PALEOECOLOGY OF THE FIRE-CLAY COAL BED IN A PORTION OF THE EASTERN KENTUCKY COAL FIELD

Vertically continuous increment samples of the Fire Clay coal bed (mid -Middle Pennsylvanian, late Westphalian B), collected from a portion o f the Central Appalachian Basin, were studied palynologically, petrogr aphically and geochemically in order to partially reconstruct the pale oecology and processes associated with peat formation in the ancient F ire Clay paleomire. Results indicate that four compositional groups ca n be identified. They are: (1) a Lycospora-vitrinite dominant group, c haracterized by high percentages of Lycospora and vitrinite macerals a nd generally low. but variable ash yields and sulfur contents; (2) a m ixed palynoflora-high vitrinite group that petrographically is similar to group 1 except that it contains a more diverse palynoflora; (3) a mixed palynoflora-moderate/low vitrinite group characterized by variou s admixtures of lycopsid, fern and calamite miospores, increased perce ntages of liptinite and inertinite macerals, and low ash yields and su lfur contents; and (4) a mixed palynoflora-high ash yield group charac terized by high percentages of small lycopsid, fern, and occasionally calamite and cordaite miospores, high liptinite and inertinite content s, high ash yields, and moderate to high sulfur contents. The Fire Cla y coal bed contains a distinctive flint clay parting of probable volca nic origin that naturally divides the bed into two benches. These two benches, (upper and lower), are highly disparate in occurrence, appear ance and composition. In the study area the lower bench generally is t hin (< 0.5 m), laterally discontinuous and mainly composed of dull (ma inly durain) coal lithotypes. Ash yields typically are high; sulfur co ntents generally are moderate to high. Compositional group 4, the mixe d palynoflora-high ash yield group defines all of the increments exami ned from the lower bench. In contrast, the upper bench is thick (> 0.7 5 m), laterally continuous and mainly comprised of bright (mainly clar ain) coal lithotypes. Overall ash yields and sulfur contents for this bench are generally low, although vertical variation is apparent. All of the compositional groups occur in the upper bench; in some columns, notably those that are thick and uninterrupted by clastic partings, g roups 1 and 4 often occupy basal coal layers and groups 2 and 3 occur in higher layers. Other columns, especially those taken in areas of th in (< 0.5 m) Fire Clay coal, are dominated by groups 1 and 4.