Advances in the knowledge of chemical structure of coal and development of high performance computational techniques led to more than hundred and thirty four proposed molecular level representations (models) of coal between 1942 and 2010. These models were virtually on the carboniferous coals from the northern hemisphere. There are only two molecular models based on the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich coals from the southern hemisphere. The current investigation is based on the chars derived from the Permian-aged coals in two major South African coalfields, Witbank #4 seam and Waterberg Upper Ecca. The two coals were upgraded to 85 and 93% inertinite- and vitrinite-rich concentrates, on visible mineral matter free basis. The coals were slow heated in inert atmosphere at 20 ℃ min-1 to 450, 700 and 1000 ℃ and held at that temperature for an hour. After the HCl-HF treatment technique at ambient temperatures, the characteristics of the coals and chars were examined with proximate, ultimate, helium density, porosity, surface area, petrographic, solid-state 13C NMR, XRD and HRTEM analytical techniques. The results largely showed that substantial transitions occurred at 700-1000 ℃, where the chars became physically different but chemically similar. Consequently, the chars at the highest temperature (1000 ℃) drew attention to the detailed study of the atomistic properties that may give rise to different reactivity behaviours with CO2 gas. The H/C atomic ratios for the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars were respectively 0.31 and 0.49 at 450 ℃ and 0.10 and 0.12 at 1000 ℃. The true density was respectively 1.48 and 1.38 g.cm-3 at 450 ℃ and 1.87 and 1.81 g.cm-3 at 1000 ℃. The char form results from the petrographic analysis technique indicated that the 700-1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars have lower proportions of thick-walled isotropic coke derived from pure vitrinites (5-8%) compared with the vitrinite-rich chars (91-95%). This property leads to the creation of pores and increases of volume and surface area as the softening walls expand. It was found that the average crystallite diameter, La, and the mean length of the aromatic carbon fringes from the XRD and HRTEM techniques, respectively, were in good agreement and made a definite distinction between the 1000 ℃ inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars. The crystallite diameter on peak (10) approximations, La(10), of 37.6Å for the 1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars fell within the HRTEM’s range of minimummaximum length boundary of 11x11 aromatic fringes (27-45Å). The La (10) of 30.7Å for the vitrinite-rich chars fell nearly on the minimum-maximum length range of 7x7 aromatic fringes (17-28Å.) The HRTEM results showed that the 1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars comprised a higher distribution of larger aromatic fringes (11x11 parallelogram catenations) compared with a higher distribution of smaller aromatic fringes (7x7 parallelogram catenations). The mechanism for the similarity between the 700-1000 ℃ inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars was the greater transition occurring in the vitrinite-rich coal to match the more resistant inertinite-rich coal. This emphasised that the transitions in the properties of vitrinite-rich coals were more thermally accelerated than those of the inertinite-rich coals. The similarity between the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars was shown by the total maceral reflectance, proximate, ultimate, skeletal density and aromaticity results. Evidence for this was the carbon content by mass for the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars of respectively 90.5 and 85.3% at 450 ℃ and 95.9 and 94.1% at 1000 ℃. The aromaticity from the XRD technique was respectively 87 and 77% at 450 ℃ and 98 and 96% at 1000 ℃. A similar pattern was found in the hydrogen and oxygen contents, the atomic O/C ratios and the aromaticity from the NMR technique. The subsequent construction of large-scale molecular structures for the 1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars comprised 106 molecules constructed from a total of 42929 atoms, while the vitrinite-rich char model was made up of 185 molecules consisting of a total of 44315 atoms. The difference between the number of molecules was due to the inertinite-rich char model comprising a higher distribution of larger molecules compared with the vitrinite-rich char model, in agreement with the XRD and HRTEM results. These char structures were used to examine the behaviour on the basis of gasification reactivity with CO2. The density functional theory (DFT) was used to evaluate the interactions between CO2 and the atomistic representations of coal char derived from the inertinite- and vitrinite rich South African coals. The construction of char models used the modal aromatic fringes (fringes of highest frequencies in size distributions) from the HRTEM, for the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars, respectively (11x11 and 7x7 parallelogram-shaped aromatic carbon rings). The structures were DFT geometrically optimized and used to measure reactivity with the Fukui function, f+(r) and to depict a representative reactive carbon edge for the simulations of coal gasification reaction mechanism with CO2 gas. The f+(r) reactivity indices of the reactive edge follows the sequence: zigzag C remote from the tip C (Czi = 0.266) > first armchair C (Cr1 = 0.087) > tip C (Ct = 0.075) > second armchair C (Cr2 = 0.029) > zigzag C proximate to the tip C (Cz = 0.027). The DFT simulated mean activation energy, ΔEb, for the gasification reaction mechanism (formation of second CO gas molecule) was 233 kJ mol-1. The reaction for the formation of second CO molecule is defines gasification in essence. The experimental activation energy determined with the TGA and random pore model to account essentially for the pore variation in addition to the gasification chemical reaction were found to be very similar: 191 ± 25 kJ mol-1 and 210 ± 8 kJ mol-1; and in good agreement with the atomistic results. The investigation gave promise towards the utility of molecular representations of coal char within the context of fundamental coal gasification reaction mechanism with CO2. / PhD (Chemical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Advances in the knowledge of chemical structure of coal and development of high performance computational techniques led to more than hundred and thirty four proposed molecular level representations (models) of coal between 1942 and 2010. These models were virtually on the carboniferous coals from the northern hemisphere. There are only two molecular models based on the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich coals from the southern hemisphere. The current investigation is based on the chars derived from the Permian-aged coals in two major South African coalfields, Witbank #4 seam and Waterberg Upper Ecca. The two coals were upgraded to 85 and 93% inertinite- and vitrinite-rich concentrates, on visible mineral matter free basis. The coals were slow heated in inert atmosphere at 20 ℃ min-1 to 450, 700 and 1000 ℃ and held at that temperature for an hour. After the HCl-HF treatment technique at ambient temperatures, the characteristics of the coals and chars were examined with proximate, ultimate, helium density, porosity, surface area, petrographic, solid-state 13C NMR, XRD and HRTEM analytical techniques. The results largely showed that substantial transitions occurred at 700-1000 ℃, where the chars became physically different but chemically similar. Consequently, the chars at the highest temperature (1000 ℃) drew attention to the detailed study of the atomistic properties that may give rise to different reactivity behaviours with CO2 gas. The H/C atomic ratios for the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars were respectively 0.31 and 0.49 at 450 ℃ and 0.10 and 0.12 at 1000 ℃. The true density was respectively 1.48 and 1.38 g.cm-3 at 450 ℃ and 1.87 and 1.81 g.cm-3 at 1000 ℃. The char form results from the petrographic analysis technique indicated that the 700-1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars have lower proportions of thick-walled isotropic coke derived from pure vitrinites (5-8%) compared with the vitrinite-rich chars (91-95%). This property leads to the creation of pores and increases of volume and surface area as the softening walls expand. It was found that the average crystallite diameter, La, and the mean length of the aromatic carbon fringes from the XRD and HRTEM techniques, respectively, were in good agreement and made a definite distinction between the 1000 ℃ inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars. The crystallite diameter on peak (10) approximations, La(10), of 37.6Å for the 1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars fell within the HRTEM’s range of minimummaximum length boundary of 11x11 aromatic fringes (27-45Å). The La (10) of 30.7Å for the vitrinite-rich chars fell nearly on the minimum-maximum length range of 7x7 aromatic fringes (17-28Å.) The HRTEM results showed that the 1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars comprised a higher distribution of larger aromatic fringes (11x11 parallelogram catenations) compared with a higher distribution of smaller aromatic fringes (7x7 parallelogram catenations). The mechanism for the similarity between the 700-1000 ℃ inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars was the greater transition occurring in the vitrinite-rich coal to match the more resistant inertinite-rich coal. This emphasised that the transitions in the properties of vitrinite-rich coals were more thermally accelerated than those of the inertinite-rich coals. The similarity between the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars was shown by the total maceral reflectance, proximate, ultimate, skeletal density and aromaticity results. Evidence for this was the carbon content by mass for the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars of respectively 90.5 and 85.3% at 450 ℃ and 95.9 and 94.1% at 1000 ℃. The aromaticity from the XRD technique was respectively 87 and 77% at 450 ℃ and 98 and 96% at 1000 ℃. A similar pattern was found in the hydrogen and oxygen contents, the atomic O/C ratios and the aromaticity from the NMR technique. The subsequent construction of large-scale molecular structures for the 1000 ℃ inertinite-rich chars comprised 106 molecules constructed from a total of 42929 atoms, while the vitrinite-rich char model was made up of 185 molecules consisting of a total of 44315 atoms. The difference between the number of molecules was due to the inertinite-rich char model comprising a higher distribution of larger molecules compared with the vitrinite-rich char model, in agreement with the XRD and HRTEM results. These char structures were used to examine the behaviour on the basis of gasification reactivity with CO2. The density functional theory (DFT) was used to evaluate the interactions between CO2 and the atomistic representations of coal char derived from the inertinite- and vitrinite rich South African coals. The construction of char models used the modal aromatic fringes (fringes of highest frequencies in size distributions) from the HRTEM, for the inertinite- and vitrinite-rich chars, respectively (11x11 and 7x7 parallelogram-shaped aromatic carbon rings). The structures were DFT geometrically optimized and used to measure reactivity with the Fukui function, f+(r) and to depict a representative reactive carbon edge for the simulations of coal gasification reaction mechanism with CO2 gas. The f+(r) reactivity indices of the reactive edge follows the sequence: zigzag C remote from the tip C (Czi = 0.266) > first armchair C (Cr1 = 0.087) > tip C (Ct = 0.075) > second armchair C (Cr2 = 0.029) > zigzag C proximate to the tip C (Cz = 0.027). The DFT simulated mean activation energy, ΔEb, for the gasification reaction mechanism (formation of second CO gas molecule) was 233 kJ mol-1. The reaction for the formation of second CO molecule is defines gasification in essence. The experimental activation energy determined with the TGA and random pore model to account essentially for the pore variation in addition to the gasification chemical reaction were found to be very similar: 191 ± 25 kJ mol-1 and 210 ± 8 kJ mol-1; and in good agreement with the atomistic results. The investigation gave promise towards the utility of molecular representations of coal char within the context of fundamental coal gasification reaction mechanism with CO2. / PhD (Chemical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Coal seam gas has been recognised as a new, potential energy resource in New Zealand. Exploration and assessment programmes carried out by various companies have evaluated the resource and indicated that this unconventional gas may form a part of New Zealand's future energy supply. This study has delineated some of the controls between coal properties and gas content in coal seams in selected New Zealand locations. Four coal cores, one from Huntly (Eocene), two from Ohai (Cretaceous) and one from Greymouth (Cretaceous), have been sampled and analysed in terms of gas content and coal properties. Methods used include proximate, sulphur and calorifc value analyses; ash constituent determination; rank assessment; macroscopic analysis; mineralogical analysis; maceral analysis; and gas analyses (desorption, adsorption, gas quality and gas isotopes). Coal cores varied in rank from sub-bituminous B-A (Huntly); sub-bituminous C-A (Ohai); and high volatile bituminous A (Greymouth). All locations contained high vitrinite content (~85 %) with overall relatively low mineral matter observed in most samples. Mineral matter consisted of both detrital grains (quartz in matrix material) and infilling pores and fractures (clays in fusinite pores; carbonates in fractures). Average gas contents were 1.6 m3/t in the Huntly core, 4.7 m3/t in the Ohai cores, and 2.35 m3/t in the Greymouth core. The Ohai core contained more gas and was more saturated than the other cores. Carbon isotopes indicated that the Ohai gas composition was more mature, containing heavier 13C isotopes than either the Huntly or Greymouth gas samples. This indicates the gas was derived from a mixed biogenic and thermogenic source. The Huntly and Greymouth gases appear to be derived from a biogenic (by CO2 reduction) source. The ash yield proved to be the dominant control on gas volume in all locations when the ash yield was above 10 %. Below 10 % the amount of gas variation is unrelated to ash yield. Although organic content had some influence on gas volume, associations were basin and /or rank dependant. In the Huntly core total gas content and structured vitrinite increased together. Although this relationship did not appear in the other cores, in the Ohai SC3 core lost gas and fusinite are associated with each other, while desmocollinite (unstructured vitrinite) correlated positively with residual gas in the Greymouth core. Although it is generally accepted that higher rank coals will have higher adsorption capacities, this was not seen in this data set. Although the lowest rank coal (Huntly) contains the lowest adsorption capacity, the highest adsorption capacity was not seen in the highest rank coal (Greymouth), but in the Ohai coal instead. The Ohai core acted like a higher rank coal with respect to the Greymouth coal, in terms of adsorption capacity, isotopic signatures and gas volume. Two hypothesis can be used to explain these results: (1) That a thermogenically derived gas migrated from down-dip of the SC3 and SC1 drill holes and saturated the section. (2) Rank measurements (e.g. proximate analyses) have a fairly wide variance in both the Greymouth and Ohai coal cores, thus it maybe feasible that the Ohai cores may be higher rank coal than the Greymouth coal core. Although the second hypothesis may explain the adsorption capacity, isotopic signatures and the gas volume, when the data is plotted on a Suggate rank curve, the Ohai coal core is clearly lower rank than the Greymouth core. Thus, pending additional data, the first hypothesis is favoured.

Coal seam gas has been recognised as a new, potential energy resource in New Zealand. Exploration and assessment programmes carried out by various companies have evaluated the resource and indicated that this unconventional gas may form a part of New Zealand's future energy supply. This study has delineated some of the controls between coal properties and gas content in coal seams in selected New Zealand locations. Four coal cores, one from Huntly (Eocene), two from Ohai (Cretaceous) and one from Greymouth (Cretaceous), have been sampled and analysed in terms of gas content and coal properties. Methods used include proximate, sulphur and calorifc value analyses; ash constituent determination; rank assessment; macroscopic analysis; mineralogical analysis; maceral analysis; and gas analyses (desorption, adsorption, gas quality and gas isotopes). Coal cores varied in rank from sub-bituminous B-A (Huntly); sub-bituminous C-A (Ohai); and high volatile bituminous A (Greymouth). All locations contained high vitrinite content (~85 %) with overall relatively low mineral matter observed in most samples. Mineral matter consisted of both detrital grains (quartz in matrix material) and infilling pores and fractures (clays in fusinite pores; carbonates in fractures). Average gas contents were 1.6 m3/t in the Huntly core, 4.7 m3/t in the Ohai cores, and 2.35 m3/t in the Greymouth core. The Ohai core contained more gas and was more saturated than the other cores. Carbon isotopes indicated that the Ohai gas composition was more mature, containing heavier 13C isotopes than either the Huntly or Greymouth gas samples. This indicates the gas was derived from a mixed biogenic and thermogenic source. The Huntly and Greymouth gases appear to be derived from a biogenic (by CO2 reduction) source. The ash yield proved to be the dominant control on gas volume in all locations when the ash yield was above 10 %. Below 10 % the amount of gas variation is unrelated to ash yield. Although organic content had some influence on gas volume, associations were basin and /or rank dependant. In the Huntly core total gas content and structured vitrinite increased together. Although this relationship did not appear in the other cores, in the Ohai SC3 core lost gas and fusinite are associated with each other, while desmocollinite (unstructured vitrinite) correlated positively with residual gas in the Greymouth core. Although it is generally accepted that higher rank coals will have higher adsorption capacities, this was not seen in this data set. Although the lowest rank coal (Huntly) contains the lowest adsorption capacity, the highest adsorption capacity was not seen in the highest rank coal (Greymouth), but in the Ohai coal instead. The Ohai core acted like a higher rank coal with respect to the Greymouth coal, in terms of adsorption capacity, isotopic signatures and gas volume. Two hypothesis can be used to explain these results: (1) That a thermogenically derived gas migrated from down-dip of the SC3 and SC1 drill holes and saturated the section. (2) Rank measurements (e.g. proximate analyses) have a fairly wide variance in both the Greymouth and Ohai coal cores, thus it maybe feasible that the Ohai cores may be higher rank coal than the Greymouth coal core. Although the second hypothesis may explain the adsorption capacity, isotopic signatures and the gas volume, when the data is plotted on a Suggate rank curve, the Ohai coal core is clearly lower rank than the Greymouth core. Thus, pending additional data, the first hypothesis is favoured.

The recent discovery of the 31-km-wide Hiawatha impact crater has raised unanswered questions about its age, impactor and highly unusual organic carbon component. Previous research suggests a fractionated iron meteorite impactor, a probable maximum 3–2.4 Ma impact age and a possible Younger Dryas impact age. The first objective in this study has been to investigate a possible link between the Cape York meteorites and the Hiawatha impact crater by comparing the chromium isotopic signature in chromite from a Cape York meteorite with the chromium isotopic signature in potential chromite from the Hiawatha impactor. The second objective has been to investigate a possible Hiawatha signature in the Younger Dryas deposits from Baffin Bay. The third objective has been to study the organic carbon component in impactites derived from the Hiawatha impact crater. Heavy mineral grains were separated from glaciofluvial sediment which contains Hiawatha impactite grains. Not a single chromite grain was found and the possible link to the Cape York meteorites could not be tested. The petrographic examination of Younger Dryas marine deposits resulted in absence of impact-related Hiawatha grains. A petrological investigation revealed that organic carbon was likely found in five of six variably shocked impactites derived from the Hiawatha impact crater. The character of the organic carbon varies between the samples and also within individual samples. Vitrinite reflectance measurements of the organic carbon in two impactites yielded low reflectance values compared to charcoalification experiments of wood. Organic particles with different reflectance in the same sample suggest that the particles had different impact histories prior to settling and becoming a rock. Diagnostic conifer cellular texture was found in at least one of the samples. The character of the organic particles in the impactites supports the suggestion in a previous study that the sources of the Hiawatha organic carbon component are unmetamorphosed surficial deposits containing dead conifer tree trunks and fine-grained layered clay and organic matter.  In this study it is concluded that the apparent absence of chromite in the examined glaciofluvial sediment sample corroborates the significance of previous research which suggests that the Hiawatha impactor was an iron meteorite. The apparent absence of impact related grains in the Younger Dryas deposits suggests that although a Younger Dryas age for the Hiawatha impact crater is less likely now, the possibility remains open. The organic carbon with diagnostic conifer cellular texture in the Hiawatha impactites corroborates the conclusion in a previous study that the Hiawatha impact-related organic carbon component stems from local, thermally degraded conifer trees with a probable age of ca. 3–2.4 Ma. It is also concluded that the relatively low reflectance values of the organic carbon in the Hiawatha impactites seem to be related to the short duration of the high-temperature excursion during the hypervelocity impact event.

[pt] Diferentemente de muitas outras rochas, o carvão é uma rocha sedimentar composta principalmente de matéria orgânica derivada de detritos vegetais, acumulados em turfeiras em diferentes períodos geológicos. O carvão é um recurso econômico essencial em muitos países, tendo sido a principal força motriz por trás da revolução industrial. O carvão é amplamente utilizado industrialmente para diversos fins: carbonização e produção de coque, produção de ferro/aço, carvão térmico para gerar eletricidade, liquefação e gaseificação. A utilização do carvão é ditada pelas suas propriedades que são geralmente classificadas como sua composição, rank e grau. A composição do carvão, em termos dos seus macerais, e a sua classificação são determinadas manualmente por um petrógrafo, devido à sua natureza complexa. Este estudo almejou desenvolver um método automático baseado na aprendizagem de máquina para segmentação automática de macerais a nível de grupo e um módulo para determinação de rank por refletância em imagens petrográficas do carvão que pode melhorar a eficiência deste processo e diminuir a subjetividade do operador. foi desenvolvida uma abordagem de aprendizagem profunda da arquitetura baseada na Mask R-CNN para identificar e segmentar o grupo de maceral vitrinite, o qual é fundamental para a análise do rank, uma vez que a classificação é determinada pela reflectância da collotelinite (maceral desse grupo). Em segundo lugar, foi desenvolvido um método de processamento de imagem para analisar as imagens segmentadas de vitrinite e determinar a classificação do carvão, associando os valores cinzentos à reflectância. Para a segmentação de maceral, foram utilizadas cinco amostras para treinar a rede, 174 imagens foram utilizadas para treino, e 86 foram utilizadas para validação, com os melhores resultados obtidos para os modelos de vitrinite, inertinita, liptinita e colotelinita (89,23%, 68,81%, 37,00% e 84,77% F1-score, respectivamente). Essas amostras foram utilizadas juntamente com outras oito amostras para determinar os resultados de classificação utilizando a reflectância de collotelinite. As amostras variaram entre 0,97% e 1,8% de reflectância. Este método deverá ajudar a poupar tempo e mão-de-obra para análise, se implementado num modelo de produção. O desvio médio quadrático entre o método proposto e os valores de reflectância de referência foi de 0,0978. / [en] Unlike most other rocks, coal is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of organic matter derived from plant debris that accumulated in peat mires during different geological periods. Coal is also an essential economic resource in many countries, having been the main driving force behind the industrial revolution. Coal is still widely used industrially for many different purposes: carbonization and coke production, iron/steel making, thermal coal to generate electricity, liquefaction, and gasification. The utility of the coal is dictated by its properties which are commonly referred to as its rank, type, and grade. Coal composition, in terms of its macerals, and its rank determination are determined manually by a petrographer due to its complex nature. This study aimed to develop an automatic method based on machine learning capable of maceral segmentation at group level followed by a module for rank reflectance determination on petrographic images of coal that can improve the efficiency of this process and decrease operator subjectivity. Firstly, a Mask R-CNN-based architecture deep learning approach was developed to identify and segment the vitrinite maceral group, which is fundamental for rank analysis, as rank is determined by collotelinite reflectance (one of its individual macerals). Secondly, an image processing method was developed to analyze the vitrinite segmented images and determine coal rank by associating the grey values with the reflectance. For the maceral (group) segmentation, five samples were used to train the network, 174 images were used for training, and 86 were used for testing, with the best results obtained for the vitrinite, inertinite, liptinite, and collotelinite models (89.23%, 68.81%, 37.00% and 84.77% F1-score, respectively). Those samples were used alongside another eight samples to determine the rank results utilizing collotelinite reflectance. The samples ranged from 0.97% to 1.8% reflectance. This method should help save time and labor for analysis if implemented into a production model. The root mean square calculated between the proposed method and the reference reflectance values was 0.0978.

No description available.

Le bassin de Jaca (Pyrénées espagnoles) est un exemple classique de bassins d’avant pays, où les grandes lignes du remplissage sédimentaire, ainsi que la chronologie des failles ont été très étudiées. Il reste toutefois à mieux comprendre la paléo-hydrologie et l’histoire thermique du bassin, de manière à proposer un modèle de circulation des fluides pendant sa mise en place et sa déformation (Paléocène-Oligocène). Pour ce faire, ce travail propose d’analyser la répartition de la fracturation, d’étudier les conditions de formation des veines syn-tectoniques et de caractériser la maturité de la matière organique sur l’ensemble du paléobassin d’avant-pays de Jaca, des zones internes vers les zones externes.L’analyse pétrographique, géochimique et microthermométrique des veines montre que la grande majorité des fluides minéralisateurs sont à l’équilibre isotopique et thermique avec l’encaissant. Dans le détail, nous avons identifié 2 événements principaux de formation de veines dans la zone interne du bassin (Sierras Interiores), que nous proposons d’associer au fonctionnement des failles majeures dans le socle. Nous suggérons que les fluides circulent le long des niveaux de décollements et sont expulsés sur de courtes distances (< 10 km), au travers des réseaux de fractures, vers le bassin d’avant-pays. Le reste du bassin enregistre principalement des fluides locaux, parfois associés à l’infiltration d’eau météorique. L’analyse des températures d’enfouissement (50°C à 250°C), qui inclut des données de Δ47, montre une organisation N-S relativement homogène depuis les Sierras Interiores (fenêtre à gaz) jusqu’aux Sierras Exteriores (immature), avec des anomalies longitudinales marquées. Les modélisations thermiques 1D sur 9 puits virtuels suggèrent que les températures maximales vers les Sierras Interiores peuvent résulter d’un enfouissement sédimentaire, dont une grande partie est érodée actuellement. Nous proposons que ces parties érodées correspondent à des dépôts tardi-orogéniques conglomératiques déposés à proximité de la zone axiale. Les données suggèrent une répartition non homogène de ces dépôts selon un axe E-W, impliquant des transferts sédimentaires plus complexes qu’habituellement discutés. Au vu de nos résultats et des précédentes études, le modèle paléohydrologique et thermique du bassin de Jaca, et à plus grande échelle, de la chaîne plissée sud-pyrénéenne, est compartimenté à la fois dans l’espace et dans le temps, en lien avec à la propagation latérale et frontale de la déformation, qui contrôle l’ouverture du système. Le modèle paléohydrologique et thermique de la chaîne plissée sud-pyrénéenne constitue donc un potentiel analogue aux chaînes plissées dont le raccourcissement résulte d’une convergence oblique. / The Jaca basin (Spanish Pyrenees) is a classical example of a foreland basin, where the sedimentary filling and the calendar of thrust activation have been extensively studied. It remains to understand the paleohydrology and the thermal history of the basin, so as to provide a fluid flow model related to its formation and deformation (Paleoecene-Oligocene). To do this, this work proposes to analyze the distribution of fracturing, to study the conditions of formation of syn-tectonic veins and to characterize the maturity of organic matter throughout the Jaca foreland basin, from hinterland to external areas.Petrographical, geochemical and microthermometric analysis of veins show that the vast majority of mineralizing fluids are at the isotopic and thermal equilibrium with the host-rock. In detail, we identified two main events of vein precipitation in the inner part of the basin (Sierras Interiores), probably related to major basement thrust activations. We suggest that fluids flow along decollement levels and are expelled over short distances (<10 km), through fracture networks towards the foreland basin. The other part of the basin mainly record local fluids, sometimes associated with the infiltration of meteoric water. Analysis of burial temperatures (50 °C to 250 °C), which includes Δ47 data, shows a relatively homogeneous N-S organization from the Sierras Interiores (gas window) to Sierras Exteriores (immature), with strong longitudinal anomalies. Thermal 1D modelling of 9 virtual wells suggest that the maximum temperatures of Sierras Interiores result from sedimentary accumulation, whose a large amount is now eroded. We propose that this eroded thickness corresponds to late-orogenic conglomeratic deposits near the axial zone. The data suggest an inhomogeneous distribution of the deposits along an E-W axis, involving more complex sedimentary transfers than usually discussed. Given our results and previous studies, the paleohydrological and thermal model of the Jaca basin, and on a larger scale, of the South Pyrenean fold and thrust belt, is compartmentalized both in space and in time, in response to the propagation of and oblique deformational front, which controls the opening of the system. The paleohydrological and thermal model of the South Pyrenean fold and thrust belt is therefore a potential analogue to fold and thrust belt including shortening due to an oblique convergence.

The intermontane Ipswich Basin, which is situated 30km south-west of Brisbane, contains coal measures formed in the Late Triassic Epoch following a barren non-depositional period. Coal, tuff, and basalt were deposited along with fluvial dominated sediments. The Ipswich Coal Measures mark the resumption of deposition in eastern Australia after the coal hiatus associated with a series of intense tectonic activity in Gondwanaland during the Permo-Triassic interval. A transtensional tectonic movement at the end of the Middle Triassic deformed the Toogalawah Group before extension led to the formation of the Carnian Ipswich Coal Measures in the east. The Ipswich Coal Measures comprise the Brassall and Kholo Subgroups. The Blackstone Formation, which forms the upper unit of the Brassall Subgroup, contains seven major coal seams. The lower unit of the Brassall Subgroup, the Tivoli Formation, consists of sixteen stratigraphically significant coal seams. The typical thickness of the Blackstone Formation is 240m and the Tivoli Formation is about 500m. The coal seams of the Ipswich Basin differ considerably from those of other continental Triassic basins. However, the coal geology has previously attracted little academic attention and the remaining exposures of the Ipswich coalfield are rapidly disappearing now that mining has ceased. The primary aim of this project was to study the patterns of coal sedimentation and the response of coal seam characteristics to changing depositional environments. The coal accumulated as a peat-mire in an alluvial plain with meandering channel systems. Two types of peat-mire expansion occurred in the basin. Peat-mire aggradation, which is a replacement of water body by the peatmire, was initiated by tectonic subsidence. This type of peat-mire expansion is known as terrestrialisation. It formed thick but laterally limited coal seams in the basin. Whereas, peat-mire progradation was related to paludification and produced widespread coal accumulation in the basin. The coal seams were separated into three main groups based on the mean seam thickness and aerial distribution of one-meter and four-meter thickness contour intervals. Group 1 seams within the one-meter thickness interval are up to 15,000m2 in area, and seams within the four-meter interval have an aerial extent of up to 10,000m2. Group 1A contains the oldest seam with numerous intraseam clastic bands and shows a very high thickness to area ratio, which indicates high subsidence rates. Group 1B seams have moderately high thickness to area ratios. The lower clastic influx and slower subsidence rates favoured peat-mire aggradation. The Group 1A seam is relatively more widespread in aerial extent than seams from Group 1B. Group 1C seams have low mean thicknesses and small areas, suggesting short-lived peat-mires as a result of high clastic influx. Group 2 seams arebetween 15,000 and 35,000m2 in area within the one-meter interval, and between 5,000 and 10,000m2 within the four-meter interval. They have moderately high area to thickness ratios, indicating that peat-mire expansion occurred due to progressively shallower accommodation and a rising groundwater table. Group 3 seams, which have aerial extents from 35,000 to 45,000m2 within the one-meter thickness contour interval and from 10,000 to 25,000m2 within the four-meter interval, show high aerial extent to thickness ratios. They were deposited in quiet depositional environments that favoured prolonged existence of peat-mires. Group 3 seams are all relatively young whereas most Group 1 seams are relatively old seams. All the major fault systems, F1, F2 and F3, trend northwest-southeast. Apart from the West Ipswich Fault (F3), the F1 and F2 systems are broad Palaeozoic basement structures and thus they may not have had a direct influence on the formation of the much younger coal measures. However, the sedimentation patterns appear to relate to these major fault systems. Depocentres of earlier seams in the Tivoli Formation were restricted to the northern part of the basin, marked by the F1 system. A major depocentre shift occurred before the end of the deposition of the Tivoli Formation as a result of subsidence in the south that conformed to the F2 system configuration. The Blackstone Formation depocentres shifted to the east (Depocentre 1) and west (Depocentre 2) simultaneously. This depocentre shift was associated with the flexural subsidence produced by the rejuvenation of the West Ipswich Fault. Coal accumulation mainly occurred in Depocentre 1. Two types of seam splitting occurred in the Ipswich Basin. Sedimentary splitting or autosedimentation was produced by frequent influx of clastic sediments. The fluvial dominant depositional environments created the random distribution of small seam splits. However, the coincidence of seam splits and depocentres found in some of the seams suggests tectonic splitting. Furthermore, the progressive splitting pattern, which displays seam splits overlapping, was associated with continued basin subsidence. The tectonic splitting pattern is more dominant in the Ipswich Basin. Alternating bright bands shown in the brightness profiles are a result of oscillating water cover in the peat-mire. Moderate groundwater level, which was maintained during the development of the peat, reduced the possibility of salinisation and drowning of the peat swamp. On the other hand, a slow continuous rise of the groundwater table, that kept pace with the vertical growth of peat, prevented excessive oxidation of peat. Ipswich coal is bright due to its high vitrinite content. The cutinite content is also high because the dominant flora was pteridosperms of Dicroidium assemblage containing waxy and thick cuticles. Petrographic study revealed that the depositional environment was telmatic with bog forest formed under ombrotrophic to mesotrophic hydrological conditions. The high preservation of woody or structured macerals such as telovitrinite and semifusinite indicates that coal is autochthonous. The high mineral matter content in coal is possibly due to the frequent influx of clastic and volcanic sediments. The Ipswich Basin is part of a much larger Triassic basin extending to Nymboida in New South Wales. Little is known of the coal as it lacks exposures. It is apparently thin to absent except in places like Ipswich and Nymboida. This study suggests that the dominant control on depocentres of thick coal at Ipswich has been the tectonism. Fluvial incursions and volcanism were superimposed on this.

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