Sulfur content of the 435 muddy rock samples from the six exploration wells for coal in the Ashibetsu district, Sorachi region, Ishikari coalfield, central Hokkaido, northern Japan was determined by the modified combustion procedure and coulometric titration analysis (Chromatic S-VK-3B analyser).
It was shown that the marine sedimentary rock had higher sulfur content than fresh-water rock as shown in the followings:
Marine: Average sulfur content %
Akabira Formation Bannosawa Member 0.98
Hachigetsusawa member upper part 0.32
middle part 0.29
lower part 0.43
Bibai Formation 0.38
Wakkanabe Formation 0.48
Fresh-water:
Akabira Formation Aomukaisawa Member 0.08
Yubari Formation 0.06
Horokabetsu Formation 0.09
Noborikawa Formation 0.14
The depositional environment of the sediments determined by the paleontological studies is well coincident with that determined by the sulfur content in the rock. The sulfur content in the rocks shows more clearly the depositional environment compared with the soluble chloride content in the same samples.
Furthermore, it is noticed that the sulfur content in the marine sediments in one formation changes with the thickness of the formation, that is, the thicker the formation the higher the sulfur content at the Ashibetsu district.
Accrding to the facts stated above, it is considered that in the case of the wet type sediments the sulfur content in the sediments is one of the important indicators for the dentification of the dipositional environment, marine or fresh-water.
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