P. K. Rajak

Petrological and Geochemical Investigations of Rajpardi Lignite Deposit, Gujarat, India

The present paper entails the petrographic and chemical characteristics of the lignite samples drawn from the Rajpardi lignite deposit of Bharuch district, Gujarat. This lignite contains a high concentration of huminite which is dominated by telohuminite, followed by detrohuminite. Liptinite and inertinite macerals are very low in concentration. The dominant microlithotype is humite. Its elevated volatile matter and high hydrogen content depicts its perhydrous nature. The study reveals that this lignite originated in a limno-telmatic to telmatic condition. The paleomire is further characterized as a wet moor having moderate to high flooding with good tissue preservation and increasing bacterial activity.

Studies on thermal maturity and hydrocarbon potential of lignites of Bikaner–Nagaur basin, Rajasthan

In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to study lignite samples from the working mines of Bikaner–Nagaur basin of Rajasthan with reference to their maturity and their hydrocarbon potential. The study has been made on the basis of petrological and geochemical characteristics. The assessments made through the empirically derived equations have been cross-checked and correlated with the rock-eval data. The study reveals that the low rank coals of Bikaner–Nagaur basin contain mainly kerogen type-III organic matter and are dominantly composed of huminite (77–87%) with small concentrations of liptinite (4–11%) and inertinite (2–14%), which are worth liquefying to obtain liquid oil and gas. Further, the high conversion factor (93–95%) and high oil yield (63–65%) make them industrially significant, considering the vast lignite resource of the region.

Environmental geochemistry of selected elements in lignite from Barsingsar and Gurha mines of Rajasthan, Western India

The present paper contains the result of investigation carried out on selected trace elements in the less studied lignite deposits of Rajasthan, Western India. The study has been made on two new lignite deposits–Barsingsar and Gurha. The former has elevated ash content (mean 20.8%) than the latter one (mean 5.1%) and both of them have high volatile matter (mean 43.7% and 49.9% respectively). The lignite samples have been studied for selected elements like Fe, Ca, Mg, Mn, K, Na, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Zn, Pb, Cd and As. The elements like Cd, Co, Ni, Pb and Cu occur in high concentration when compared to the Clarke values for brown coal. Ca and Mg relate positively with organic matter in Barsingsar lignite indicating their organic source while K, Cu, Co, Pb and Cd indicate their inorganic origin. Ca might have come in contact with the organic matter during humification and would have become a part of humate. The elements like Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb showing strong affinity with inertinite could have got associated with the mineral matter present in the fusinite and funginite macerals. In Gurha lignites Pb and Co have shown their affinity with inorganic matter which could have been drawn from sulphides and clay minerals.

Distribution and geochemistry of selected trace elements in the lignites of Cambay basin, Gujarat, western India

In the present investigation all the working lignite seams of Cambay basin of Gujarat have been studied to see the distribution and geochemistry of selected major/minor elements like Fe, Ca, Na, K, Mg, and Mn and trace elements like Cu, Co, Cr, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn. The vertical variation of these elements along the seam profiles has been studied to see the pattern of distribution of these elements and also to know the horizons of their enrichment and the probable cause. Further, these elements have been correlated among themselves and also with organic and inorganic matter of lignite. The correlation study indicates that in Tadkeshwar upper seam Fe has its affinity with huminite while Mg and Na have their affinity with liptinite and in Tadkeshwar lower seam Na has an affinity with liptinite. In Vastan upper seam Mn and Cu are associated with inertinite and Na with huminite while in Vastan lower seam Cu relates to huminite and Cd to liptinite and huminite. In Rajpardi seam Ca and Co are associated with huminite. The study provides information on the mode of occurrence of elements of less studied lignites of western India.

Paleomires of Eocene lignites of Bhavnagar, Saurashtra basin (Gujarat), western India: Petrographic implications

The Tertiary basins of Gujarat have always been a potential target for their hydrocarbon resources. The lignite resources of the region have also been an important field of research. The present paper presents the results of the petrological study carried out on the lignites of the Saurashtra basin. For this purpose samples were collected from lower and upper lignite seams from the Surkha lignite mine of Bhavnagar, Saurashtra. These samples were subjected to detailed petrographic analysis (both maceral and microlithotype). The study reveals that these lignites are dominantly composed of huminite group macerals while liptinite and inertinite group macerals occur in subordinate amounts. These lignites have attained a thermal maturity up to 0.28-0.30 percent vitrinite reflectance (VRr) which classifies them as ‘low rank C’ coals. Moreover, Bhavnagar lower lignite seam shows relatively less gelification as compared to the upper seam which suffered relatively more biochemical degradation. These lignites are characterized by high gelification index (GI) and low tissue preservation index (TPI).With the help of petrography based facies models an attempt has been made to reconstruct the environment of the paleomire of these lignites.