Interpreting the characteristics of coal seams from chemical, physical and petrographic studies of peat deposits

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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate some of the kinds of information about coals that are at present being generated from studies of peat deposits and also to point out some possible new areas of research that might be undertaken in the future. Some notable examples of new ideas about coal seam composition or formation that have been generated from studies of modern peat deposits include: (1) discovery of the probable progenitors of certain coal macerals and elucidation of the processes by which they may have formed; (2) evidence that some types of mineral matter may be dissolved out of peat deposits; (3) verification of the role of marine waters in emplacement of sulphur in peat; (4) discovery of the importance of ‘doming’ in peat deposit development; (5) discovery of a new way to form a split in a coal seam, i.e. development of a ‘fire splay’; (6) elucidation of the mechanisms responsible for producing stratification in coal seams; (7) recognition of the world-wide importance of ‘back-barrier’ coal-forming environments. These kinds of discoveries are important in themselves; however, they can also be shown to have many additional practical applications, especially if woven into models to predict the economic characteristics of coal seams.