Atlas of coal macerals

The following images were obtained by using a Panasonic video camera mounted
on a Zeiss Universal microscope, using a 40x oil immersion objective. Total
magnification is 625x and Optimas 5 software was used for initial image capture.
Larissa Gammidge holds the copyright to this material.

Inertinite Group Macerals

Fusinite, an inertinite group maceral, is the result of partial

combustion. This example exhibits bogen structure. (bow
tie shaped fragments) ; oxidised cell walls.(13k jpeg)

The fusinite in this image has endured some humification

before oxidation as evidenced by thicker cell walls
Gelification began, cell walls started to swell, and then
oxidation occurred. (7k jpeg)

Inertodetrinite visible here as small white fragments. These

originate from oxidised plant debris, < 30 µm. The matrix is
detrovitrinite (darker grey) with spores (elongate darker
objects). ( 10k jpeg)

The light grey band crossing the image diagonally from left
to right is macrinite. Macrinite is derived from oxidised
partially humified vegetal material. It is surrounded by
inertodetrinite and detrovitrinite with some minerals
(brighter , reddish specks). (10k jpeg)

Bands of micrinite (lighter grey) are small particles of

oxidised vegetable matter, < 2µm in ,longest dimension.
These result from physical degradation and chemical
reactions during coalification. The darker grey maceral is
telovitrinite. (6k jpeg)
Liptinite Group Macerals

The dumbbell shaped dark object is the maceral

densosporinite, common in Carboniferous euro-american
coals. Originally it was the spore of a Lycopod. It is
included in a vitrinite band (darker grey) with inertodetrinite
(small white fragments). (5k jpeg)

The thin, darkest band is cutinite from the cuticles of leaves

and stems. The lighter band (above) is macrinite, oxidised
partially humified plant material. The brighter maceral
above again is inert odetrinite. Below the cutinite is a band
of detrovitrinite which includes small minerals,
inertodetrinite and spores. The darker grey beneath that is
part of a resin body from a large plant or tree. (9k jpeg)

The large darker grey body is a spore showing some

ornamentation (bumps around edge), situated in vitrinite
with micrinite bands (lighter bands). (5k jpeg)

Resinite (darker grey) in vitrinite. The remains of a piece of

wood. Shows original cell structure. In the bottom right
corner, the light macerals are inertodetrinite, and
detrovitrinite. (6k jpeg)

Brown Coal Macerals

Delicate thin walled fusinite in brown coal. Little or no

compaction has take place, otherwise the walls would
have broken, forming bogen structures.

A fungal spore (light coloured ellipse with two cross

structures) is shown in an attrinite matrix.
Eu-ulminite, a maceral in which the cell walls have
swollen, gelified and the cell lumen have closed.

Cell structure and plant tissue is well preserved in brown

coal.

Densinite matrix, (dark grey) with inclusions of inertinite

(white) macerals.

Texto-ulminite (cell structure is preserved but the walls

have thickened a little), at the far right is an inclusion of
inertodetrinite.

The lower half of the image shows textinite (cell walls)

which are in some cases filled with porigelinite (grey,
granular). The thin cell walls visible in the lower half are in
contrast to the swollen cell walls of texto-ulminite and
ulminite (grey with no cell structure).

An example of well preserved plant structure in brown

coal, this may be part of plant root.

Textinite, coalified plant tissue showing uncompacted, thin

cell walls.
Attrinite matrix, comprised of plant fragments, loosely
packed, including a high proportiion of void space.

Fungal spores (white spherical bodies) in attrinite matrix.

Euhedral grains of pyrite. Pyrite is resistant and has a high

relief on the polished surface.

This image is from a low volatile bituminous coal. The grey

groundmass is detrovitrinite, it contains inclusions of
inertodetrinite (light coloured particles <30 microns in
length) and minerals (black particles). Just to the right of
the centre and in the top half of the image are slightly
darker grey resinite macerals.
The black specks and larger particles in this image are
minerals. The dark grey goundmass is detrovitrinite. In the
left third of the image are some lighter coloured inertinite
macerals. Semifusinite at the bottom left hand corner is
grading into macrinite showing no structure. At this rank
(low volatile bituminous) the contrast in reflectance
between the maceral groups is low.

This image shows a fracture in the coal (cleat) which is

filled with carbonate. The light coloured band across the
centre of the image showing cell structure is semifusinite.

The elongated dark bodies are sporinite macerals set in a

detrovitrinite matrix. The small light coloured particles
<30microns is inertodetrinite. The oval shaped light
coloured body is sclerotinite.
This coal contains a high proportion of mineral matter. The
black areas are minerals and the positions where minerals
have pulled out during polishing.

This image shows a cross-section through an individual

stem, the stem crosses the image horizontally and is
outlined by the maceral cutinite on the top and bottom
(dark grey, string like bodies). The bright gold coloured
mineral in the top left hand corner is pyrite.