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The role of rhyolite melts in the petrogenesis of Tabenken Coal seam, North West Region Cameroon

Nanje Mosere Felicia

Abstract

Coal is a vital natural resource, despite the importance of coal in the world, in Cameroon little is known about coal and very little published data on coal use and coal mining. In Cameroon, coal has been identified in Bali, Dschang, Fundong, Mamfe and Tabenken. The discovery of coal intercalated with rhyolites in Tabenken in Donga Mantung Division, More so, the discovery of hydrocarbon veins, in the rhyolites close to the coal is a course for concern. Detailed geochemistry, petrography and mineralogical studies were carried out on coal, rhyolites and coal bearing rhyolites. Major emphasis was placed on getting the temperatures of formation of rhyolites, since the emplacement of coal seam depends on temperature. To obtain the temperatures, zircon saturation temperature of magma was used and the formula M [(Na+K+2Ca)/ (AlSi)] was used to obtain cation ratio, and Tzr12900/ln (Dzr) + 3.8 +0.85 (M-1) -273.15 to estimate the peak temperature experienced by the magma. From calculations,  the plot of cation ratios (Na+K+2Ca)/ (AlSi) against Zr with Zircon saturation line was done, these results reveals that the rhyolites deposited at temperatures ranging from 900°-1000°C. Comparing these temperatures with those at which coal liquefaction takes place industrially, which is between 220°-470°C using either direct or indirect coal liquefaction techniques in the presence of a catalyst, we can suggest that at the temperature 900°-1000° coal is capable of being transformed to liquid hydrocarbons in the absence of a catalyst. **                            **