The geology and petrography composition of coal from Handlová deposit

Abstract

In some countries, including the Slovak Republic caustobioliths have been and for the foreseeable future will continue to be the most important source of energy.During the geological development of the territory of Slovak Republic, suitable conditions for the formation of coal-bearing formations were created. Within the stratigraphical span, it presents the period from the Carboniferous to the Pliocene. The West Carpathians as a part of the Alpine mobile zone are characterised by a complex tectonic development with an intensive manifestation within a relatively small space. Frequent vertical motions of the Earth`s crust precluded the formation of a more extensive flat and shallow basin enabling a greater concentration of plant detritus, and hence the formation of greater, extensive accumulation spaces with the coal-bearing sedimentation.Handlová coal deposit represents one of the most important accumulation of caustobioliths in the Slovak Republic. The deposit is situated in the Prievidza district.In the geological structure of the region are incorporated crystalline, Late Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Paleogene, Neogene sedimentary and volcanic rocks and Quaternary deposits.The sample examined were lignitic humites with variable xylite, detrite and mineral contents. Huminite reflectance (R0=0,33%) corresponding to the lignitic orthotype. Huminite concentration (86,6%) is the most abundant maceral group. The maceral ulminite, textinite and densinite contributes to the high huminite content. The concentration of attrinite and gelinite is substantially lower, i. e. 2,4 %. Corpohuminite contents does not exceed 3,2 %.Liptinite is formed by waxy and resinous substances. The maceral composition of liptinite was determined by a fluorescence measurement. The remaining liptinite macerals, i.e. cutinite, sporinite, resinite, suberinite, and fluorinite are accessory.The content of inertinite (sklerotinite) is low (0,7%).The mineral admixture of the coal seams in Handlová basin is mainly formed by clayey and tuffogenic material, also by pyrite, marcasite, realgar, orpiment, various modifications of qartz and gypsum.Coal mined in the Handlová mine is used for the power industry. The aim of our work was to evaluate the geology and petrography composition of Handlová mine