Petrographic and palynological investigations of Sinanpa？a (Afyon) Miocene coals

In this study, petrographical and palynological analyses of coal samples from two regions (the K？rka region in the south, and the Karaca？ren region in the north) of the Sinanpa？a (Afyon) Neogene basin were performed. The coal-bearing Neogene sediments indicate the occurrence of fi ve facies: paleosol, matrix-supported conglomerate, coal-bearing mudstone, sandstone-claystone and laminated mudstones. Coal layers are mainly within coal-bearing mudstone facies. In addition, there are various types of coalifi ed materials in matrix-supported conglomerate and sandstone-claystone facies. Based on coal petrography, an interpretation of the coal-forming environment was made. The investigated coals mainly contain a huminite maceral group. From the refl ection values (Rmax), these coals can be classifi ed as sub-bituminous in rank, and as being deposited in swamp zones associated with limnic environments. The palynological data indicates that all studied coal-bearing units are of Mid-Miocene age. On the other hand, based on MAT, CMT, WMT and MAP parameters, it can be stated that at that time climatic conditions changed seasonally in the study area. Humid climatic conditions prevailed during the period when the peat was formed, then later transformed into the coal layers examined in this manuscript