Coal petrography and coal chemistry characteristics of Bainmedart Coal Measures,Northern Prince Charles Mountains

To understand the basic characteristics of coals from Bainmedart Coal Measure, one of the Permian coalbearing units of Amery group in Northern Prince Charles Mountains, Antarctica, eleven coal specimens were collected from the Mc Kinnon Member and Glosopteris Gully Member during the Chinese 31 stAntarctic expedition and conducted the coal petrography, proximate and ultimate analysis.The macerals of coal seams of two geological units indicate that organic components, characterized by the vitrinites and inertinite, have the higher contents, while the inorganic components are mainly composed of clay and oxides (Quarts), together with the minor sulfide only enriched in partial layers of Mc Kinnon Member.The maximum reflectance of vitrinite in coal seams of these two units are similar, both with the mean of 0.64%.Proximate analyses indicate that the coals from Mc Kinnon Member are characterized by the extra-low to high Ash contents (9.85%-84.16%), extra-low to low moisture contents (2.38%-6.18%), high to extra-high volatile components (38.98%-66.76%), extra-low to low total sulfur contents (0.23%-0.68%) and extra-low to medium fixed carbon contents (5.26%-55.01%), and coals of Glosopteris Gully Member have the characters of the medium ash contents (21. 05%-29. 40%), low to medium moisture contents (7. 44%-9. 94%), high volatile components (40.99%-43.67%), extra-low total sulfur contents (0.38%-0.44%) and extra-low to medium fixed carbon contents (39.77%-46.59%). The Char Residue Characteristic of these coal seams is two.Ultimate analyses indicate that the coals of Mc Kinnon Member have an extra-low to low phosphor contents (0.005%-0.019%), low to high fluorine contents (108-829 μg/g), extra-low to high chloride components (0.017%-0.535%) and one-grade arsenic contents (0-7 μg/g); and coals of Glosopteris Gully Member are characterized by an extra-low to low phosphor contents (0. 006%-0.024%), high fluorine contents (260-478 μg/g), medium chloride components (0. 007%-0. 208%) and one-grade arsenic contents (1-6 μg/g). The coals from Glosopteris Gully Member are of the lignite in rank, but these from Mc Kinnon Member are of the peat to bituminous in rank.The coals studied here are similar with those of the Indian Mahanadi Basin.