Application of laser microprobe (LAMMA 1000) to "fingerprinting" of coal constituents in bituminous coal

A laser microprobe (LAMMA-1000) microchemical analysis of vitrinites of different morphologies but similar reflectances within the same bituminous coal bed indicates distinct “fingerprint” spectra. The banded form of vitrinite contains Li, Ti, Ba, Sr, F, and Cl which were not detected in the nonbanded vitrinite. These differences may indicate a different plant source or the introduction of these elements from fluids mobilized during diagenesis. The nonbanded vitrinite (called corpocollinite), which was contained in a pyrite coal-ball seed fern permineralization of Myeloxylon, may have been protected from influx of these elements due to entrapment by pyrite during an early peat stage. An ion at M/Z 65, which is characteristic of the banded vitrinite, may indicate C₅H₅+ and, perhaps a difference in the chemical structure of the two vitrinites. These results demonstrate that “fingerprint” spectra can be obtained from vitrinite macerals by LAMMA and that these “fingerprints” have genetic implications.