Occurrence and distribution of organic sulphur in macerals of Australian coals using electron microprobe techniques

The organic sulphur content of the individual macerals in Permian high volatile bituminous coals from the Gunnedah Basin of New South Wales, has been studied using an electron microprobe technique. Liptinite (chiefly sporinite) in the coal has the highest organic sulphur content and inertinite (mainly semifusinite) the lowest; the vitrinite macerals have intermediate sulphur contents. These variations are responsible for the relatively low overall organic sulphur in inertinite-rich coals, typical of Australian Permian deposits. Neither marine influence on coal formation nor increases in coal rank appear to be associated with significant changes in organic sulphur of the individual macerals concerned.