Spore Color Index Study of the Hongsa Sediments, Lao PDR: Implications for Thermal Maturity and Paleoenvironment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58837/tnh.25.1.263693Keywords:
Hongsa coal mine, lignite, palynology, thermal alteration index, sedimentation, diagenesisAbstract
Palynological analyses of samples from Neogene organic-rich fine-grained sediments in the Hongsa coal deposit, Lao PDR, have yielded a high count of palynomorphs, including abundant sporomorphs with varying colors. This study aims to evaluate the thermal maturity of the sediments and their paleoenvironment using the Spore Color Index (SCI). Microscopic analysis of sporomorph color variation provides a quick method to reconstruct the thermal alteration of sediments. Only monolete spores were selected to investigate spore color variation. The results show that almost 50% of the lightest colored monolete spores are pale yellow to light yellow, indicating a thermally immature zone within the early diagenetic stage of organic matter transformation. This group represents in situ materials, consistent with coal rank and vitrinite reflectance. Another group shows yellow to brown sporomorphs, suggesting the catagenetic stage, with coal ranks ranging from subbituminous to low volatile bituminous. The latter group is considered reworked sporomorphs transported to the Hongsa deposit area along with in situ palynomorphs. These reworked materials possibly originated from the Mesozoic bedrock surrounding the Hongsa basin, influenced by the basin's development related to the interaction between the Indian and Eurasian plates.
References
Allen, P.A., Allen, J.R. 2013. Basin Analysis: Principles and Application to Petroleum Play Assessment (4th ed). Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, West Sussex.
Batten, D.J. 1991 Reworking of plant microfossils and sedimentary provenance. In: Morton, A.C., Todd, S.P. and Haughton, P.D.W. (Eds.). Developments in Sedimentary Provenance Studies. Geological Society Special Publication, 57: 79–90.
Buffetaut, E., Suteethorn, V., Loeuff, J. L., Khansubha, S., Tong H. and Wongko, K. 2005. The Dinosaur Fauna from the Khok Kruat Formation (Early Cretaceous) of Thailand. International Conference on Geology, Geotechnology and Mineral Resources of Indochina. Khon Kaen, 575–581.
Buratti, N., De Luca, R., Garuti, L., Sorci, A., Spina, A., Clayton, G. 2024. Thermal maturity evaluation on mildly artificially oxidised sporomorphs: A comprehensive calibration of palynomorph darkness index (PDI) with vitrinite reflectance. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 162: 106672.
Burri, P. 1989. Hydrocarbon potential of Tertiary intermontane basins in Thailand. In: Thanasuthipitak, T., and Ounchanum, P. (Eds.). Proceeding of the International Symposium on Intermontane Basins: Geology & Resources, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 3–12.
Chaodumrong, P. and Songtham, W. 2014. Tectonic Evolution and Paleogeographic History. In: Department of Mineral Resources (Ed.). Geology of Thailand. Department of Mineral Resources, Bangkok.
Charusiri, P. and Pum-Im, S. 2009. Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of Major Sedimentary Basins in Central, Northern, and the Gulf of Thailand. BEST 2(1), 40–62.
Clift, P.D., Carter, A., Campbell, I.H., Lap, N.V., Allen, C.M. and Tan, M.T. 2006. Thermochronology of mineral grains in the Red and Mekong Rivers, Vietnam: Provenance and exhumation implications for Southeast Asia. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 7(10): 1–28.
Demaison, G. J. and Moore, G. T. 1980. Anoxic Environments and Oil Source Rock Bed Genesis. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 64: 1174–1209.
Department of Mineral Resources. 2007. Geological map of Nan Province. Department of Mineral Resources, Bangkok.
Espitalié, J., Deroo, G. and Marquis, F. 1985. La pyrolyse Rock-Eval et ses applications. Première partie, Revue de l'Institut Francais du Petrole, 40: 563–579.
Faegri, K. and Iversen, J. 1989. Textbook of pollen analysis (4th ed). John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.
Friederich, M.C., Moore, T.A. and Flores, R.M. 2016. A regional review and new insights into SE Asia Cenezoic coal-bearing sediments: Why does Indochina have such extensive coal deposits? International Journal of Coal Geology, 166: 2–35.
General Department of Geology and Mines of Vietnam. 1988. Geological map of Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam. General Department of Geology and Mines of Vietnam.
Gupta, A. 2009. Geology and Landforms of the Mekong Basin. In: Campbell, I.C. (Ed.). The Mekong: Biophysical Environment of an International River Basin. Academic Press: 29–51.
Hall, R. and Morley, C.K. 2004. Sundaland basins. In: Clift, P., Kuhnt, W. and Hayes, D.E. (Eds.). Continent-ocean Interactions Within the East Asian Marginal Seas. American Geophysical Union, Washington DC.
Hofmann, L., Blunck, S., Dittrich, W., Kraemer, T., von Schwarzenberg, T. and Wall, G. 2008. Mine Master Plan for the Hongsa Mine Mouth Power Project, Lao P.D.R.: Final Report (Research report). RWE Power International.
Hokam, M.R., Tahoun, S., El-Noamani, Z.M. 2024. Integrating Palynofacies Analysis and Spore Coloration for Assessing Thermal Maturity and Hydrocarbon Potential in Cretaceous Rocks: Safir-N-2 Well, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Pure and Applied Science, 62(1): 85–93.
Jain, A.K. 2014. When did India-Asia collide and make the Himalya? Current Science, 106: 2–25.
Lacassin, R., Maluski, H., Leloup, P.H., Tapponnier, P., Hinthong, C., Siribhakdi, K., Chuaviroj, S. and Charoenravat, A. 1997. Tertiary diachronic extrusion and deformation of western Indochina: Structural and 40Ar/39Ar evidence from NW Thailand. Journal of Geophysical Research, 102(B5): 10013–10037.
Marshall, J.E.A. 1990. Determination of thermal maturity. In: Briggs, D.E.G. and Crowther, P. (Eds.). Palaeobiology – a synthesis. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford: 511-515.
Miall, A.D. 2013. Principles of Sedimentary Basin Analysis. Springer Science and Business Media.
Moghazi, A.H., Zobaa, M.K., Mádai, F., Hámor-Vidó, M. 2020. Palynofacies and organic thermal maturity of the Upper Mancos Formation in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, USA. Geosciences and Engineering, 8(12): 312–321.
Moore, P.D., Webb, J.A. and Collinson, M.E. 1991. Pollen Analysis (2nd ed). Blackwell, Oxford.
Morley, C.K. and Racey, A. 2011. Tertiary Stratigraphy. In: Ridd, M.F., Barber, A.J. and Crow, M.J. (Eds.) The Geology of Thailand. The Geological Society of London, London.
NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Spacesystems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. 2018. ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003. NASA EOSDIS Land Processes DAAC. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5067/ASTER/ASTGTM.003
Nchimb, C.T., Matateyou, J.F., Anoh, O.N., Ghogomu, J., Ndenzem, S.M. 2022. Evaluation of Thermal Maturation of Hydrocarbon Potential Source Rocks from Kombe-Kompina-Missole Areas of the Douala Sub- Basin Using Spore Color Variation Technique. Journal of Ecology and Natural Resources, 6(2): 000287.
Nie, J., Ruetenik, G., Gallagher, K., Hoke, G., Garzione, C. N., Wang, W., Stockli, D., Hu, X., Wang, Z., Wang, Y., Stevens, T., Danišík, M. and Liu, S. 2018. Rapid incision of the Mekong River in the middle Miocene linked to monsoonal precipitation. Nature Geoscience 11(12): 944–948.
North, F. K. 1985. Petroleum Geology. Springer Netherlands, Heidelberg.
Olivier, N. and Atud, T. 2017. Spores and Pollen Color Changes and Thermal Maturation of Mid-Cretaceous Lacustrine Organic-rich Sediments in the Mamfe Basin, S.W. Cameroon. Journal of Geography, 9(4): 22–32.
Pearson, D.L. 1984. Pollen/Spore Color-Standard, Version 2. Phillips Petroleum Company privately distributed.
Petersen, H.I., Foopatthanakamol, A. and Ratanasthien, B. 2006. Petroleum potential, thermal maturity and the oil window of oil shales and coals in Cenozoic rift basins, Central and Northern Thailand. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 29(4): 337–360.
Pross, J., Pletsch, T., Shillington, D.J., Ligouis, B., Schellenberg, F. and Kus, J. 2007. Thermal alteration of terrestrial palynomorphs in mid-Cretaceous organic-rich mudstones intruded by an igneous sill (New Foundland Margin, ODP Hole 1276A). International Journal of Coal Geology, 70(2007): 277–291.
QGIS.org. 2022. QGIS Geographic Information System. (Version 3.22.10). Open Source Geospatial Foundation. Available from: https://qgis.org
Racey, A., Love, M. A., Canham, A. C., Goodall, J. G. S., Polachan, S. and Jones, P. D. 1996. Stratigraphy and reservoir potential of the Mesozoic Khorat Group, NE Thailand. Part 1: Stratigraphy and sedimentary evolution. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 19: 5–40.
Rullkӧtter, J. 1993. The Thermal Alteration of Kerogen and the Formation of Oil. In: Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A. (Eds). Organic Geochemistry. Plenum Press, New York.
Salyapongse, S., Fontaine, H. and Sashida, K. 2000. Petrologic and Paleontologic constraints on age of rock associations – pyroclastics, volcaniclastics and limestones in Nan, Phayao and Prae Provinces (Research report). Geological Survey Division, Department of Mineral Resources, Bangkok.
Sattraburut, T. 2020. Characteristics of Sediments and Plant Fossils Deposited in Hongsa Coalfield, Xayabouly Province, Lao PDR. Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai.
Sattraburut, T., Ratanasthien, B. and Thasod, Y. 2021b. Palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate of Tertiary sediments from Hongsa Coalfield, Xayabouly Province, Lao PDR – Implication from palynofloras. Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology, 43(3): 648–659.
Sattraburut, T., Ratanasthien, R., and Thasod, Y. 2023. Fungal spores from Neogene sediments of the Hongsa Basin, Lao PDR. Tropical Natural History 23, 82–96.
Sattraburut, T., Thasod, Y. and Ratanasthien, B. 2017. Maceral Association in Coal-bearing Formations of Hongsa Coal Deposits, Northwestern Lao PDR. The 6th International Graduate Research Conference 2017. Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai.
Sattraburut, T., Thasod, Y., Ratanasthien, B. and Kandharosa, W. 2021a. Petrographic and chemical characterization of coals from Hongsa coal mine, Xayabouly Province, Lao PDR. Suranaree Journal of Science and Technology, 28(1): 030037(1–11).
Sattraburut, T., Thasod, Y., Ratanasthien, B., and Vongvassana, S. 2024. Characteristics and mineralogy of sediments in the Hongsa lignite deposit, northwestern Laos. Geologos, 30(3): 171–194.
Schneider, W. and Gӧthel, M. 2001. Geology and petrography of Young Tertiary lignite seams in the Hongsa Basin (Laos, Indochina). Geologica Saxonica, 46/47: 149–167.
Senftle, J.T., Landis, C.R. and McLaughlin, R.L. 1993. Organic Petrographic Approach to Kerogen Characterization. In: Engel, M.H., and Macko, S.A. (Eds.). Organic Geochemistry. Plenum Press, New York.
Spina, A., Brogi, A., Capezzuoli, E., Ventruti, G., Zucchi, M., Aldinucci, M., Cirilli, S., Schito, A., Liotta, D. 2022. Use of palynology and thermal maturity in deformed geological units: A case study from the Permian succession in the Monte Leoni area (Middle Tuscan Ridge, inner Northern Apennines, Italy). Sedimentary Geology, 438: 106210.
Spina, A., Cirilli, S., Sorci, A., Schito, A., Clayton, G., Corrado, S., Fernandes, P., Galasso, F., Montesi, G., Pereira, Z., Rashidi, M., Rettori, R. 2021. Assessing Thermal Maturity through a Multi-Proxy Approach: A Case Study from the Permian Faraghan Formation (Zagros Basin, Southwest Iran). Geosciences, 11(12): 484.
Stach, E., Mackowsky, M.T., Teichmüller, M., Taylor, G.H., Chandra, D. and Teichmüller, R. 1982. Textbook of Coal Petrology (3rd ed). Gebrüder, Borntraeger, Stuttgart.
Staplin, F.L. 1969. Sedimentary organic matter, organic metamorphism, and oil and gas occurrence. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, 17: 47–66.
Ströbl, B. and Tzotsos, A. 2023. DigitizingTools: A QGIS plugin - Subsumes different tools useful during digitizing sessions. Version 1.5.2. Available from: https://plugins.qgis.org/plugins/ DigitizingTools/
Tapponier, P., Peltzer, G. and Armijo, R. 1986. On the mechanics of the collision between India and Asia. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 19: 113–157.
Traverse, A. 2007. Paleopalynology (2nd ed). Springer Netherlands, Heidelberg.
Traverse, F. 1988. Palaeopalynology. Springer Netherlands, Heidelberg.
Wangen, M. 2010. Physical Principles of Sedimentary Basin Analysis. Cambridge University Press.
Zhang, Q-Q., Ferguson, D.K., Mosbrugger, V., Wang, Y-F. and Li, C-S. 2012. Vegetation and climatic changes of SW China in response to the uplift of Tibetan Plateau. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 363-364: 23–36.
Zhao, C. 1984. Thermal alteration of spores and pollen and maturity of organic matter of the Cretaceous System, Songliao Basin, Northeast China. Geochemistry, 3(1): 84-92.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Chulalongkorn University. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher
