Stopes (1936; ICCP, 1963): Hower et al.

(1990):

• Vitrain - Vitrain

• Klarain (Clarain) - Bright clarain

• Durain - Clarain

• Fusain - Dull clarain

- Durain

- Fusain

-Bone

Diessel (1963):

• Bright (B)

• Bright banded (BB) ASTM (1991):

• Banded (BD) -Banded

• Dull banded (DB) - Non-banded

• Dull (D) Impure coal

• Fusain
 Lithotype Nomenclature of Brown (Lignite) Coals (George, 1975)

Lithotype Description

* Dark (DK) : Blackish- to dark brown; commonly have a high wood content ranging
from small fragments to logs. When dried, wide and deep cracks appear.
Texture is firm.

* Medium dark (M- Dark- to medium brown; wood may occur as large pieces, but not as
D) : abundant as in dark lithotypes. Gelification of cell tissues is obvious but not
extensive.

* Medium light (M- Medium- to light brown; wood content is medium to low and wood is
L): commonly well-preserved, because of only minor gelification. Tree stumps
are common.

* Light (L): Light brown; have a moderate wood content with gelification.

* Pale (PA) : Pale to yellowish-brown; wood is uncommon. Gelification is very rare.

 MEGASCOPIC CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN COAL DESCRIPTION

Parameter/
Components Description
External * Thickness
Character * Appearance (massive, fibrous, friable, sucrosic, fresh, weathered,
oxidised)
* Sheared (distorted or disturbed cleating, numerous slickensides)
* Cannel (smooth, shiny, massive, conchoidal fracture, dense)
* Bony (compact with a high ash content)
Stopes (1919) :
* Vitrain (black with brilliant, vitreous luster)  bright coal
* Clarain (semi-bright with silky luster)  banded bright coal
* Durain (gray-brown with a dull luster)  dull coal
* Clarodurain (mostly dull with 5-40% bright layers)  banded dull coal
* Fusain (charcoal appearance)  fibrous coal
Lithotypes Diessel (1965) :
* Bright (< 10% dull laminae)
* Bright Banded ( 10 - 40% dull laminae)
* Banded ( dull and bright laminae in subequal proportion)
* Dull Banded ( 10 - 40% bright laminae)
* Dull (<10% bright laminae)
Banding * Band character (continuous, discontinuous, lens-shaped)
* Band thickness : thin (0.5 - 2.0 mm), medium (2.0 - 5.0 mm), thick
(5.0 - 50 mm), very thick (> 50 mm)
 Parameter/ Description
Components
Cleating * Development : poorly to well-developed, continuous to discontinuous,
incipient.
* Distribution : regular or irregularly distributed, face cleats only or face+butt
cleats.
* Characteristics : cleat spacing, height, aperture, curvature, orientation
relative to bedding.
* Characteristics of other features relative to cleats (normal, oblique, sub-
parallel).
* Aperture : open, close, size (width, length).
* Presence of stylolites or slickensides.
Accessories * Lenses of partings of mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, or carbonate within the
coal seams.
* Minerals : mica, pyrite, limonite, siderite, gypsum, sulfur, calcite.
* Distribution of minerals (disseminated, nodules, lenses, cleat lining or
filling)
* Plant material : wood, stem, rooting, plant impression fossils, comminuted
plant material.
Adjacent * Contacts between coals and adjacent lithologies (sharp, scoured,
Lithologies gradational).
and Contacts * Presence of seat earth beneath the coals.
* Tonstein : colour, mineralogy, log response (excellent chronostratigraphic
horizons).
* Paleosols : burrowing, rooting, blocky fracture, oxidation).
* Detailed descriptions of rocks between the coal seams.