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Sulphur contents within coal seam are important to be known because it is closely related to the coal mining industries
from upstream to the downstream. In fact in nature, the value and distribution pattern of sulphur content can be highly
various, can fluctuate vertically and laterally and in distance near even if. Therefore, factors that constrain sulphur
contents that are abundance in coal seam is important to be know and well understood.
The cleat characterisrics is one of the main factor that influence the abundance of sulphur content in coal seams. It is
proved by, (a) the average value of cleat frequency highest, spacing of cleat and the close distance cleat to the fault
zone, fold steep flank, and at the fold slopes flank, (b) cleat characteristics with having highest total sulphur and pyritic
content is at the fault zone (total sulphur 2,26-3,60% and pyritic sulphur 0,40-0,64%), the lower content is at the fold
steep flank (total sulphur 0,97-3,43% and pyritic sulphur 0,11-0,44%), and at the fold slopes flank or non fault zone
(total sulphur 0,44-0,61% and pyritic sulphur 0,08-0,10%), (c) the correlation between cleat frequency and pyritic
sulphur content are positive, that is namely at the fault zone R=0,86-0,88, at the fold steep flank R2=0,81-0,84, while at
the fold slopes flank or non fault zone R=0,63-0,68.
Although the influence of cleat characteristics with having a sulphur contents been proved, there are other factors
causing the abundance of sulphur content in coal seams, that are wall rock and coal depositional environment. So that
comprehensive characteristics of sulphur content in the coal seams, at the wall rock condition and coal depositional
environment are important requirement to be further studied.
*
Dynamic Geology Research Group, UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta.
**
Earth Resources Exploration Research Group, FTTM-ITB.
***
Geology Research Group, FITB-ITB.
I. INTRODUCTION is planned based on the exploration result. Coal
exploration should give representative distribution
The occurrence of sulphur in coal seam should be of sulphur content.
considered in coal mining industries, during the
exploration stage, mine planning, trading, In fact, the distribution of sulfur within coal seam
utilization, and environment. Therefore, the data could vary, either vertically or laterally, even in a
of sulphur content in coal is indispensable in coal close distance (Meyers, 1982; Ward, 1984;
market system. The international market will give Kuncoro, 1998; Thomas, 2005). Such condition
a tolerance to low sulphur content of coal, for was caused by the geological process within the
example the electric power station and steel sedimentary basin, which occurred during and
factory or metallurgy (coke) requires a low after the formation of the coal seam. In order to
sulphur coal content. Sulphur content within coal get the best result of the sulphur content
is an unwanted discarded matter, because of their distribution in the whole seam, a representative
contributions to air pollution (SOx) in the most of and genetic-based sampling method was
coal powered electric generation plant. performed.
For that reasons sulphur content is important to be Cleats are natural fractures in the coal seams,
known. Nevertheless, coal mining products need consist of face cleat and butt cleat (Laubach et al.,
precisely sulphur content data for a requirement of 1998). According to the previous researchers,
coal washery or ROM blending. Mining operation cleats was developed in different periods in the
Tectonics lead to the cleat generation within the The research object is coal seam situated in the
coal seam, which will introduce permeability to slope and steep flank of an asymmetry fold which
the coal seam. Cleat distribution has an important is included in the fault and non fault zones. The
role in the formation of secondary sulphur data situated in non fault zone and fold slopes
minerals (pyrite), which were formed through flank is assumed that the coal seam has been
crystallization of dissolved sulfat and ferric ions slightly affected by structure disturbance. The
in the groundwater flowing from one place to observation objects are cleat characteristics in
another through the cleat system. The epigenetic coal seams. Determination of observation points
mineral pyrites formation is very influenced by are based on the genetic and spatial distribution of
primary sulphur that is reduction, iron cation, and cleat observation points should represent the
take place that is suited for that type of the position of slopes and steep flank asymmetry fold,
formation (Casagrande et. al., 1977). Therefore, in fault and non fault zones. Coal sampling is
factors that control the abundance of sulphur conducted by channeling with thick separation
content in the coal seams is indispensable to be technique based on cleat characteristics.
known.
Measurements of cleats in slopes, steep flank, and
Characteristics of cleat are closely related to the fault zone at the Palaran Anticline and Busui
sulphur content in coal seams, because they often Syncline obtained 22 and 18 data respectively.
contain pollutant epigenetic mineral pyrites and Coal sampling in slopes flank, steep flank, and
marcasite with including clastic materials sulphide fault zone at the Palaran Anticline and Busui
or sulphate types (Ward, 1984; Jeremic, 1985; Syncline obtained 33 and 26 samples respectively.
Diessel, 1992; Demchuk, 1992; Suits and Arthur, Samples are divided into two parts, i.e., for
2000; Turnera and Richardson, 2004). Hence, it archives and laboratory tests. Each sample for test
appears that there is a relationship between cleat is divided into three parts, i.e, test for pyritic
characteristics controlled by fold structure and sulphur and total sulphur, coal petrography, and
fault towards pyritic sulphur content and total SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). Chemistry
sulphur. test is conducted to detect total sulphur content,
sulphate sulphur, pyritic sulphur, and organic
Several unpublished exploration reports, declared sulphur. Observation and micro photography of
that sulphur content of the Miocene coal along the petrography of coal are conducted to determine
Mahakam River, Sanga-sanga River, Bambangan the composition of macerals and pyrite. In
River, Penajam, Pasir to Busui areas at East addition observation and microphotography of
Borneo is approximately 0.16% to 1.92%. SEM are conducted to determine the morphology,
According to Wahyu et al. (2003), the sulphur surface structure, characteristic micro-cleat, and
content of coal seam of the Balikpapan pyrite.
Formation, in the Mahakam River, East
Kalimantan ranges from 0.13% to 2.89%. Based
on the preliminary study done by Kuncoro et al. III. GEOLOGY
(2006), the Balikpapan and Warukin Formations,
have sulphur content in coal ranges from 0,24% to Palaran and Busui areas are located in Kutai
8.85%. This data is based on the random sampling Basin, East Kalimantan. Supriatna et al. (1995)
position, such as thickness interval, but it is not addressed that coal in Palaran area belongs to the
based cleat characteristics. Balikpapan Formation (Mid Miocene-Plio
Pliocene). Hidayat and Umar (1994) noted that
Py epi
Py epi
Figure 3. Pyrites epigenetic on the fault plane surface at Palaran (left) and Busui (right).
Figure 5. Epigenetic pyritic minerals at the Busui Syncline: flank slope or non fault zone (left),
steep flank (center), and fault zone (right).
Figure 6. Coal showing micro-cleat by SEM at the Palaran Anticline: slope flank/non
fault zone (left), steep flank (center), and at fault zone (right).
Framb.py Framb. py
Figure 7. Frambiodal epigenetic pyrite minerals using SEM, in the sample from at the Busui Syncline:
slope flank/non fault zone (left), steep flank (center), and at fault zone (right).
Figure 9. Physical cleats in coal seams at the fault zone that fragmented (left), at the steep flank
it is rather fragmented (center), and at the non fault zone or slopes flank it is not fragmented (right).
0.35 0.9
y = 0.07x - 1.28 y = 0.08x - 1.13
0.3 0.8
R = 0.68 R = 0.34
0.7
0.25
Pyritic sulphur
0.6
Total sulphur
0.2 0.5
0.15 0.4
0.1 0.3
0.2
0.05
0.1
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 17 18 19 20 21 22
Cleat frequency Cleat frequency
Figure 10. Scatter diagram of cleat frequency and sulphur content at the slope flank of Palaran Anticline.
Total sulphur
Pyritic sulphur 0.08 0.6
0.06
0.4
0.04
0.2
0.02
0 0
17 18 19 20 21 22 17 18 19 20 21 22
Cleat frequency Cleat frequency
Figure 11. Scatter diagram of cleat frequency and sulphur content at the slopes flank of Busui Syncline.
0.09 2
y = 0.01x - 0.17 y = 0.12x - 1.36
0.08 1.8
R = 0.84 R = 0.41
0.07 1.6
1.4
Pyritic sulphur
0.06
Total sulphur
1.2
0.05
1
0.04
0.8
0.03 0.6
0.02 0.4
0.01 0.2
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25
Cleat frequency Cleat frequency
Figure 12. Scatter diagram of cleat frequency and sulphur content at the steep flank of Palaran Anticline.
3 10
y = 1.62x - 30.42
y = 0.52x - 10.09 9
2.5 R = 0.55
8
R = 0.81 7
Pyritic sulphur
2
Total sulphur
6
1.5 5
4
1 3
2
0.5
1
0 0
0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30
Cleat frequency Cleat frequency
Figure 13. Scatter diagram of cleat frequency and sulphur content at the steep flank of Busui Syncline.
1 4
y = 0.19x - 4.22 y = 0.38x - 6.85
0.9 3.5
R = 0.88
0.8 R = 0.48
3
Pyritic sulphur
0.7
Total sulphur
0.6 2.5
0.5 2
0.4 1.5
0.3
1
0.2
0.1 0.5
0 0
0 10 20 30 0 10 20 30
Cleat frequency Cleat frequency
Figure 14. Scatter diagram of cleat frequency and sulphur content at the Palaran Fault Zone.
Pyritic sulphur
7
Total sulphur
0.6 6
0.5 5
0.4 4
0.3 3
0.2 2
0.1 1
0 0
21 22 23 24 25 26 21 22 23 24 25 26
Cleat frequency Cleat frequency
Figure 15. Scatter diagram of cleat frequency and sulphur content at the Busui Fault Zone.