Conclusion on the Characteristics of Coal for CBM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marios N. Miliorizos, University of Glamorgan, Alfred Russel Wallace Building, Glyn Taf Campus, Pontypridd CF37 1DL Wales UK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ mmiliori@glam.ac.uk Mineral There are at least three types of primary mineral in samples of deep coal. Under a reflected light microscope, speckled orange and brown clay and salt-like grains infill vascular fusain and are interpreted here as kaolinite and calcite. Patchy yellow pyrite; light grey blue ore mineral, interpreted as galena; and, a dark yellow secondary copper bearing mineral infill structural fractures. Elsewhere concentrations of metal sulphide seal narrow fractures effectively. Despite these, fusain infra-structure remains partially infilled, porous and effectively permeable when coincident with open face cleat. In conclusion, the nature of coal mineral and fracture points to multigenerational fracturing and cementation and possibly post-mineralisation leaching and formation of an open system of porosity. Structure An open coal fracture system is found to a depth of at least 50m with a mean fracture openness of 0.07mm and an estimate of integrated fracture density of 0.5 fractures per mm. At 330m depth, mean fracture openness decreases to approximately 1/5 i.e. 0.014mm. Fracture density in deep coal compares moderately well to that in shallow coal where fracture density >3.5 fractures per mm contributes positively to porosity where there may only be minimal openness. In conclusion, the most favourable conditions in which to explore require high fracture density, layer parallel fractures, bedding with moderate dip and close proximity to a steeply dipping syn-sedimentary normal fault with a long history of extensional strain dispersed in both hangingwall and footwall blocks.