On the geology and correlation of coal seams of Pench-Kanhan - Upper Tawa valley coalfield, district Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

The Satpura Gondwana basin has not drawn as much attention during the recent years, as other basins have from coal geologists for systematic mapping and coal seam correlation. Hence scattered information only is available for parts of coalfields of this basin. The geology of the Pench, Kanhan and Upper Tawa valley coalfields is presented in this paper, which also brings out the coal seams and their correlation in these areas. As all major Gondwana basins have been named after their principal drainage, the term Pench-KanhanTawa valley basin is preferred to Satpura Gondwana basin.

The Lower Gondwana formations of the coalfield include the Talchirs, Barakars and Moturs, while separated exposures of the Upper Gondwanas occur in the Pench valley region. The Talchirs are in faulted contact with the Barakars in the northern portion of the coalfield. Faulting is common in the sedimentaries.

Three coal seams numbered as I, II and III from the top and of thicknesses 1.22-8.53 m., 0.60-1.82 m., and 0.60-2.13 m. respectively, occur within the Barakars. The seam characteristics have been presented. A thin seam, named as Leader, persistently appears following as a younger seam over each of the seams II and III. In the Pench valley region the Leader has coalesced with the respective seams in certain areas. In seam I, a tonstein band appearing microscopically as sandy carbonaceous kaolinitic mudstone grades laterally into shale and siltstone.