Blog Archives

Standardization of Fluorescence Measurement WG

July 20, 2025

Filled under Com II

Introduction

The working group on Standardization of Spectral Fluorescence Measurements was established at the 2015 ICCP meeting in Potsdam as the “Correction Function” working group (ICCP News No. 63) with the objective to obtain comparative results among different laboratories in the measurement of the spectral fluorescence properties of sedimentary organic matter.

Fluorescence spectra from sporinite in subbituminous coal from North Dakota, USA

Objectives

The objective of the Standardization of Spectral Fluorescence Measurements working group (WG) is to standardize spectral fluorescence measurements of sedimentary organic matter. Fluorescence microscopy has been applied to the petrology of sedimentary organic matter since 1936 (Schochardt, 1936; cited in Taylor et al., 1998, p. 407) and the measurement of spectral fluorescence by recording emission intensity from 400–750 nm has grown steadily in importance since the 1970s (Jacob, 1965; van Gijzel, 1967, 1975, 1981; Ottenjann et al., 1975; Ting and Lo, 1975; Alpern, 1976; Teichmüller and Ottenjann, 1977; Ottenjann, 1980; Teichmüller, 1982, 1984; Urbanczyk et al., 2014, Sanei et al., 2024; Nielsen et al., 2025; Zielińska et al., 2025). Spectral fluorescence parameters [e.g., λ_max; red to green ratio Q] can be used to determine thermal maturity in dispersed organic matter, particularly where vitrinite is rare, absent or ambiguous in presentation (Pradier et al., 1988, 1991; Stasiuk, 1994; Thompson-Rizer and Woods, 1987). To obtain comparative results among different laboratories, a standardized procedure is required (e.g., Araujo et al. 1998, 2014).

Historical Activities

The ICCP has a long history of efforts to standardize the measurement of spectral fluorescence of sedimentary organic matter (Kus and Hackley, 2024). Some important milestones include the following:

The Fluorescence-Photometry WG was established in 1972, convened by Dr. H. Jacob, and included members Dr. B. Alpern (France), Dr. L.I. Bogoliubova (former U.S.S.R), Dr. M. Correia (France), Dr. P. van Gijzel (The Netherlands), Dr. H.W. Hagemann (former B.R.D.), Dr. W. Homann (former B.R.D.), Somers (Belgium), Dr. L. Soós (Hungary), and Dr. M. Teichmüller (former B.R.D.).
The Quantitative Fluorescence Microscope-Photometrical Techniques WG was established during the 1979 ICCP Meeting in Urbana (USA) and convened by Dr. P. van Gijzel.
In 1984, Dr. K. Ottenjann took leadership of fluorescence standardisation efforts within a renamed Standardization of Fluorescence Measurement WG and a questionnaire designed to assess methodology was disseminated.
Spectral fluorescence measurements were first performed in an ICCP interlaboratory exercise in 1994 by the Thermal Indices WG in Commission II, convened by Dr. B. Pradier (Baranger et al., 1991, Pradier et al., 1998).
Interlaboratory measurements continued in the Thermal Indices WG using the same calibrated lamps donated to the ICCP by Pradier under Carla Araujo. Exercises were conducted on Alpha torbanite (Araujo et al., 2003), Irati shale, Posidonia shale, Cantabrian shale (Araujo, 2006), and Devonian marine shales from USA (Araujo et al., 2014). The same correction procedure from the calibrated lamps was applied in the interlaboratory exercise conducted in the Concentration of Organic Matter WG convened by Mendonça Filho (Mendonça Filho et al., 2010).
ICCP efforts to standardize spectral fluorescence measurements were picked up by Dr. Ángeles G. Borrego in 2014, whose work focused on the need for a standard reference material to enable a successful common interlaboratory calibration.

The Standardization of Spectral Fluorescence Measurements WG is open to all professionals interested in standardizing the methodology of spectral fluorescence measurements on microscopic organic particles. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Jolanta Kus (Jolanta.Kus@bgr.de), Paul Hackley (phackley@usgs.gov), or Maria Ángeles Gómez Borrego (angeles@incar.csic.es).

Activities

2015 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Potsdam – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes of Commission II – ICCP News No. 63, p. 26, November 2015

2017 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Bucharest – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes of Commission II – ICCP News No. 69, p. 33, May 2017

2019 Activities

ICCP Meeting, The Hague – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes of Commission II – ICCP News No. 75, p. 13, December 2019

2023 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Patras – Presentation of summary of activities

Minutes of Commission II – ICCP News No. 87, p. 20, December 2023

2024 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Oviedo – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes of Commission II – ICCP News No. 90, p. 18-19, December 2024
Preparation of preliminary test on blank epoxy resins, BAM standard, and ICCP calibration lamp 2B

2025 Activities

Conduction of preliminary test on blank epoxy resins with BAM standard, and ICCP calibration lamp 2B

References

Alpern, B., 1976. Fluorescence-et reflectance de lamatière organique disperse et evolution des sédiments. Bull. Centre Rech., Pau (SNPA) 10, 201–220.

Araujo, C.V., Vieth-Redemann, A., Pradier, B., Kalkreuth,W., Gomez Borrego, A., Gurba, L., Hagemann, H., Hufnagel, W., Koch, M., Kuili, J., Laggoun-Defarge, F., Lo, H., Newman, J., Spanic, D., Suarez-Ruiz, I., Thompson-Rizer, C., 1998. Interlaboratory exercise on the application of microspectral fluorescence measurements as maturity parameters. Rev. Latinoam. Geoquim. Org. 4, 41–49.

Araujo, C.V., Barbanti, S.M., Condé, V.C., Kalkreuth, W., Macedo, A.C., Newman, J., Pickel, W., Stasiuk, L., Volk, H., 2003. Thermal Indices Working Group — summary of the 2002 round robin exercise. ICCP News 29, 5–12.

Araujo, C.V., 2006. Thermal Indices Working Group – Exercise Year 2005. ICCP News 37, 17–28.

Araujo, C. V., Borrego, A. G., Cardott, B., das Chagas, R. B. A., Flores, D., Gonçalves, P., Hackley, P. C., Hower, J. C., Kern, M. L., Kus, J., Mastalerz, M., Mendonça Filho, J. G., Mendonça, J. O., Menezes, T. R., Newman, J., Suarez-Ruiz, I., da Silva, F. S., de Souza, I. V., 2014. Petrographic maturity parameters of a Devonian shale maturation series, Appalachian Basin, USA. ICCP Thermal Indices Working Group interlaboratory exercise. Int. J. Coal Geol. 130, 89–101.

Baranger, R., Martinez, L., Pittion, J.-l., Pouleau, J., 1991. A new calibration procedure for fluorescence measurements of sedimentary organic matter. Org. Geochem. 17, 467–475.

Jacob, H., 1965. Neue Rrkenntnisse auf dem Gebiet der lumineszenzmikroskopie fossiler Brennstoffe. Fortschr. Geol. Rheinl. 12, 569–588.

Kus, J., Hackley, P.C., 2024. Standardisation efforts in fluorescence spectroscopy. In: Borrego, A.G. (ed.), The 75th ICCP Meeting: A Commemorative Book: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Carbono, International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology, Oviedo, Spain, 22–28 September 2024, pp. 99–107.

Mendonça Filho, J.G.; Araujo, C. V.; Borrego, A. G.; Cook, A.; Flores, D.; Hackley, P.; Hower, J.; Kern, M. L.; Kommeren, C.J.; Kus, J.; Mastalerz, M.; Mendonça, J.O.; Menezes, T. R.; Newman, J.; Ranasinghe, P.; Souza, I. V. A. F.; Suarez-Ruiz, I; Ujiié, Y., 2010 Effect of concentration on maturity optical parameters of dispersed organic components. Interlaboratory results of the organic matter concentration working group of the ICCP. Int. J. Coal Geol. 84, 154-165.

Nielsen, S.B., Hagelskjær, A., Sanei, H., 2025. Relationship between vitrinite reflectance, fluoresence red/green quotients, apatite fission tracks and temperature by joint inversion of three wells. Internationals Journal of Coal Geology 104832.

Ottenjann, K., 1980. Spektrale Fluoreszenzmikroskopie von Kohlen und Ölschiefern. Leitz-Mitt. Wiss. Tech. 8, 262–272.

Ottenjann, K., Teichmüller, M., Wolf, M., 1975. Spectral fluorescence measurements of sporinites in reflected light and their applicability for coalification studies. In: Alpern, B. (Ed.), Pétrographie de la matiere organique des sediments. Relations avec la paleotemperature et le potential pétrolier. CNRS, Paris, pp. 49–65.

Pradier, B., Bertrand, P., Martinez, L., Laggoun-Defarge, F., Pittion, J.L., 1988. Microfluoremetry applied to organic diagenesis study. Org. Geochem. 13 (4–6), 1163–1167.

Pradier, B., Bertrand, P., Martinez, L., Laggoun-Defarge, F., Pittion, J.L., 1991. Fluorescence of organic matter and thermal maturity assessment. Org. Geochem. 17 (4), 511–524.

Pradier, B., Vieth-Redemann, A., Araujo, C., Kalkreuth, W., Borrego, A.G., Hagemann, H. Hufnagel, W., Koch, M., Kuili, J., Laggoun-Defarge, F., Newman, J., Petersen, H., Spanic, D., Stasiuk, L., Suárez Ruiz, I., Thompson-Rizer, C., Wang, J., Wilkins R., 1998. ICCP Interlaboratory exercise on the application of microspectralfluorescence measurements as maturity parameter. Latin American Congress on Organic Geochemistry. Margarita Island, Venezuela,18-21 October, 1998.

Sanei, H., Hagelskjær, O., Petersen, H.I., Rudra, A., Nielsen S.B., Lorant, F., Gelin, F., 2024. A complex case of thermal maturity assessment in a terrigenous sedimentary system: The Northwestern Black Sea basin. International Journal of Coal Geology 104496.

Stasiuk, L.D., 1994. Fluorescence properties of Paleozoic oil-prone alginite in relation to hydrocarbon generation, Williston basin, Saskatchewan, Canada. Mar. Pet. Geol. 11 (2), 219–231.

Taylor, G.H., Teichmüller, M., Davis, A., Diessel, C.F.K., Littke, R., Robert, P., 1998. Organic Petrology, Gebruder Borntraeger, Berlin (704 pp.).

Teichmüller, M., 1982. Fluoreszenz von Liptiniten und Vitriniten in Beziehung zu Inkohlungsgrad und Verkokungsverhalten. Geologisches Landesamt Nordhein-Westfalen, Krefeld. 119 pp.

Teichmüller, M., 1984. Fluorescence-microscopical changes of liptinites and vitrinites during coalification and their relationship to bitumen generation and coking behavior. (Translated from German by Neely Bostik) as Fluorescence-microscopical changes of liptinites and vitrinites during coalification and their relationship to bitumen generation and coking behavior. The Society for Organic Petrology Special Publication No. 1 (73 pp.).

Teichmüller, M., Ottenjann, K., 1977. Liptinite und lipoid Stoffe in einem Erdölmutterdestein. Erdöl Kohle 30, 387–398.

Thompson-Rizer, C.L. and Woods, R.A., 1987. Microspectrofluorescence measurements of coals and petroleum source rocks. Int. J. Coal Geol. 7, 85–104.

Ting, F.T.C., Lo, H.B., 1975. Fluorescence characteristics of thermoaltered exinite (sporinites). Fuel 54, 201–204.

Urbanczyk J., Fernandez Casado M.A., Díaz T.E., Heras P, Infante M, Borrego A.G., 2014 Spectral fluorescence variability of pollen and spores from recent peat-forming plants. International Journal of Coal Geology 131, 263-274.

van Gijzel, P., 1967. Autofluorescence of fossil pollen and spores with special reference to age determination and coalification. Leidse. Geol. Meded. 40, 263–317.

van Gijzel, P., 1975. Polychromatic UV-fluorescence microphotometry of fresh and fossil plant substances, with special reference to the location and identification of dispersed organic material in rocks. In: Alpern, B. (Ed.), Pétrographie de la matiere organique des sediments. Relations avec la paleotemperature et le potential pétrolier. CNRS, Paris, pp. 67–91.

van Gijzel, P., 1981. Applications of the geomicrophotometry of kerogen, solid hydrocarbons and crude oils to petroleum exploration. In: Brooks, J. (Ed.), Organic Maturation Studies and Fossil Fuel Exploration. Academic Press, London, pp. 351–377.

Zielińska, M., Kus, J., Mendonça Filho, J.G., Szram, E., Blumenberg, M., Fabianska, M., 2025. Middle Jurassic black shale deposits from the Pieniny Klippen Belt, Western Carpathians: Insights into organic matter composition, thermal maturity, depositional, and palaeoenvironmental variations. International Journal of Coal Geology 104772.

Geological Application of Graptolite Reflectance

July 29, 2023

Filled under Com II

Introduction

The working group on Geological Application of Graptolite Reflectance was established in the 2022 ICCP New Delhi conference. Graptolite reflectance (GR) is the most significant thermal index for establishing thermal maturation in pre-Devonian rocks, and is needed to integrate this work into the efforts of the ICCP.

Fig. 1 Photomicrograph showing the binary structure of graptolite periderm in well-preserved fossils in sample EST3008 under reflected white-light.

Objectives

At the ICCP Meeting in New Delhi, several potential objectives were put forward, including:

1) To test the graptolite reflectance anomaly from one sedimentary basin.

2) To investigate the relationship between graptolite reflectance and other geochemical maturity indicators.

The new WG will be cooperating with the Classification and Terminology of Zooclasts in old sediments WG of Commission I to enable successful activities within both WGs.

Aims

With the work from all the participants and results comparison, we aim to standardize the geological application of graptolite reflectance.

Fig. 2 Granular graptolite (GG) and non-granular graptolite (NGG) observed in the same microscopic view.

Related References

Zheng, X., Schovsbo, N.H., Luo, Q., Wu, J., Zhong, N., Goodarzi, F. and Sanei, H., 2022. Graptolite reflectance anomaly. International Journal of Coal Geology, 261, p.104072.

Activities

2022 Activities

ICCP Meeting, New Delhi – Proposal for Graptolite WG in Commission II
Proposal to establish new ICCP WG in the Commission II – ICCP News No. 84 December 2022.

2023 Activities

Preparation of 2023 Graptolite WG round robin exercise on graptolite from Ottenby Alum shale, Öland, Sweden.

2024Activities

2024 Graptolite WG round robin exercise on graptolite from Ottenby Alum shale, Öland, Sweden.
ICCP Meeting, Oviedo – Proposal for Graptolite WG in Commission II – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 90, p. 20, December 2024

Radiolytical alteration of the organic matter in coal and rocks enriched in radioactive minerals

April 20, 2023

Filled under Com I

Introduction

Association of uranium with the organic matter have been studied for more than ninety years, e.g.: in bitumens (Ellsworth, 1928a, b; Parnell, 1993; England et al., 2001), bituminous coal (Kříbek et al., 2017; Sýkorová et al., 2016; Eskenazy and Velichkov, 2012), lignite (Havelcová et al. 2014; Rallakis et al., 2019), shales (Lecomte et al., 2017; Liu et al., 2020).

Uranium minerals usually occur as inclusions of nanometer to micrometer size, often homogeneously dispersed in the organic matrix.
Uranium derived from hydrothermal fluids concentrates in urano-organic complexes by adsorption, or by reduction of uranyl complexes; later, U may precipitate in a form of uraninite and other minerals.
Long-lasting association of U with bitumen or coal macerals leads to damage of the organic matter. The main alteration processes of organic matter due to the presence of U comprise oxidation, biodegradation, radiolysis, and thermal degradation. During radiolysis α and β particles, and γ rays are emitted from mineral grains containing U and Th and their daughter products.

Petrographic evidences of radiolytical alteration

Unaltered/weakly altered bitumen with a group of halos

Reflectance values in bitumen or coal increase and fluorescence intensity decreases with increase in U concentration (Breger, 1974; Parnell, 1993; Smieja-Król et al., 2009);
Bright aureoles (circles and ellipses under microscope) – halos appearing in macerals around uranium minerals;
Bright areas, or irregular zones, and zones forming around veins in organic matter (Jedwab, 1966; Gentry et al., 1976, Leventhal et al., 1986; Sýkorová et al., 2016; Machovič et al., 2021; Havelcová et al., 2022).
Structural breakdown and chemical alteration of organic matter.

Studying of the morphology, structures and properties of the uraniferous organic matter in sedimentary rocks is a very important topic, mainly in geological, nuclear and environmental research fields, that are focused on radioactive materials and wastes.

Aims of the WG

Petrological identification and definition of microscopical textures of radiolytic alteration of organic matter (bitumens, coal macerals, dispersed organic matter) with potential suitability for the ICCP Classification.
To determine the range of (critical) uranium concentrations at which the degradation processes of organic matter begin to appear, resulting in increasing light reflectance and formation of zones around radioactive minerals.
To determine the basic types of the bright areas around radioactive minerals: halos, bright zones around cracks and veins, and the others. On this base, the system of distinct optical structures will be developed.

References

Breger, I.A., 1974. The role of organic matter in the accumulation of uranium: the organic geochemistry of the coal-uranium association. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): IAEA.
Ellsworth, H., 1928a. Thucholite, a remarkable primary carbon mineral from the vicinity of Parry Sound, Ontario. Am. Mineral. 13, 419-441.
Ellsworth, H., 1928b. Thucholite and uraninite from Wallingford Mine, near Buckingham, Quebec. Am. Mineral. 13, 442-448.
Eskenazy, G.M., Velichkov, D., 2012. Radium in Bulgarian coals. Int. J. Coal Geol. 94, 296-301.
England, G.L., Rasmussen, B., Krapež, B., Groves, D.J., 2021. The origin of uraninite, bitumen nodules, and carbo seams in Witwatersrand gold-uranium-pyrite oree deposits based on a permo-Triassic analogue. Econ. Geol., 96, 1907-1920.
Gentry, R.V., 1976. Radiohalos in coalified wood. New evidence relating to the time uranium introduction and coalification. Science, 194, 315-318.
Havelcová, M., Machovič, V., Mizera, J., Sýkorová, I., Borecká, L., Kopecký, L., 2014. A multi-instrumental geochemical study of anomalous uranium enrichment in coal. J. Env. Rad. 137, 52-63.
Havelcová, M., Machovič, V., Mizera,J., Sýkorová, I., René, M., Borecká, L., Lapčák, L., Bičáková, O., Janeček, O., Dvořák, Z., 2016. Structural changes in amber due to uranium mineralization. J. Environ. Radioactiv. 158–159, 89–101.
Havelcová, M., Sýkorová, I., René, M., Mizera, J., Coubal, M., Machovič, V., Strunga, V., Goliáš, V., 2022. Geology and petrography of uraniferous bitumens in Permo-Carboniferous sediments (Vrchlabí, Czech Republic). Minerals, 12, 544, 1-19.
Jedwab, J. 1966. Significance and use of optimal phenomenon in uraniferous caustobioliths. In: Coal Science, Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.119-132.
Kříbek, B., Sýkorová, I., Veselovský, F., Laufek, F., Malec, J., Knésl, I., Majer, V., 2017. Trace element geochemistry of self-burning and weathering of a mineralized coal waste dump: The Novátor mine, Czech Republic. Int. J. Coal Geol., 173, 158-175.
Lecomte, A., Cathelineau, M., Michels, R., Peiffert, C., Brouand, M., 2017. Uranium mineralization in the Alum Shale Formation (Sweden): Evolution of U-rich marine black shale from sedimentation to metamorphism. Ore Geol. Rev., 88, 71-98.
Leventhal, J.S., Daws, T.A., Frye, J.S., 1986. Organic geochemical analysis of sedimentary organic matter associated with uranium. Appl. Geochem., 1, 241-247.
Liu, B., Mastalerz, M., Schieber, J., Teng, J., 2020. Association of uranium with macerals in marine black shales: Insights from the Upper devonian New Albany Shale, Illinois Basin. Int. Coal Geol., 217, 103351.
Machovič V., Havelcová M., Sýkorová I., Borecká L., Lapčák L., Mizera J., Kříbek B., Krist P., 2021. Raman mapping of coal halos induced by uranium mineral radiation. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 246, 2021; 118996.
Parnell, J., 1993. Chemical age dating of hydrocarbon migration using uraniferous bitumens, Czech-Polish Border Region. In J. Parnell et al. (eds). Bitumens in Ore Deposits. Springer-Verlag Berlin – Heidelberg, 510-517.
Rallakis, D., Michels, R., Brouand, M., Parize, O., Cathelineau, M., 2019. The role of organic matter on uranium precipitation in Zoovch Ovoo, Mongolia. Minerals, 9, 310.
Smieja-Król, B., Duber, S., Rouzaud, J.-N., 2009. Multiscale organisation of organic matter associated with gold and uranium minerals in the Witwatersrand basin, South Afrika. Int. J. Coal Geol. 78, 77-88.
Sýkorová, I., Kříbek, B., Havelcová, M., Machovič, V., Špaldoňová, A., Lapčák, L., Knésl, I., Blažek, J., 2016. Radiation- and self-ignition induced alterations of Permian uraniferous coal from the abandoned Novátor mine waste dump (Czech Republic). Int. J. Coal Geol. 168, 162–178.
Taylor, G.H., Teichmüller, M., Davis, A., Diessel, C.F.K., Littke, R., Robert, P., 1998. Organic Petrology. Gebrüder Borntraeger, Berlin-Stuttgart.

Microscopic constituents in solid residues from households combustion

October 12, 2021

Filled under Com III

Introduction

Currently, numerous studies on the possible co-combustion of waste and biomass, based on the analysis of ash from household furnaces, are being carried out. These studies are based on physico-chemical analysis. Determining optically recognizable characteristic residues in ashes from unwanted additives burned with fuels will complete and simplify these analyzes. This will also allow the identification of components that were previously impossible or very difficult to detect.

Based on preliminary petrographic analysis of grill fuels and biomass (pellets, chips, cuttings, shredded wood), photographs of optically identified undesirable components, such as fossil coal, crude oil, coke, coal-pitch, plastics, glass, slag, rust, metals, stone powder (thermally unchanged mineral matter), in these products were taken. As a result of these analyzes, a catalog of the abovementioned impurities that can be determined in both thermally processed and unprocessed biomass (charcoal) was developed.

Examples of microscopic constituents in solid residues from households combustion

The purpose of the exercise is to optically identify the quality and quantity of components found in ashes obtained from household furnaces. Optical examination of ashes obtained from boilers and furnaces combined with their physical and chemical analysis will allow determining the quality of fuels used in domestic furnaces after their combustion. This will also allow identifying and eliminating contaminated fuels produced from biomass and used in household furnaces.

Activity:

2019-2021: Preparation of Round Robin Exercise based on microphotographs of ashes obtained from a class 5 central heating and water boiler fed with biomass (pellets), charcoal, and charcoal briquettes (charcoal and charcoal briquettes was burned in the grill).

Selected references:

I. Suárez-Ruiz, B. Valentim, A.G. Borrego, A. Bouzinos, D. Flores, S. Kalaitzidis, M.L. Malinconico, M. Marques, M. Misz-Kennan, G. Predeanu, J.R. Montes, S. Rodrigues, G. Siavalas, N. Wagner, 2017. Development of a petrographic classification of fly-ash components from coal combustion and co-combustion. (An ICCP Classification System, Fly-Ash Working Group – Commission III.). International Journal of Coal Geology, vol. 183, 188-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2017.06.004.
J. Wilcox, B. Wang, E. Rupp, R. Taggart, H. Hsu-Kim, M. L. S. Oliveira, C. M. N. L. Cutruneo, S. Taffarel, L. F. O. Silva, S. D. Hopps, G. A. Thomas, J. C. Hower, 2015. Observations and Assessment of Fly Ashes from High-Sulfur Bituminous Coals and Blends of High-Sulfur Bituminous and Subbituminous Coals: Environmental Processes Recorded at the Macro- and Nanometer Scale. Energy & Fuels, vol. 29, no. 11, 7168-7177. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b02033#
J. Horák, L Kuboňová, S. Bajer, M. Dej, F. Hopan, K. Krpec, T. Ochodek, 2019. Composition of ashes from the combustion of solid fuels and municipal waste in households. Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 248, 109269, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109269
Z. Jelonek, A. Drobniak, M. Mastalerz, I. Jelonek, 2020. Assessing pellet fuels quality: A novel application for reflected light microscopy. International Journal of Coal Geology, vol. 222, 103433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2020.103433
Z. Jelonek, A. Drobniak, M. Mastalerz, I. Jelonek, 2020. Environmental implications of the quality of charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal used for grilling. Science of The Total Environment, vol. 747, 141267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141267
A. Drobniak, Z. Jelonek, M. Mastalerz, I. Jelonek, 2021. Atlas of charcoal-based grilling fuels components. Indiana Journal of Earth Sciences, vol. 3. https://doi.org/10.14434/ijes.v3i1.31905 https://data.igws.indiana.edu/pages/search.php?k=ce4dccd7d5&search=%21collection175
A. Drobniak, Z. Jelonek, M. Mastalerz, I. Jelonek. Atlas of wood pellet components. Indiana University Bloomington. https://data.igws.indiana.edu/pages/search.php?k=ce4dccd7d5&search=%21collection144

Optimization of reflectance measurements on complex blends WG

October 11, 2021

Filled under Com III

During 66th Annual meeting of ICCP at Kolkata during 20-27 September, 2014 the Optimization of reflectance measurements on complex blends working group (WG) was constituted to study the vitrinite reflectance values of complex blends aimed for precise industrial usage. The aim is to reduce and optimise the number of counts of vitrinite reflectance from 1000 (as per ISO standards-7404, part V) to a lower but reproducible number. Some analysts use 500, but the standard has not yet been revised.

Activities in individual years and publications:

To date (2021)

4 complex coal blend samples using 4 coal samples from 3 different countries (viz. USA, Mozambique, and India) were prepared and distributed at the 2018 ICCP meeting in Brisbane.
Participants were asked to prepare polished pellets for analysis of random reflectance Rvo as per ISO -7404 procedures
In each polished coal pellet, counts for reflectance measurements at 100 measurement intervals up to 1000 vitrinite grains.
Results have come in at varying rates, as it is a time-consuming exercise, and it is proposed that the exercise will be completed by July 2022 for discussion at the ICCP meeting in New Delhi.

The conveners thank Ms Priya Kumari, CSIR-CIMFR (Associate Member, ICCP) for providing the coal samples (Indigenous and imported) from her samples under PhD for our exercise on Complex Coal Blend Reflectance.

Pseudovitrinite Working Group

February 27, 2020

Filled under Com II

Background

Pseudovitrinite in high-volatile bituminous coal of the Gunnedah Basin, New South Wales, Australia (Photo L.W. Gurba). Width of field 22 um, reflected light, oil immersion. Note small grains of pyrite in some slit openings. (From Gurba and Ward, 1998).

The Pseudovitrinite Working Group is concerned with investigating the precise nature and properties of the material referred to as pseudovitrinite, and with the need for its recognition in rank studies and coal utilization. The term pseudovitrinite was introduced by Benedict, Thompson, Shigo & Aikman (1968) to describe vitrinite-like material in Appalachian coals which displays higher than collotelinite (former telocollinite) reflectance, slitted structure, remnant cellular structure and an absence of pyrite inclusions. During the coking process pseudovitrinite was regarded as poorly reactive.

According to the ICCP System (1994), related terms for collotelinite include:

‘Vitrinite A’ (Brown et al., 1964), and

Pseudovitrinite (Benedict et al., 1968).

According to ICCP System 1994, the so-called pseudovitrinite is derived from similar plant material as collotelinite. Its reflectance is somewhat higher than that of telinite and collotelinite in the same coal. It may show some cell structure and typically has small slits (‘comma-slits’) and serrated fragment margins.

The reflectance of collotelinite (ICCP System 1994) is used widely as an index of the rank of coal, and also of organic matter in sediments. This implies that “so-called pseudovitrinite” (if present) should be included in routine vitrinite reflectance determinations. Work on the high-volatile coals in the Gunnedah Basin, Australia (Gurba and Ward, 1996, 1998, 1999) suggests for example that, if followed, this will result in abnormally high reflectance values in coals where the pseudovitrinite material is abundant.

However, it should be noted that Pseudovitrinite is not classified as a maceral in accordance to the nomenclature enclosed in the ICCP System 1994 and published by ICCP (1998). It is not enclosed in the ISO 7404-1:2016.

Objectives of the Pseudovitrinite Working Group 1996-2004

The objectives of the Pseudovitrinite Working Group, established in 1996 [with input from Marlies Teichmuller, Harold Smith, Neely Bostick, Alan Davis, Wolfgang Kalkreuth, and others] and reconfirmed at the ICCP’s Wellington meeting in 1997 are to:

Confirm existing and to further develop an acceptable series of defining criteria for this material, so that it can be distinguished in some way from other forms of vitrinite;
Evaluate the significance of the material in coal rank studies.
Determine of the in situ chemistry of this and other macerals of the vitrinite group;
Further study of the origin of pseudovitrinite.
Evaluate the properties and behaviour of the material in industrial applications.
Determination of its technological properties (optional).
A critical re-appraisal of the use of the name “pseudovitrinite” in general, and in publications in particular.

Complementary research suggested included:

Round Robin Exercise: identification of pseudovitrinite and the measurement of the reflectance of different vitrinite macerals;
In-situ chemistry of vitrinite and other macerals using electron microprobe);
Etching techniques;
Micro hardness.

A letter from L. Benedict, strongly supporting the working groups program for the study of pseudovitrinite was received in February 1997.

Identification Criteria of Pseudovitrinite

The original definition of pseudovitrinite by Benedict et al. (1968) set out the following criteria for its distinguishing from other vitrinites:

Primary importance

Greater reflectance from polished surfaces in oil
Slitted structures
Remnant cellular structures

Secondary importance:

Uncommon fracture patterns, dendritic or brecciated fractures, serrated fractures on particles edges, wedge-shaped fractures, relief fractures,
Higher relief in polished section
Paucity or absence of pyritic inclusions

Deliverables

A bibliography of published papers, unpublished open file reports, abstracts from symposia, and unpublished data:

Status: 1^st Draft completed (August 2019). It will be available from the ICCP website.

Atlas of pseudovitrinite microphotographs:

Status: completed; it will be uploaded to the ICCP website.

Scientific Publications:

(a) ICCP Pseudovitrinite Handbook –

Status: 1^st draft finalized (L. Gurba, J. Kus and M. Misz-Kennan); it will be circulated to the PSV WkGr members for further input and review. It is planned to submit for publication in the International Journal of Coal Geology by the end of 2019.

(b) Pseudovitrinite – An appraisal of the work carried-out by the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP). Lila W. Gurba, A. Harold V. Smith, Barbara Kwiecinska and others.

Status: the 1^st draft completed. It will be presented at the ICCP meeting in September 2019. It is planned to submit for publication in the International Journal of Coal Geology by the end of 2019.

References

Benedict, L.G., Thompson, R.R., Shigo, J.J. and Aikman, R.P., 1968. Pseudovitrinite in Appalachian coking coals. Fuel, 47, 125-143.

Gurba, L. W. & Ward, 1966. Proposal for a Pseudovitrinite Working Group. Presented at ICCP meeting in Heerlen, Holland, 1996. This report includes extensive background notes on the subject.

Gurba, L. W., & Ward, C. R. (1998). Vitrinite reflectance anomalies in the high-volatile bituminous coals of the Gunnedah Basin, New South Wales, Australia. International Journal of Coal Geology, 36(1-2), 111-140. doi:10.1016/S0166-5162(97)00033-5

Gurba, L. W., & Ward, C. R. (1999). The nature of pseudovitrinite in Gunnedah Basin coals, NSW, Australia. Romanian Journal of Mineralogy, 79(1), 7-8.

International Committee for Coal Petrology (ICCP), 1998. The new vitrinite classification (ICCP System 1994). Fuel 77 (5), 349–358.

Smith, A.H.V, 1980. An appraisal of the work carried out on pseudovitrinite by the ICCP and the direction of future work, unpublished.

Activities

1966-1980 Activities:

Investigation of pseudovitrinite by ICCP was begun in 1966, but due to a certain amount of controversy and international disagreement about defining criteria, activity ceased around 1971. A historical account of the work carried out by the ICCP during this period was reported by A.H.V. Smith (1980) in a report entitled An appraisal of the work carried out on pseudovitrinite by the ICCP and the direction of future work. No further work was conducted on the material by ICCP, however, for 15 years after that time.

1996-2008 Activities:

Interest in pseudovitrinite was rekindled in 1996 at the ICCP meeting in Heerlen, Holland

[https://www.iccop.org/documents/iccp-news-14.pdf/], following a report presented by Gurba and Ward (1996). A new Pseudovitrinite Working Group was formed at that meeting, with responsibility to investigate the nature and properties of the material and develop appropriate recognition criteria. A total of twenty two members were involved between 1996-2003 in the activities of the group.

2012-2020

The Pseudovitrinite Working Group was reactivated in 2012 with the main goal to deliver a White Paper on Pseudovitrinite, headed by Lila Gurba, Jolanta Kus, Magdalena Misz-Kennan and other members of the Working Group [https://www.iccop.org/documents/iccp-news-no-63-2.pdf/].

2012 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Beijing – Presentation of summary of activities.
ICCP News 2012, 54, p. 18

2013 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Sosnowiec – Presentation of summary of activities.
ICCP News 2013, 56, p. 21-22

2014 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Kolkata – No progress has been reported

2015 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Potsdam – Presentation of summary of activities.
ICCP News 2015, 63, p. 25-26

2016 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Houston – No progress has been reported

2017 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Bucharest – No progress has been reported

2018 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Brisbane – No progress has been reported

2019 Activities:

ICCP Meeting, Den Hague – Presentation of summary of activities.
ICCP News 2019, 75, p. 14
Summary of former activities
Pseudovitrinite – An appraisal of the work carried-out by the ICCP
Pseudovitrinite-Short Handbook
Pseudovitrinite – A Critical Review

2020 Activities

Updates of the webpage

2021 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Prague – Presentation of summary of activities.
ICCP News 2021, 81, p. 11

2022 Activities

ICCP Meeting, New Dehli – No progress has been reported

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)

October 22, 2017

Filled under Com II

Objectives

Fluorescence of Tasmanites in Upper Devonian Ohio Shale, Lower Huron Member, observed via CLSM.

The objective of the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy working group (CLSM WG) was to investigate applications of confocal laser scanning microscopy in organic petrology. The working group was established within the ICCP Commission II in 2015 at the ICCP Meeting in Potsdam and finalized during the 2021 ICCP Meeting in Prague. The WG was open to all interested persons with an access to confocal laser scanning microscopes.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) has been applied to the petrology of sedimentary organic matter since the late 1990s (e.g., Wang et al., 1997; Stasiuk, 1999a,b; Stasiuk et al.,1998; Stasiuk and Sanei, 2001; Liu and Xiao,1991; Stasiuk and Fowler, 2004; Xiao et al., 2002; Munoz and Mikula, 2002; Bourdet et al., 2010; Hongwei et al., 2010; Kuili et al., 1999; Kus et al., 2012; Kus, 2015). Primary applications include non-destructive 2-D and 3-D imaging at high resolution. Fluorescence spectroscopy using CLSM has been applied as a thermal maturity parameter and showed strong agreement with results from conventional fluorescence microscopy (Hackley et al., 2013; Hackley and Kus, 2015). CLSM also was used to investigate fluorescence emission as a function of excitation laser wavelength, sample orientation, and with respect to location within individual organic entities and in transects across bedded organic matter (Hackley et al., 2020), and as a tool for better understanding of the nature of the bituminite maceral (Hackley et al., 2022). These studies have suggested qualitative and quantitative applications of CLSM have broad and underutilized potential within the field of coal and organic petrology.

Interested parties are encouraged to contact the former conveners of the working group Paul Hackley (phackley@usgs.gov) and Jolanta Kus (j.kus@bgr.de) to find out more about applications of confocal laser scanning microscopy in organic petrology.

Activities

2015 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Potsdam – Proposal for CLSM WG in Commission II
Proposal to establish new ICCP WG in the Commission II – ICCP News No. 63 November 2015

2020 Activities

Hackley et al 2020 IJCG (non ICCP members please contact Paul Hackley, phackley@usgs.gov)

2021 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Prague – Presentation of summary of activities
Update from CLSM WG – ICCP News No. 79 May 2021
2021 Final Report of the CLSM WG

2022 Activities

1. Hackley et al 2022 IJCG
2. Finalization of CLSM WG – ICCP News No. 82 April 2022
3. “ICCP Meeting, New Delhi – Finalization of WG activities

Liquefaction Residues Classification Working Group

January 11, 2016

Filled under Com III

General information

Liquefaction is the conversion of coal to liquids and can be carried out in terms of hydrogenation (direct liquefaction), pyrolysis and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (indirect liquefaction). Thereby, pyrolysis takes a unique position since it is not only an independent method for upgrading solid fuels, but also the initial step of most conversion processes (e.g. combustion, gasification and even hydrogenation).

Cenosphere filled with coagulant material and liquid product; bright field, fluorescence mode with blue-light excitation (photomicrograph: Hamann et al., 2014)

Since understanding the very complex pyrolysis behaviour of the different coal macerals enables the possibility of predicting the course and efficiency of the technological pyrolysis process, this knowledge is of prime importance. A first approach to this can be given by a systematic examination of the micropetrography of solid residues.

In other coal utilization processes, like combustion or gasification, such applied organic petrology is already far advanced and demonstrated its high potential. And even for the hydrogenation process a classification system was developed and published by the ICCP in 1993. But although both processes – pyrolysis as well as hydrogenation – are used to generate liquids from coal in the absence of air, this classification cannot be directly transferred to pyrolysis residues. The reason for that are the highly divergent process conditions between hydrogenation (reactive atmosphere at high pressure with a hydrogen donator) and pyrolysis (inert or reactive atmosphere without any additional reaction agent at relatively low pressures).

Because of that, the published classification systems for hydrogenation residues of the ICCP (1993) should be expanded with a view to classifying the residues of hydrogenation as well as pyrolysis by the same criteria and nomenclature. Thereby, a classification system could be established, which enables the direct comparison of two technological important but very different processes.

Objectives

The Liquefaction Residues Classification Working Group is based on the research activity of the ICCP in the 1980s dealing with the micropetrography of hydrogenation residues. After finalizing a classification system for them in 1993, a continuation of the working group was proposed by Isabel Suárez-Ruiz on the ICCP-Meeting in Sosnowiec, Poland, in 2013. But this nomination was refused by the ICCP because of the assumed lack of relevance. During the meeting in Potsdam in 2015 the importance of the solid residue analysis and classification were shown again by a submitted poster about this topic. Therefore, the proposal was renewed by Isabel Suárez-Ruiz and Henny Gerschel, presented to the ICCP and accepted.

Mesophase-derived secondary semicoke; white reflected light with crossed nicols and λ-plate (photomicrograph: Hamann et al., 2014).

The general objective of the Liquefaction Residues Classification Working Group is to investigate the microscopic components of coal liquefaction residues and to and draw conclusions for technical process optimization.

For the microscopic investigations, more than 300 samples from soft brown coal conversion are already available. These samples originate from different research projects of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany). About 200 of them were prepared from one special brown coal sample from the main seam of the lignite open pit near Schöningen, Germany. The pyrolysis experiments were carried out in four different lab-scaled testing plants representing a broad spectrum of process conditions:

Process temperature: 300 to 1,100 °C
Particle size: 40 µm to 6.3 mm
Heating rate: 5 K/min to about 7,000 K/s
Holding time: zero to 5 h
Pressure: 1 to 60 bar
Atmospheric composition: inert (100 % N2 or Ar), reactive (100 % H2) or mixed (70 % H2, 30 % Ar and vice versa)
Rector type: fixed bed vs. high pressurized drop tube

Due to the fact, that all experiments were conducted using the same raw coal, the solid residues are highly comparable and the influence of different process parameters on the pyrolysis can be outlined.

For comparing these pyrolysis residues to those of the hydrogenation process, about 100 further samples from direct liquefaction are also available. These were prepared from different brown coal lithotypes from seam 1 in the lignite open pit mine Schleenhain, Germany. For these three lithotypes (black, brown or yellow) the process temperature was varied from 300 to 450 °C. All these experiments were carried out in the same lab-scaled autoclave for a holding time of 30 min under a pressure of 101 bar and adding 2 % of a catalyst. Just for simulating the case of average, in some tests the H2-donator as well as the hydrogen in the atmosphere was omitted. Because of this, the experiments show the influence of the coal lithotype on the hydrogenation process.

Together, both experimental series provide the possibility to compare the behaviour of lignites in hydrogenation and pyrolysis by investigating their solid residues. To get deeper insights to the processing of high rank coals, additional samples would be necessary. Unfortunately, further experiments at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany) are no longer possible.

Primary semicoke, pores probably formed by prompt release of liptinites (“Foamy semicoke”); bright field, fluorescence mode with blue-light excitation (photomicrograph: Hamann et al., 2014).

Previous activities

In 2016 already published classification systems for solid process residues, including that of the ICCP of 1993 were compiled and reviewed.

In 2017 a first draft to the classification of liquefaction residues was outlined. This draft includes a generally nomenclature of the microscopic components of solid liquefaction residues as well as a description of their optical appearance. Since these components serve also as indicators for the course and efficiency of the technological process, possible indications for process optimization are also derived.

Requests among WG members between 2017 and 2020, as well as outside of ICCP, for additional samples for a round robin excursion did not yield any new sample material.

Outlook

The next step is to develop and establish petrographic criteria that will allow solid liquefaction residues to be identified and classified (determination scheme).

Based on this, a round-robin exercise is to be worked out using photomicrographs from the above-mentioned samples from the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (taken under reflected, polarized and fluorescence light). This serves to check and, if necessary, to improve the draft and the determination scheme.

Finally, an atlas including all analysed and classified residues should be developed.

Pyrolytic carbon; white reflected light with crossed nicols and λ-plate (photomicrograph: H. Gerschel).

Literature

Hamann, H., Volkmann, N., Vogt, K., Burkhardt, S., 2014. Micropetrographic classification of solid residues from lignite upgrading with the reflected light microscope. Chem. Ing. Techn. 86 (10), 1797-1805. doi: 10.1002/cite.201300160

Gerschel, H., 2016. Zur Mikropetrographie fester Prozessrückstände als verfahrenstechnisches Bewertungsinstrument, dargestellt am Beispiel der pyrolytischen Konversion alttertiärer Weichbraunkohlen der Lagerstätte Schöningen (Helmstedter Revier). sierke Verlag, Göttingen.

DOMVR and Component Identification Results on microscopy samples in Commission II of the ICCP

April 5, 2015

Filled under Com II

Objectives

To make widely available the results of the WGs over the years dealing with different aspects of identification, classification and analysis of dispersed organic matter

Introduction

The WG was born as consequence of the review performed by Werner Hiltmann on the results of the Isolation of Organic matter WG over the years and presented at the Budapest Meeting (2004). The review was accompanied by the scan of all the documents revised. It was thought that these documents should be widely available because they contain a large amount of relevant data. The first glance confirmed the interest of the data and that they might need some elaboration before they are put in a friendly format either for publication in a journal or presentation in the Web. The Conveners who conducted the exercises run in Commission II over the years will be contacted to prepare the final documents for dissemination. The group was created with the name Reappraisal of past Commission II activities.

At a later stage ICCP realized that the major benefit of this effort was not the reappraisal of the results, but their dissemination, and that a number of samples have been analyzed under the microscope over the years, whose results are not compiled in a way easy to find, although recent results have been generally published in the ICCP News. This subpage is now intended for compiling a summary of the information available on samples analyzed within Commission II of the ICCP.

The conveners who have run exercises on microscopy samples in different working groups within Commission II are invited to fill the following form (form for Com. II samples) and submit it to the convener. The report containing the full results of the sample can be also provided and would be made available in the restricted section of the ICCP webpage.

Relevant Contributors

Deolinda Flores: who provided the reports from the Archive of the early DOM exercises, containing very detailed and valuable information.

Jolanta Kus: who provided the reports available at BGR of samples which were missing in the Archives.

Carla Araujo who were very committed to compile all the information from the many years of activities in the Thermal Indices WG, providing both results to prepare the sheets and the reports

Joao Graciano Mendonça Filho, Paul Hackley and Angeles G. Borrego who provided in an orderly manner the information on the OMCWG, IPVWG, QVRWG both the sheets of the samples and the reports to be uploaded

Wernen Hiltmann, who made a critical review of the efforts on isolation of organic matter in 2004 reviewing the work in previous years and scanning the text of the reports and Jack Burgess and Maria Mastalerz who scanned the images of those exercises.

The documents available that can be found upon login in the section restricted to membership of the ICCP web site are listed below.

Reports available, samples involved and objectives of the exercise

Report	Samples	Objectives	Working Group
Bostick 1973	MOD 1 Illinois sapropelic shale (US)	Integral analysis of DOM samples comprising translucency, reflected light and chemical analyses	Com II. Round Analyses of DOM
Bostick 1973	MOD 2 Illinois Energy shale (US)		Com II. Round Analyses of DOM
Bostick 1973	MOD 3 Angels Cuzar Basin (US)	Integral analysis of DOM samples comprising translucency, reflected light and chemical analyses	Com II. Round Analyses of DOM
	MOD 4 Tongue River Fm (US)
	MOD 5 Illinois White County (US)
Bostick 1974	MOD 6 (US) Cameron Parish 4208m	Integral analysis of DOM samples comprising translucency, reflected light and chemical analyses	Com II. Round Analyses of DOM
	MOD 7 (US) Cameron Parish 4228m
	MOD 8 (US) Cameron Parish 4756m
	MOD 9 (US) Cameron Parish 4766m
	MOD 10 (US) Wabash Mine
	MOD 11
	MOD 12
	MOD 13
	MOD 14
	MOD 15
Bostick 1976	MOD 16 Untere Süsswasser Molasse (CH)
	MOD 17 Untere Meeres Molasse (CH)
	MOD 18 North Sea (DE)
Bostick 1981	MOD 20 Wolcott (US)	Samples taken at variable distance from a dike. Vitrinite reflectance	Com II
	MOD 21 Wolcott (US)
	MOD 22 Wolcott (US)
	MOD 23 Wolcott (US)
	MOD 24 Wolcott (US)
Robert 1982	MOD 25 Fecocourt (FR)	Classification of unfigured organic matter	Com II
Robert 1982	MOD 26 Rundle (AU)	Classification of unfigured organic matter	Com II
Hiltmann 1983	MOD 27 Puertollano (ES)	Classification of organic components	Com II. Round Analyses in Oil Shales
	MOD 28 Irati L (BR)
	MOD 29 Irati U (BR)
Hiltmann 1984	MOD 30 Puertollano (ES)	Classification of organic components	Com II. Round Analyses in Oil Shales
Hiltmann 1984	MOD 31 Monterey (US)	Classification of organic components	Com II. Round Analyses in Oil Shales
Kalkreuth 1985	MOD 32 Pictou Coal (CA)	Vitrinite reflectance, quantitative fluorescence and organic components	Com II
Kalkreuth 1985	MOD 33 Pictou Shale (CA)		Com II
Senftle 1986, 1987	MOD 42 New Albany (US)	Vitrinite reflectance, visual analysis on whole rock and kerogen concentrate	Com II
Castaño/v der Meulen 1988	RR-1 Woodford Shale (US)	visual analysis on whole rock and kerogen concentrate	Isolation
Hiltmann 1990	Kimmeridgian shale (UK)	Analysis of components also used in the isolation group	Com II
Senftle 1992	Bobroudja Basin (BU) two samples at different depth	Vitrinite reflectance, visual analysis on whole rock and kerogen concentrate	Com II
Castaño 1994	SY-18	Whole rock, kerogen strew mount analysis	Isolation
Castaño 1994	TENN-24	Whole rock, kerogen strew mount analysis	Isolation
Castaño 1995	Pictou shale (CA)	Whole rock, kerogen strew mount analysis	Isolation
Castaño 1996	White Specks Marl, Saskatchewan (CA)	Whole rock, kerogen strew mount analysis	Isolation
Hiltmann 2004	Report of Commission II activities on Isolation WG	Review of Activities on Isolation	Isolation
Borrego 2006	Puertollano (ES)-QVR PT	Effect of surface quality on vitrinite reflectance measurements	Qualifying
	Irati (BR)-QVR IR
	Asturias (ES)-QVR CS
	Posidonia (DE)-QVR PS
Mendonça Filho 2008	Asturias (ES)-OMC1A	Effect of concentration procedure on optical parameters	Concentration
Mendonça Filho 2008	Benin Flank (NG)-OMC2A	Effect of concentration procedure on optical parameters	Concentration
Mendonça Filho 2009	Rodiles (ES)-OMC3A	Effect of concentration procedure on optical parameters	Concentration
Mendonça Filho 2009	Vale das Fontes (PT)-OMC4A	Effect of concentration procedure on optical parameters	Concentration
Mendonça Filho 2010 (more…)

Dispersed organic matter in sedimentary rocks

April 5, 2015

Filled under Com II

Objectives

The objective of the Dispersed Organic Matter in Sedimentary Rocks WG is to provide a reference text for the petrographic analysis of dispersed organic matter including identification of components and thermal maturity. The Working Group has been established in 1995 with the objective to provide an Atlas of Dispersed Organic Matter (DOM Atlas). Since the Working Group has been inactive over the years and since it was realized that the first contributions were mainly in form of texts addressing important items in terms of DOM, the objective of the Working Group changed. It was decided that the work related to the DOM Atlas will be conducted within the Classification of Dispersed Organic Matter ICCP-TSOP DOM Atlas WG. The remaining contributions remained within the Dispersed Organic Matter in Sedimentary Rocks WG and were designated to provide a White Paper for the DOM Analysis. In the past years, a number of draft versions were prepared and presented. The last version from 2016 (the 12^th version), with contributions from: Borrego, A G., Hackley, P., Hámor-Vidó, M., Kalkreuth, W., Mendonça Filho, J.G., Petersen, H.I., Pickel, W., Reinhardt, M^†., Suárez-Ruiz, I. enclosed material, which still required substantial re-writing and modifications.

At the 2019 ICCP Meeting in The Hague, the Netherlands, Chair of Commission II, Jolanta Kus, following personal communication with Maria Hámor-Vidó and Isabel Suárez-Ruiz, suggested that the 12^th version requires a re-examination with regard to the present structure and content of the sub-chapters, bibliography, tables, and figures. Together with Paul Hackley and Paula Alexandra Gonçalves the present Convenors presented a current workload management.

The Working Group on Dispersed Organic Matter in Sedimentary Rocks will be open to all professionals interested in providing contributions to the selected sub-chapters of the new version of the White Paper. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Jolanta Kus (J.Kus@bgr.de).

Activities

2004 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Budapest – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 33, p. 23, November 2004

2005 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Patras – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 36, p. 34, November 2005

2006 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Bandung – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 39, p. 39, November 2006

2007 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Victoria – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 42, p. 20, November 2007

2008 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Oviedo – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 45, p. 23, November 2008

2009 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Gramado – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 48, p. 23, November 2009

2010 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Belgrade – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 51, p. 26-27, December 2010

2011 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Porto – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 54, p. 22, July 2012

2012 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Beijing – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 56, p. 22-23, April 2013

2013 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Sosnowiec – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 58, p. 22, March 2014

2014 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Kolkata – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 61, p. 21, May 2015

2015 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Potsdam – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 63, p. 25, November 2015

2016 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Houston – No acitivities

2017 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Bucharest – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 69, p. 13, December 2017

2018 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Brisbane – Presentation of summary of activities
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 72, p. 9, December 2018

2019 Activities

ICCP Meeting, The Hague – Presentation of summary of activities

2021 Activities

ICCP Meeting, Prague – Presentation of summary of activities

2022 Activities

Dispersed organic matter in sedimentary rocks WG – way ahead
ICCP Meeting, New Dehli – Presentation of summary of activities
Preparation of a review: “Application studies of dispersed organic matter petrology in the 21st century: a review”
Minutes the Commission II – ICCP News No. 84, p. 14, December 2022

2023 Activities

Preparation of a review: “Application studies of dispersed organic matter petrology in the 21st century: a review”
ICCP Meeting, Patras – Presentation of summary of activities

2024 Activities

1. Submission of a review: “Application studies of dispersed organic matter petrology in the 21st century: a review” (Manuscript 1)