The palynological and palynofacies studies have been undertaken on the sub-surface sediments of borehole AK-19 from Asthona area of the Wardha coalfield, India. The present investigation has revealed the existence of two distinct palynological assemblages, which have been designated as palynoassemblage – I and II respectively. The former, has shown a predominance of monosaccates viz., Parasaccites, Plicatipollenites, Potonieisporites, and Crucisaccites, whereas, the latter is characterized by the dominance of striate bisaccates such as Faunipollenites and sub-dominance of non-striate bisaccate Scheuringipollenites along with other striate forms such as Striatopodocarpites, Crescentipollenites, and Rhizomaspora. The other genera recorded mainly includes Parasaccites, Indotriradites, and Callumispora, which suggests that primarily herbaceous and the arborescent plants where luxuriantly growing in the forest with the prevalence of hygrophilous and mesophilous environmental conditions. The recovered palynoassemblages are governed mainly by the gymnosperms such as glossopterids, conifers, and cordaites, etc., flourished in near shore areas in riverine, lacustrine conditions as well as in large swamps and marshy habitat with the prevalence of initially cold climatic conditions (Palynoassemblage-I) which later on became temperate (Palynoassemblage-II). The present palynoassemblages have a closer affiliation with the known early Permian palynofloras of other Gondwana basins of India such as Umrer and Kamthi coalfields and Godavari, Damodar, Son-Mahanadi and Satpura basins. It can also be tentatively correlated with the early Permian palynoassemblages ofo South America, Antarctica, Australia, Africa and Salt range of Pakistan. Hence, Artinskian and Kungurian age (early Permian) has been assigned to the studied palynoassemblages respectively. The study of organic matter has revealed three distinct palynofacies (I-III) which are characterized by the dominance of palynomorphs (Palynofacies-I), phytoclasts (Palynofacies-II) and biodegraded organic matter (Palynofacies-III) respectively. Palynofacies-I-III reflects the proximal fresh water settings; oxidizing fluvio-deltaic near shore conditions and distal dysoxic waterlogged settings respectively. Palynofacies-I and II represent the oxidizing conditions while Palynofacies-III represents the reducing conditions.
Makardhokada area is located at a distance of about 7 km west of Umrer Mine, and as such represents the western extension of the Umrer Coalfield, Nagpur District, Maharashtra. Subsurface explorations for coal exploitation have revealed the existence of a number of coal seams in this area. Palynological investigations have been taken up on the sub-surface sediments collected from Bore Hole No. MR-157, drilled near Makardhokada Township, to understand the palynofloral contents of these sediments for palynodating. The palynoflora is characterized by the dominance of Striatopodocarpites followed by Faunipollenites, Lahirites, Arcuatipollenites, Rhizomaspora, Crescentipollenites, Verticipollenites, Navalesporites, etc. which suggests the existence of Late Permian sediments (=Raniganj Formation) in Makardhokada area.
The present paper deals with the palynological investigation of the Lower Gondwana sequence intersected in Borehole No. WG–22, drilled near Sekapur Village, in Wardha District, Maharashtra. The study divulges the incidence in significant proportion and with consistency of striate bisaccate palynomorphs, viz. Striatopodocarpites and Faunipollenites and non–striate genus Scheuringipollenites. The associated genera recorded include, Weylandites, Tiwariasporis, Densipollenites, Verticipollenites and Klausipollenites, though with meagre distribution. This palynoassemblage has been dated as Late Permian and affiliate closely with the palynofloral assemblages known from the basal part Raniganj Formation of East and West Bokaro coalfields, Damodar Basin, Makardhokada area of Nagpur District and vast areas of Godavari Valley. The study indicates that almost similar vegetational pattern existed in the Nagpur, Wardha–Godavari and Damodar basins however, there existed regional variations in the generic composition of the vegetation in Satpura Basin as suggested by their palynofloral contents. The mega– and microfloral studies of the Wardha Basin with particular reference to Sekapur area suggests prevalence of warm and temperate climate in this region.
The quantitative maceral study of the Queen seam from Mailaram coalfield of Godavari valley has displayed alternate coal bands rich in vitrinite/liptinite or inertinite. The random vitrinite reflectance (R o max. %) of these coals, from top part ranges from 0.50 to 0.64%. However, the bottom part of the seam has indicated lower reflectance, between 0.49 and 0.52%. Thus, the Queen seam, in general, has attained high volatile bituminous C rank. The study indicates that the depositional site has been a slowly sinking basin that witnessed alternate dry (oxidizing) and wet (reducing) spells. This subsequently caused fluctuation in water table of the basin and the formation of oxic and anaoxic moor condition, where accumulated vegetal resource transformed into mixed and fusic coal types in due course of time. Being high in liptinite and vitrinite contents and low mineral matter, the Queen seam of Mailaram coalfield has high economic potential.
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