Geochemical Characteristic of the Nyalau Formation from Merit-Pila Coal Field, Sarawak, Malaysia: Its Implications on Depositional Condition and Thermal Maturity

Depositional condition and thermal maturity can be derived from conventional geochemical analyses. Despite of this importance, little publication on the Nyalau Formation is available using proximate and calorific value analysis. This study is aim to reveal the geochemical characteristic of the Ny...

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Main Author: Binti Mohd Rosdi, Nadhirah
Format: Final Year Project
Language: English
Institution: Universiti Teknologi Petronas
Record Id / ISBN-0: utp-utpedia.18218 /
Published: Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS 2016
Subjects:
Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/18218/1/Hardbound_Nadhirah_16307.pdf
http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/18218/
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Summary: Depositional condition and thermal maturity can be derived from conventional geochemical analyses. Despite of this importance, little publication on the Nyalau Formation is available using proximate and calorific value analysis. This study is aim to reveal the geochemical characteristic of the Nyalau Formation from Merit Pila coal deposits. The investigations are expected (1) to determine the total moisture and ash content of coal for individual coal seams; (2) to interpret the quality of individual coal seams in terms of the content of volatile matter and fixed carbon, and (3) to evaluate the coalification rank of Merit Pila coal deposits with other Tertiary coal deposits in Southeast Asia. Five different parameters have been carried out on the sample collected in Merit-Pila coalfield which are calorific value, total moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon and ash. The moisture content of the studied coal is determined to be ranging from 7.1 to 19.3 wt.% with an arithmetic means of 14.4 wt.%. This arithmetic means considered to be low moisture content which indicates that the coal seams are deposited far below the ground with thick bed is deposited on top of it. While, the ash yield ranging from lo 0.5 to 59.8 wt.% with arithmetic means of 21.2 wt.%. This ash content value is characterized by high ash yield which suggesting high amount of inorganic content input during peat deposition. Moreover, Merit-Pila coal deposits are classified to be thermally immature with the coalification rank ranging from lignite to sub-bituminous coal. This regional value is supported by a low fixed carbon contents, high volatile matter contents and low calorific value limits, and agreement with influence of the arithmetic means of total moisture content. Besides, this thermal maturity result is substantiated by the other Tertiary coal deposits in Southeast Asia.