可采煤层达到对比可靠,3-2、3-3、4-1下等次要可采煤层和不可采煤层达到对比基本可靠的程度。     

宁夏王洼煤矿补充勘探区8号煤组特征及对比研究

宁夏王洼煤矿补充勘探区延安组第二含煤段中8号煤组厚度大、结构复杂,在详细叙述8煤组各分煤层特征基础上．根据标志层特征、层间距特征及地球物理特征对各分煤层进行了对比,对比结果显示,8煤层为煤组主体煤层,厚度变化小,属稳定煤层;8—2煤层为局部可采不稳定煤层;8—3煤层为有可采见煤点但不连成片的不可采煤层;勘探区西部边界外由于地处鄂尔盆地盆地边缘存在无煤区。     

应力干扰下煤层顶板水平井穿层分段压裂规律

穿层压裂是提高煤层顶板水平井产气量的关键技术，而应力干扰对煤层顶板水平井穿层分段压裂效果具有重要影响，为此，建立顶板水平井穿层分段压裂数值模型，研究应力干扰对穿层分段压裂裂缝扩展的影响规律。结果表明:煤层的岩石力学参数、压裂段间距和压裂施工方式是影响顶板水平井穿层压裂段间干扰的3个重要因素，随着煤层泊松比的降低，叠加应力逐渐增加，段间干扰程度增加；随着段间距离的增加，叠加应力逐渐减少、应力干扰逐渐减弱；顶板岩层内的叠加应力和应力干扰程度明显大于煤层；渗流扩散泄压施工产生的叠加应力明显低于连续压裂施工，段间干扰程度明显降低。研究得出连续施工的中硬煤层分段间距在90 m左右，软煤层分段间距在70~80 m较合理。扩散泄压压裂施工段间距相应降低，中硬煤层的分段间距在70 m左右、软煤层分段间距在60 m左右较合理。工程实践表明，顶板水平井分段压裂裂缝穿透了煤层，形成了较长裂缝，取得了较好的产气效果，实现对煤层的高效穿层压裂改造，研究结果为顶板水平井穿层压裂段间距优化提供了理论依据。      

新疆准南煤田阜康一带煤炭资源分布区地质特征

研究区大地构造位置位于乌鲁木齐山前凹陷(Ⅲ2)之准噶尔南缘凹陷(Ⅳ3)和大龙口凹陷(Ⅳ5)内．研究区内从古牛—新生代地层均有出露，其中下侏罗统八道湾组(J1b)和中侏罗统西山窑组(J2x)为研究区内主要含煤地层．下侏罗统八道湾组(J16)为一套河流-沼泽相沉积为主的含煤碎屑岩建造，中侏罗统西山窑组(J2x)为一套以浅湖．滨湖．湖缘三角洲-泥碳沼泽相沉积的含煤碎屑岩建造．八道湾组含煤层13～23层，可采煤层8～19层，煤的工业牌号以气煤和气肥煤为主．西山窑组含煤11层，可采10层，煤的工业牌号以长焰煤为主．研究区在含煤建造形成之后，又经历了燕山运动和喜山运动的改造，强烈的构造活动形成了研究区内自南而北的一系列褶皱和断裂．构造运动对研究区内的煤层造成了极大的破坏．     

The impact of tectonic deformation upon coal seams in the South Wales coalfield, UK

Observations on the nature and appearance of coal seams, which were deformed during the late Carboniferous Variscan orogeny, have been made over several years within a number of opencast coal sites located across the South Wales coalfield. The deformation of coal seams was dominated by brittle failure and subsequent movement along fracture planes. Examination of hand specimens and smaller-scale samples using a scanning electron microscope reveals the presence of two distinct types of small-scale, tectonic fracture markings within deformed coals. Striated fracture surfaces with prominent ridges and grooves can bear a superficial resemblance to shatter cones in appearance but are unique to coal in their tectonic setting and appear to have formed by static shear failure, whereas strongly polished fracture surfaces result from movement across fracture planes. Deformed coal seams are also affected by distinctive, large-scale, tectonic fracture sets. The extent of fracturing within coal seams can be assessed using different techniques including measuring fracture frequency directly, performing various strength and hardness tests, making relatively simple subjective assessments on the appearance of the coal or monitoring the size distribution of the coal product. By applying some of these methods within working opencast sites, it can be shown that large amounts of abnormally fractured coal were formed along coal-based thrust flats or detachments but that the distribution of fractured coal along detached seams is rarely homogeneous. Enhanced fracturing often occurred in association with the localised thickening of seams along small-scale thrusts or within coal duplexes. Variable seam thicknesses and pockets of structurally thickened coal are seen as the most efficient means by which the presence and location of significant amounts of fractured coal can be predicted from borehole evidence during prospecting.     

青海聚乎更矿区煤层气富集条件

青海聚乎更矿区是世界上首次在中低纬度冻土区发现天然气水合物的地区,并且天然气水合物的气源是该矿区的煤层气。矿区主要含煤地层为中侏罗统的木里组,煤层厚度大、变质程度一般在气煤~焦煤,镜质组质量分数普遍较高（60%~80%）,煤层结构简单-较复杂,煤储层微观结构以小孔和微孔为主,割理裂隙发育。等温吸附实验结果表明,该区兰氏体积偏低,而压力偏高,储层吸附特性为中-好级别,顶底板封闭性好,地下水活动弱,有利于煤层气的形成与赋存。区内煤层下1煤含气量在0.05~5.52m3/t,下2煤在0.05~11.14m3/t,含气量普遍偏低可能与后期构造使得煤层埋深变浅导致储层压力降低、煤层甲烷大量解吸有关,此外,向斜两翼地层倾角大,也是造成矿区煤层气逸散的主要因素之一,但是在向斜转折部位及矿区深部,煤层气相对富集,是今后勘探开发重点研究区域。     

郴州地区煤田地质特征及找煤远景区

本区地槽型煤田,主要是下寒武统牛蹄塘组,由一套浅海相碳质板岩为主组成的含钒石煤岩系,与下伏地层呈整合关系。地台型煤田有下石炭统测水煤系和上二叠统斗岭煤系,它们是以一套海陆交互相的细碎屑岩为主,夹菱铁矿或黄铁矿结核及煤组成,与下伏地层呈整合关系。其中斗岭煤系的煤层分布广,煤层及煤质较好,是本区找煤的对象。地洼型煤田,为上三叠—下侏罗统煤系,呈零星小块分布,是一套以陆相,杂色粗碎屑岩为主,夹泥岩及煤组成,与下伏地层呈不整合关系。主要发育在资兴市和宜章县一带,找煤条件次于斗岭煤系。     

辽西八道壕煤盆地层序地层与成煤环境分析

辽西黑山—彰武地区分布有一系列早白垩世断陷成因的陆相盆地,其中以八道壕煤盆地含煤性最好。本次工作在八道壕煤矿深部勘探区,采用二维地震、钻探、测井等对八道壕组进行了层序地层和成煤环境分析。八道壕组可分为三个三级层序,下部第1层序（Sq1）为冲积扇注入湖盆形成的水下扇—扇三角洲沉积体系,湖侵域和高位域各含一个煤组,湖侵域退积的水下扇边缘和高位域扇三角洲前缘都有厚煤层发育。早期冲积扇自盆地西南注入湖盆,煤层发育在断陷较深的中北部,自西侧盆缘断裂附近向东超覆。Sq1湖侵域的煤层比高位域的煤层分布面积要大。盆地南部冲积扇主体部位粗碎屑岩增多,上、下煤组的煤层均向南变薄尖灭。由于物源区构造抬升冲积扇向湖盆的进积作用加剧,八道壕组中上部第2、3层序粗碎屑沉积物增多,湖盆水域面积缩小,煤层不再发育。     

Sequence stratigraphic analysis and the origins of Tertiary brown coal lithotypes, Latrobe Valley, Gippsland Basin, Australia

The methods of sequence analysis have been applied to the onshore Gippsland Basin and in particular to the Latrobe Valley Group coal measures which include up to five coal seams each exceeding 100 m in thickness. The methods appear to provide new depositional concepts to the evolution of these seams, and the development of coal lithotypes. In the eastern half of the Latrobe Valley evidence for marine transgressions into the coal measures are recorded in most of the interseam sediment splits by the presence of contained foraminifera and dinoflagellates. To the west (inland) these splits pinch out into continuous coal. However, they can be followed westwards as enhanced organic sulphur levels along sharply defined boundaries between light coal lithotypes below and dark coal lithotypes above. The dark lithotype immediately overlying each of these boundaries contains the highest sulphur value and warmer climate pollen assemblages (Sluiter et al., 1995, this volume).Colorimeter and lithotype logging strongly supports an upwards lightening cyclicity to coal colour at 12–20 m intervals through the approx. 100 m thick seams, with cycle boundaries defined at sharp planar to undulating surfaces. The lightening upward lithotype cycles together with their unique boundary conditions (i.e. enhanced organic sulphur levels, warm climatic indicators and laterally equivalent marine clay splits) are interpreted as parasequences and parasequence boundaries respectively. Each major coal seam can comprise up to five parasequences and is interpreted to represent deposition during an outbuilding high stand systems tract at one of several maximum periods of Tertiary coastal onlap. The top of each major seam shows evidence of truncation (erosion?) on a regional scale and these surfaces are interpreted to represent the sequence boundaries. The major seams are usually conformably underlain by marine clays and extensive aquifer sands, being deposits of the late transgressive systems tracts. The low stands and early parts of the transgressive systems tracts appear not to be represented in the Latrobe Valley due to its (more) basin margin location, but are probably present down-dip in the equivalent marine facies of the Seaspray Group.Stratigraphic correlation of the sequence boundaries identified in the coal measures to the adjacent, internationally dated marine Seaspray Group, provides a basis for chronostratigraphic correlation of the coal successions to the coastal onlap charts of Haq et al. (Exon Mesozoic-Cenozoic chronostratigraphic chart, version January 1988, and August 1989). From this dating it appears that each major seam is confined to high stands of third order eustatic cycles. It therefore follows that the lithotype cycles (parasequences) that comprise each seam are related to fourth order eustatic cycles. By analogy all the coal cycles may have developed under subtropical conditions as ombrogenous forested peat swamps in a similar manner to the Holocene, though tropical, swamps of Indonesia.     

Depositional controls on coal distribution and quality in the Eocene Brunner Coal Measures, Buller Coalfield, South Island, New Zealand

The Buller Coalfield on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand, contains the Eocene Brunner Coal Measures. The coal measures unconformably overlie Paleozoic-Cretaceous basement rocks and are conformably overlain by, and laterally interfinger with, the Eocene marine Kaiata Formation. This study examines the lithofacies frameworks of the coal measures in order to interpret their depositional environments. The lower part of the coal measures is dominated by conglomeratic lithofacies that rest on a basal erosional surface and thicken in paleovalleys incised into an undulating peneplain surface. These lithofacies are overlain by sandstone, mudstone and organic-rich lithofacies of the upper part of the coal measures. The main coal seam of the organic-rich lithofacies is thick (10–20 m), extensive, locally split, and locally absent. This seam and associated coal seams in the Buller Coalfield are of low- to high-volatile bituminous rank (vitrinite reflectance between 0.65% and 1.75%). The main seam contains a variable percentage of ash and sulphur. These values are related to the thickening and areal distribution of the seam, which in turn, were controlled by the nature of clastic deposition and peat-forming mire systems, marine transgression and local tidal incursion. The conglomeratic lithofacies represent deposits of trunk and tributary braided streams that rapidly aggraded incised paleovalleys during sea-level stillstands. The main seam represents a deposit of raised mires that initially developed as topogenous mires on abandoned margins of inactive braidbelts. Peat accumulated in mires as a response to a rise in the water table, probably initially due to gradual sea-level rise and climate, and the resulting raised topography served as protection from floods.The upper part of the coal measures consists of sandstone lithofacies of fluvial origin and bioturbated sandstone, mudstone and organic-rich lithofacies, which represent deposits of paralic (deltaic, barrier shoreface, tidal and mire) and marine environments. The fluvial sandstone lithofacies accumulated in channels during a sea-level stillstand. The channels were infilled by coeval braided and meandering streams prior to transgression. Continued transgression, ranging from tidal channel-estuarine incursions to widespread but uneven paleoshoreline encroachment, accompanied by moderate basin subsidence, is marked by a stacked, back-stepping geometry of bioturbated sandstone and marine mudstone lithofacies. Final retrogradation (sea-level highstand) is marked by backfilling of estuaries and by rapid landward deposition of the marine Kaiata Formation in the late Eocene.     

A techno-economic model for optimum regeneration of surface mined land

The recent global scenario in the mineral sector may be characterized by rising competitiveness, increasing production costs and a slump in market price. This has pushed the mineral sector in general and that in the developing countries in particular to a situation where the industry has a limited capacity to sustain unproductive costs. This, more often than not, results in a situation where the industry fails to ensure environmental safeguards during and after mineral extraction. The situation is conspicuous in the Indian coal mining industry where more than 73% production comes from surface operations. India has an ambitious power augmentation projection for the coming 10 years. A phenomenal increase in coal production is proposed from the power grade coalfields in India. One of the most likely fall-outs of land degradation due to mining in these areas would be significant reduction of agricultural and other important land-uses. Currently, backfilling costs are perceived as prohibitive and abandonment of land is the easy way out. This study attempts to provide mine planners with a mathematical model that distributes generated overburden at defined disposal options while ensuring maximization of backfilled land area at minimum direct and economic costs. Optimization has been accomplished by linear programming (LP) for optimum distribution of each year’s generated overburden. Previous year’s disposal quantity outputs are processed as one set of the inputs to the LP model for generation of current year’s disposal output. From various geo-mining inputs, site constants of the LP constraints are calculated. Arrived value of economic vectors, which guide the programming statement, decides the optimal overburden distribution in defined options. The case example (with model test run) indicates that overburden distribution is significantly sensitive to coal seam gradient. The model has universal applicability to cyclic system (shovel–dumper combination) of opencast mining of stratified deposits.     

呼和诺尔盆地伊敏组含煤特征分析

呼和诺尔盆地属海拉尔盆地群,为张性盆地,区域性的北东向断裂控制了盆地的形态和规模。盆地主要含煤地层为下白垩统伊敏组,发育11个煤组,其中4煤组、8煤组煤层较稳定,全区大部可采;11煤组煤层稳定,厚度达15～20m,为全区主要可采煤层。根据伊敏组含煤地层沉积特征,,划分了四个沉积旋回,分析了影响煤层沉积的主要因素,认为盆地沉积明显受同沉积断层的控制,表现在断层两盘岩层生长指数和沉积特征均有明显的差异。本次研究将对海拉尔盆地乃至相邻蒙古国盆地的煤田勘查提供借鉴。     

陕西省榆林地区延安组湖滨下三角洲平原沉积中的决口扇三角洲沉积及其意义

陕西榆林延安组湖滨下三角洲平原沉积中决口扇三角洲具如下特点:（1）发育在湖滨下三角洲平原的分流间地区;（2）平面上垂直主分流河道向外呈扇形或朵叶状;（3）剖面上呈透镜状夹在两个煤分层之间;（4）前三角洲沉积的厚度小,前缘中植物碎屑含量高;（5）发育时间短,一般不超过1万年。决口扇三角洲沉积体间的排列关系受控于压实沉降作用,不同的排列形式导致煤层出现叠瓦状分叉和环状分叉。