Petrographic characteristics and peat environments of Gashun mine

Twenty-one coal samples and eleven parting samples were taken from Gashun Coal Mine,Hoxtolgay coalfield,Xinjiang autonomous region,and the samples were analyzed by using optical microscopy.The results show that the dominant macerals are vitrinite(av.76.6%) with minor amounts of inertinite(av.18.84%) and low liptinite(av.2.7%),along with low content of mineral matters(av.1.86%).All GI,TPI,VI,GWI values and two facies diagrams indicate that the main coal facies are in limnic area.Meanwhile,the overall petrographic composition and coal facies types indicate that the coal were developed in a strong wet reducing peat accumulating conditions which were the lacustrine marshes.