Coalification and fuel analysis of the Lower Carboniferous Thora coal seam in the Bedaa- Gebel Hazbar- Gebel Nukhul district, Sinai, Egypt

Twenty channel coal samples were collected and examined along 15 km throughout the outcrops of coal-bearing shale horizon in the middle part of the Abu Thora Formation in Sinai. The coal seam varies in thickness between 20 cm and 72 cm (averaging 55 cm). Fuel analysis shows the shaly coal facies is three times more dominant than the coal facies in the studied area. The type of coal is very low-grade with ash contents (d.b.; dry-base) of about 55% which is a poor quality for industrial use. The high ash content reflects the planner mire of the rheotrophic system during peat accumulation. Coalification paleo-temperature was relatively high of averaging 108.9 °C which could be attributed to additional thermal heating by the Jurassic sill capping the Abu Thora Formation especially within the western area of Gebel Hazbar. The studied coal is classified as medium rank ortho-bituminous based on the average vitrinite reflectance, gross calorific values, volatile matter, and fixed carbon. Vitrinite genesis and exinite genesis during developments of coal macerals are the two main pathways of the studied coal samples that are attributed to well preserved vascular plants under dominant anoxic waterlogged swampy conditions.