DILL H.G., TESCHNER M. and WEHNER H. (1991):
Geochemistry and lithofacies of Permo-Carboniferous carbonaceous rocks from
the southwestern edge of the Bohemian Massif (Germany) . A contribution to
facies analysis of continental anoxic environments.- Inter. Journ. Coal. Geol.,
18: 251-291, Amsterdam.
Abstract: The Permo-Carboniferous Schmidgaden, Weiden,
Erbendorf and Stockheim basins from southern Germany host discontinuous seams of
high ash coal and carbargillites which were mined for hard coal, explored for
uranium and only recently have proved their source rock potential for gaseous
and fluid hydrocarbons. Alteration and facies of these carbonaceous beds were
geologically and chemically investigated. During silicification which is
exclusively confined to the carbonaceous interbeds of pyroclastic depositions,
element depletion prograded except for Zn, Pb, U. The anoxic environments under
consideration may be subdivided into fluvial/swamp (Upper Westphalian beds from
Schmidgaden, Weiden, Erbendorf and Stockheim) and lacustrine depositions
(Upper Stephanian and Upper Autunian carbargillites from Erbendorf,
Weiden-Bechtsrieth). SiO2, MgO, CaO, Mo and Zr have proved to be
most suitable for recognition of these environments, whereas, U, K2O
and notably Cu/ Zn are less appropriate. In the ternary plots displaying the
organic chemistry of extracts of these carbonaceous beds fluvial swamps have
low and lacustrine beds high contents of saturated hydrocarbons. All samples
show a pronounced OEP ( =odd even predominance) of n-alkanes which partly are
environment-controlled (terrestrial origin), partly maturity-controlled. The
high iso-and cyclo-alkanes of Schmidgaden and bimodal n-alkyl distribution
point to a contribution of algal material. Finally four basin types bearing
carbonaceous rocks are discussed with respect to their economic potential and
compared with basins elsewhere (Cerilly, Lodeve, St. Hippolyte, Uinta): type I:
intramontane fault-bounded basin (swamp), type II: volcanic-depression with
steep relief (swamps), type III: half graben (lake), type IV:
volcanic-depression with smooth relief (lake). Types I and II are of interest
for hard coal, organic-hosted U-deposits and mainly gasprone; types III and IV,
however, show good source-rock potential for crude oil.