Rocky Mountain Coal Research Articles

Earth Elements in Western Canadian Coals

Abstract Rare earth elements (REE) were determined in an age series, Lower Cretaceous to Eocene, of seven western Canadian coals using instrumental neutron activation analysis. The coals are from three tectonic belts, namely, Insular (Suquash, Comox, and Nanaimo), Intennontane (Tulameen and Hat Creek), and Northeast Rocky Mountain (Quintette and Bullmoose). Rank ranges from lignile-subbi-tuminous B C (Hat Creek) to medium-volatile bituminous (Quintette and Bull-moose). Concentrations of LREEs and HREEs are highest in Quintette (e.g., 32.3 ppm Ce) and Suquash (e.g., 0.47 ppm Lu) coals respectively and lowest in the Nanaimo (e.g., 8.7ppm Ce and 0.11 ppm Lu) and Comox coals. Chondrile-normal-ized patterns show enrichment of the LREE compared with HREE. In addition, an Eu anomaly occurs in all but the Nanaimo and Comox deposits. Shale-normalized patterns show little differentiation with respect to shale in the Intennontane and Northeast Rocky Mountain coals, however, HREE enrichments occur in the Insular Belt...

Diterpanes, triterpanes, steranes and aromatic hydrocarbons in natural bitumens and pyrolysates from different mimic coals

There is a significant difference in the distribution of terpanes in natural bitumen extracted from four coals identified as Rocky Mountain coal (RMC), Australian Gippsland Latrobe Eocene coal (GEC), Australian Gippsland Latrobe Cretaceous coal (GCC), and Texas Wilcox lignite (WL). Whereas pentacyclic triterpanes are dominant in GEC, GCC and WL, diterpanes strongly predominate in the bitumen of RMC. This indicates that resin is a more important constituent of RMC than in the other coals and releases the diterpenoids at an early stage of diagenesis. Furthermore, the composition of diterpanes is also different among these coals. For example, tricyclic diterpanes are the only diterpanes present in RMC, whereas tetracyclic and tricyclic diterpanes are both present in GEC and GCC and tetracyclic diterpanes are most abundant in GEC. However, diterpanes are nearly absent in WL. Surprisingly, the diterpenoid content is negligible in the pyrolysates of all coals. The sterane and triterpane distributions in the natural bitumen of coals are very different from those in pyrolysates. C 31 αβ 22R hopane predominates in the m/z 191 mass fragmentograms of the natural bitumens, whereas a homologous series of hopanes (C 27–C 35 ; except C 28) is present in the coal pyrolysates. C 29 steranes dominate in all of the coal bitumens as well as pyrolysates. C 27 steranes are absent in the natural bitumen, but are generated in pyrolysates during lengthy heating of coal kerogen. This indicates that formation of secondary steranes occurs by cracking the side chain. C 29 monoaromatic steroid hydrocarbons are abundant in the natural bitumen of the four coals. The m/z 253 distribution is similar for GEC, RMC and WL, but it differs from the more mature GGC, which has a lower content of 20R of both 5 α and 5β C 29 MA-steroids. Triaromatic steroid hydrocarbons are only present in GCC, whereas significant amounts of tetra- and triaromatic triterpenoid hydrocarbons are present in the other three coals (GEC, RMC and WL). The ratio of benzo(e)pyrene/perylene may be potentially useful as a maturity parameter because the amount of benzo(e)pyrene increases with thermal stress, whereas perylene decreases with heating time. Benzohopanes are widely present in four humic coals but become unstable after 10 h heating at 300°C.

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry.

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry.

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry.

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry.

Regulating Danger: the Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry

'A pioneer study in scope, subject, and research' - Duane A. Smith, author of Mountain Camps: The Ur-ban Frontier. 'It breaks new ground. Specialists in mining and labor history will be interested, and so will social historians, labor relations people, students of government regulation and of the West in general' - Clark C. Spence, author of Mining Engineers and the American West: The Lace-Boot Brigade, 1849-1933.From the 1880s to the 1980s more than eight thousand workers died in the coal mines of the Rocky Mountain states. Sometimes they died by the dozens in fiery explosions, but more often they died alone, crushed by collapsing roofs or runaway mine cars. Many old-timers in coal-mining communities and even some historians have blamed the high fatality rate on ruthless coal barons exploiting miners in the single-minded pursuit of profit. The coal industry preferred to blame careless miners. James Whiteside looks beyond those charges in seeking to explain why the western coal mines were (and, to some degree, still are) dangerous and why territorial, state, and federal laws failed for so long to make them safer. Regulating Danger is the first extended study of the coal-mining industry in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. It exceeds the scope of traditional labor history in focusing on working conditions and the problems of workers instead of unions and strikes. After examining the inherent physical dangers of the work, Whiteside shows how the interplay of economic, social, and technological forces created an environment of death in the western coal mines. He goes on to discuss evolving industrial and political attitudes toward issues of responsibility for mine safety and government regulation and the fundamental changes in the industry that brought about safer working conditions. James Whiteside received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he teaches in the Department of History and Division of Continuing Education.

Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry

Book Review| April 01 1991 Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry, James Whiteside. Nancy J. Taniguchi Nancy J. Taniguchi Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Utah Historical Quarterly (1991) 59 (2): 208–209. https://doi.org/10.2307/45061983 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Nancy J. Taniguchi; Regulating Danger: The Struggle for Mine Safety in the Rocky Mountain Coal Industry. Utah Historical Quarterly 1 January 1991; 59 (2): 208–209. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/45061983 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveUniversity of Illinois PressUtah Historical Quarterly Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. © Copyright 1991 Utah State Historical Society1991 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

Hydrocarbon-Generating Potential of Humic Coals from Dry Pyrolysis (1)

For comparing the oil- and gas-generation potential of humic coals, two immature subbituminous coals [Australia Gippsland, an oil-prone Eocene coal (Ro = 0.37%, HI = 237.5), and a gas-prone Rocky Mountain Upper Cretaceous coal (Ro = 0.45%, HI = 110.5)] as well as an exinite-poor, vitrinite-dominant, Gulf Coast Wilcox lignite (Ro = 0.32%, HI = 183.7) were selected for dry pyrolysis at 300 degrees C from 2 to 1000 hr. The results indicate that Australia Gippsland Eocene coal (GEC) generated four times as much liquid hydrocarbon, i.e., C[12+]-saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons, as the Rocky Mountain coal (RMC), whereas both coals have the same potential for generation of gaseous hydrocarbons. Wilcox lignite (WL) generated as much liquid hydrocarbon as GEC. The two coals (GE and RMC) and lignite (WL) exhibit similar H/C ratios, have high pristane/phytane ratios of 5.0, 4.5, and 5.1, respectively, and (sigma)[13]C values of -25.7, -24.9, and -25.5 parts per mil in RMC, GEC, and WL, respectively. The study suggests that the relative abundances of various macerals (exinite, vitrinite, and inertinite) are not critical to the hydrocarbon-generating potential. Rather, the amount of dispersed algae and bacterial material (unidentified) in the coal probably is more significant. Depositional environment of the source organic material also may be important because it could control preservation of organic constituents. Because of the small stable isotope variations in C, H, N in the original coal kerogen as well as residual kerogen after pyrolysis of the three coals, it seems unlikely that isotopic composition can characterize coal depositional environments.

Distribution and coalification patterns in Canadian bituminous and anthracite coals

Canadian resources of bituminous and anthracite coal occur in six of ten provinces and in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. These higher-rank coals are found in 12 of the 16 coal-bearing basins within Canada. For some of these basins, knowledge of rank and coalification patterns is limited; in others, it is extensive. Coalification patterns were examined in detail for two areas: the southern end of the Canadian Rocky Mountain coal belt which is underlain by the coal-bearing Kootenay Group and the Maritimes Basin which is underlain by several coal-bearing formations of Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous) age. In the southern Rockies, reflectances on coal range from 0.61 to 2.65% R 0 max, which represent high-volatile B bituminous coal to semianthracite. In general, there is an increase in rank from SE to NW and from NE to SW. Superimposed on this pattern are several anomalies. At several locations, ranks change rapidly over short distances. An example is in the Mount Allan syncline, where the reflectances in the Kootenay section on the SW vertical limb range from 0.68 to 0.94% R 0 max in contrast to a range of 1.30–2.49% R 0 max for a comparable section on the NE upright limb. This variation occurs over a distance of about 3 km. Multiple intersections of Kootenay strata in oil wells at the south end of the area show low reflectances (0.76% R o max) at depths of about 3800 m with no change in the shallower Kootenay repeats, whereas wells farther north show higher reflectances and increase with depth. Different burial depths, the influence of thick thrust plates, different paleogeothermal gradients and ground-water movements, all likely have played a part in generating these coalification patterns. A significant part of the coalification in the Kootenay Group appears to have been postdeformational. The rank of the coals in the various subbasins of the Maritimes Basin is nearly all bituminous. Evidence indicates that most of the coalification is postdeformational. Rank within a given coal bed generally increases with increase in depth of present-day burial and the pattern seems to be generally true for most of the coal fields studied. The average postdeformational component of total coalification has been calculated to be 72%. The most important coal field in the Maritimes Basin is the Sydney coal field. Here ranks have been shown to increase from NW to SE and from SW to NE, the latter direction following the downdip structure of the field. Coalification gradients for the Sydney field range from 0.052 to 0.088 R 0 max/100 m, reflecting different paleogeothermal gradients. In New Brunswick, local rank increases to anthracite are believed to be related to igneous activities. Reflectance measurements have been used to interpret stratigraphy and structure in several fields and even to trace the origin of coaly fragments obtained from deep-sea drilling near Bermuda.

Pyrolysis of kerogens in the absence and presence of montmorillonite—I. The generation, degradation and isomerization of steranes and triterpanes at 200 and 300°C

The sterane and triterpane biomarker distribution obtained from extracted bitumens and kerogen (PB) pyrolysate bitumens of immature Cretaceous black shale (CBS) and Rocky Mountain coal (RMC) at 200 and 300°C, in the presence and absence of montmorillonite, reveal that the generation (release) of biomarkers was more significant than isomerization at 200°C pyrolysis, whereas isomerization and degradation were most important at 300°C pyrolysis. Montmorillonite has a pronounced catalytic effect on these reactions, i.e. generation, isomerization, and degradation. The ratios of C 29 ααα 20 S/S + R steranes and C 31 and C 32 αβ S/S + R hopanes display reversals with heating time at 200°C pyrolysis, irrespective of the presence or absence of montmorillonite, whereas they increased uniformly with thermal stress at 300°C pyrolysis. The extent of isomerization occurring at chiral centers in ring systems and in acyclic systems are different. It has been confirmed that the isomerization at the C 22 and C 20 position of the extended αβ hopanes and the ααα steranes respectively are slower than those of the ββ hopanes and the βαα steranes. In the 300°C pyrolysis, the C 27 steranes increased relative to C 29 steranes with heating time in the pyrolysate of the Rocky Mountain coal kerogen. This phenomenon is more significant in the presence of montmorillonite. The increase may indicate either the formation of secondary C 27 steranes or the early loss of C 29 steranes relative to C 27 steranes. In a sedimentary basin, isomerization probably occurs in the bitumen and kerogen at different rates. These data show that maturation indices may be reversed with depth by using the examples of ααα 20 S/S + R and αβ 22 S/S + R, where the rate of generation of the compounds from kerogen is faster than the rate of isomerization reactions occurring in the bitumen with time and temperature.

Pyrolysis of kerogens in the absence and presence of montmorillonite—II. Aromatic hydrocarbons generated at 200 and 300°C

Kerogen from organic-enriched sediment (Type II Cretaceous black shale and Type III Rocky Mountain coal) has been used to conduct anhydrous pyrolysis experiments (2–100 h at 200 and 300°C, in the presence and absence of montmorillonite. Naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, and their alkyl derivatives, as well as aromatic steroidal hydrocarbons were determined. Tri-methyl phenanthrene and di-methyl phenanthrene are the most common phenanthrenes in the pyrolysates of both black shale kerogen and Rocky Mountain coal kerogen. There is no significant relationship between the phenanthrenes and triaromatic steroidal hydrocarbons. The data suggest that triaromatic hydrocarbons are thermally generated during pyrolysis from the intermediate formed polar components, asphaltene and kerogen by partial break-up of the polymer network. Montmorillonite did not enhance aromatization in either kerogen, but had a catalytic effect on cracking and breakdown of the aromatic steranes, forming either phenanthrene or small molecular-wieght hdyrocarbons. Monoaromatic steranes were only present in the 200°C pyrolysate, and nearly disappeared in the high (300°C) temperature pyrolysates. Nevertheless, the decrease of monoaromatic steroidal hydrocarbons does not always correlate well with the increase of triaromatic steranes. It appears that during long pyrolysis times, degradation of steranes is more important than the aromatization process. These steroidal aromatic hydrocarbons are degraded to form smaller saturated or aromatic compounds. In addition, because of the apparent destructive effect of high temperatures and montmorillonite clays during pyrolysis, the most valid application of the mono- and tri-aromatic sterane parameters is for relatively low maturity source rocks with carbonate mineral matrix or other matrices of low catalytic activity.

Developments in Coal in 1984

In 1984, United States mines produced a record high 890.1 million short tons of coal, 13.8% more than in 1983. In 1984, 49% of this coal was produced in the Appalachian region, still the leading coal-producing region in the nation. The Alaskan coalfields, the Rocky Mountain Coal Province, and the Northern Great Plains Coal Province together rank second, and the Interior Coal Province and Gulf Coal Province together rank third in 1984 coal production. Among the states, Kentucky continued to rank first in coal production. Coal mines in Kentucky produced a record 164.7 million tons. West Virginia ranks second with 130.9 million tons, followed by Wyoming with 130.7 million tons, Pennsylvania with 72.3 million tons, and Illinois with 63.9 million tons. All of these states but Wyoming produce Pennsylvanian bituminous-rank coal that contains the greatest heating (Btu) value. Wyoming produces coal that is mostly of Tertiary age and subbituminous rank. Compliance coal (mostly containing only 0.3-0.5% sulfur and 8,100-8,500 Btu/lb) is shipped from Wyoming's Powder River basin to electricity-generating plants in many of the other coal-producing states.

Correlations between pyrolysis mass spectra of Rocky Mountain coals and conventional coal parameters

Correlations between Curie-point pyrolysis m.s. data on 102 coal samples from the US Rocky Mountain coal province and a set of 25 conventional parameters, including ultimate, proximate, petrographic and mineralogic measurements, obtained from the Penn State Coal Data Bank were investigated using computerized multivariate statistical analysis techniques. Strong correlations were found between both data sets with regard to rank-related parameters as well as sulphur parameters, whereas moderately strong correlations exist with regard to petrographic and mineralogical parameters as well as nitrogen content. Independent factor analysis of both data matrices provides factor score plots showing remarkably similar relations between samples from different coal regions, fields and seams. In fact, up to 80% of common variance is found in the conventional and pyrolysis m.s. data sets. The large proportion of variance common to both data sets permits the calculation of numerical models which enable direct prediction of technologically important parameters such as rank, calorific value and, possibly, aromaticity from pyrolysis m.s. patterns.

Characterization and classification of Rocky Mountain coals by Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectrometry

A set of 102 coal samples from the Rocky Mountain coal province, selected from the Penn State Coal Sample Bank, was analysed by Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectrometry in combination with computerized pattern recognition techniques. The spectra obtained were shown to be quite representative for the coal seams with characteristic differences often present between different seams, fields or regions within the Rocky Mountain Coal province. In general, the spectra were found to be dominated by homologous ion series, e.g., representing dihydroxybenzenes, phenols, naphthalenes, benzenes, alkenes, dienes, alkyl fragments and sulphur compounds with varying degrees of alkyl substitution. The relative abundances of dihydroxybenzenes and naphthalenes were shown to correlate closely with differences in rank, whereas those of phenols, aliphatic hydrocarbons and sulphur compounds appeared to correlate more closely with differences in depositional environment. Different spectra -dominated by aliphatic compound series -were obtained from several samples of a boghead coal (Cannel King seam). Moreover, spectra of two of these boghead coal samples, known to be severely weathered, showed markedly increased CO 2 + and C 6H 6 + signals, indicating the presence of benzenecarboxylic acids. Factor analysis of pyrolysis m.s. data revealed the two main underlying chemical tendencies to be a shift from heteroatomic compounds to hydrocarbon series with increasing rank and a difference in degree of aromaticity corresponding primarily to differences in depositional environment. The dominant rank-related factor exhibited a clear coalification break between the ASTM hvC bituminous and hvB bituminous ranks and appears to represent a significant shift in coalification mechanisms. It was demonstrated that rank-dependent differences in the pyrolysis mass spectra enable correct classification of the spectra into four ASTM rank classes (subbituminous, hvC, hvB and hvA bituminous) in 90% of all cases. Moreover, the discovery of a marked aliphaticity/aromaticity factor in the data could be useful for the direct measurement of aromaticity ( f a ) from pyrolysis mass spectra of whole coals.

Paragenetic relationship of thermal maturation (coalification) and tectonic framework of some Canadian Rocky Mountain coals

Use of the attitude of the optical axis of vitrinite as an indicator of paragenetic relationship of thermal maturation/coalification and tectonics is discussed. A constant angular relationship between the optical axis and bedding plane of coals is observed in seven coal mines in the Canadian Rocky Mountain coal fields. This constant relationship suggests that thermal maturation predated tectonic structures.

Coal Anisotropism and its Relationship to Methane Concentration in Coal: ABSTRACT

Variations of methane concentration in coal appear to correlate well with the optical anisotropic properties of the coal. Some medium- and low-volatile bituminous coal beds in the Appalachian coal basin vary in methane concentration by 5 to 10 times; their optical anisotropy also varies by 2 to 3 times. High-volatile bituminous coals of Appalachian basin tend to contain more methane than bituminous coals of similar rank in the Rocky Mountain region. The Pennsylvanian Appalachian coals are also more anisotropic than the Cretaceous Tertiary Rocky Mountain coals. The technique can thus be used as an exploration tool for potential coal gas reservoirs. End_of_Article - Last_Page 535------------

Current uses of fluorescence microscopy in coal petrology

SUMMARYFluorescence analysis of the liptinite maceral content of various U.S. coal seams has shown that these macerals are consistently under‐counted in conventional white‐light analysis. Fluorescence analysis revealed a greater variety of liptinite macerals as well as a large amount of fluorescing vitrinite in all of the coals studied. However, pseudovitrinite was not observed to fluoresce. Textures and structures not visible in normal viewing are also seen in fluorescence analysis. Quantitative spectral analysis of single coals has shown that most liptinite macerals can be both petrographically and statistically separated on the basis of fluorescence parameters, with the wavelength at maximum intensity and the red/green quotient being the most significant. In coals of the Illinois Basin, one or more forms of fluorinite, resinite, sporinite and cutinite can be distinguished.As the rank of the coal increases, the fluorescence intensity decreases and the spectral maxima shift toward longer wavelengths. In some Rocky Mountain coals these effects occur at a much lower rank (<0.85% reflectance) than in the coals of the Appalachian Basin. Similar changes in fluorescence properties have also been found in naturally weathered coals. Fluorescence analysis of resinite‐rich Rocky Mountain coals has shown that two major forms of resinite are present; one is the ‘normal’ resinite, and the other is a much more abundant fissure‐filling resinite that carries coal xenoliths, shows flow structure, and has a spectral maximum well below that of the ‘normal’ resinite.

Paragenetic Relation of Thermal Maturation (Coalification) and Tectonic Framework of Some Canadian Rocky Mountain Coal: ABSTRACT

The attitude of the reflectance indicatrix of coal is a function of thermal history (coalification) and stresses (tectonics) at the time of maximum coalification. In normally coalified, horizontal-bedded coal seams, the maximum reflectance lies in a horizontal End_Page 636------------------------------ plane parallel with bedding plane and the minimum reflectance axis is perpendicular to the bedding plane. If maximum reflectance is achieved prior to folding, the minimum reflectance is always perpendicular to the bedding regardless of the subsequent folding and the attitudes of the coal beds. Thus, the attitude of the minimum reflectance is a good parameter for evaluating whether maximum thermal maturation is achieved prior or after folding or other structural changes. Twenty-five samples were collected from coal-bearing strata from Monkman's Pass north to Sparwood, British Columbia, in the Canadian Rockies. Most of the coal beds sampled were highly disturbed by folding and faulting with dips ranging from a few degrees to overturned. Analysis results indicate distinctive groupings of the samples with the minimum reflectance deviating a few degrees to more than 30° from the normal of the bedding. This suggests a varied thermal history for the coal fields studied. The technique can be applied not only to the investigation of coal-bearing strata but also to the study of source rocks of petroleum as to whether thermal maturation occurs before or after a trap has been developed. End_of_Article - Last_Page 637------------

Trace-Element Content of Bituminous Coal from Appalachian and Eastern Interior Regions and Rocky Mountain Coal Province--Data as of 1979: ABSTRACT

We have studied 2,035 samples from the Appalachian bituminous coal beds, 370 samples from the eastern interior coal beds, and 362 samples from the Rocky Mountain coal beds. The coals analyzed range in rank from high-volatile bituminous to low-volatile bituminous; the Appalachian coals have the lowest mean volatile-matter and moisture contents and the highest fixed-carbon content and Btu value. The Rocky Mountain coals have the highest mean ash content and lowest fixed-carbon content and Btu value. The average Appalachian coal has a much higher rank than does coal from either of the other regions. Of the 19 elements reported, seven (Cu, F, Mn, Pb, Sb, U, and V) have mean values that vary less than twofold among the three areas. Of these, U is the most uniformly distributed. Other elements (Co, Ni, Zn, and S) have about a fourfold variation, whereas As is 6.5 times as abundant in Appalachian coal as in Rocky Mountain coal. In average, the other elements are 2 to 6.5 times as abundant in some coals from the three areas Table as in others. The Rocky Mountain coals have the lowest mean contents of 15 of the elements listed in the table; only U and F mean contents are slightly higher in this area. The eastern interior coals have the highest mean contents of nine of the elements, and the Appalachian coals have the highest mean contents of eight of the elements. As the average rank of the coals increases, the average contents of As, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Se, and V also increase; however, the distribution of most other elements is not related to rank. In general, the trace-element content of coal is influenced largely by the depositional environment and does not depend on rank. End_of_Article - Last_Page 761------------

Electrostatic Precipitation Of Fly Ash

The main elements and features of precipitator equipment used for the collection of fly ash are presented. The major types of problems encountered in the application of precipitators to the collection of fly ash are enumerated and approaches for solving and avoiding these problems indicated. A summary of the fundamental problems, mechanical problems and operational problems commonly met with in practice is presented. The vital importance of relying on scientific and systematic methods for diagnosing and correcting the varied problems which may arise is emphasized. Several case histories of fly ash precipitators are given to illustrate the principles, methods, and practices covered in the preceding sections of the paper. Performance specifications, design and actual performance data are presented for medium sulfur eastern coal, high sulfur midwestern coal and low sulfur Rocky Mountain coal. In each case the information and data used are based on first-hand knowledge and close association of the author with the installation. Previous installments of the paper appeared in the January, February and March issue of JAPCA.