LAUSR

In the present study an attempt has been made to characterize the Gurha lignites employing petrographic and geochemical techniques on a large number of lignite samples. The data generated has been discussed to understand the hydrocarbon generation potential as well as the evolution of the paleomires of these lignites. The present investigation indicates that these lignites are mainly dominated by the huminite followed by inertinite and liptinites occurs in meager concentration. The huminite reflectance values rank the Gurha lignite as a low-rank B lignite.Petrographic result indicates these lignites are thermally immature in nature and comprised of Type-III kerogen and may generate only gas on maturation which is further supported by the rock-eval pyrolysis. The plots of rock eval data also indicates the same. The GI and TPI as well as GWI and VI values and the petrography-based facies critical models indicate that these lignites originated mostly under wet forest swamp condition. The microscopic constituents have also shown that these lignites are from herbaceous plants in wet forest swamp environment and ombrotrophic hydrological condition. The presences of framboidal pyrite in the study area infer the marine influence which also supported by the presence of high sulphur content.