Cannel coal from the Pennsylvanian of Kentucky, USA. (~11.0 cm across along the base)

Cannel coal is a scarce, fossil spore-rich variety of coal - it is hard, has a velvety to satiny luster, little to no stratification, and a conchoidal fracture. This sample is from the Cannel City-Amburgy Coal Zone at a large roadcut north of the town of Jackson, Kentucky. The outcrop has Pennsylvanian-aged cyclothemic sedimentary rocks of the Breathitt Group (formerly the Breathitt Formation). The cannel coal horizon was economically significant in the early 20th century, and the unit was extensively mined in eastern Kentucky. Published info. (see Greb & Eble, 2014) indicates that this material is 33% ash and 1.6% sulfur. The maceral content includes liptinite (~47%), inertinite (~31%), and vitrinite (~22%). Samples often contain minor pyrite. Plant microfossils in this horizon are principally lycopsid tree spores and calamite sphenophyte spores. The cannel coal represents deposition in an ancient lake formed in a basement fault-generated depression.

Stratigraphy: upper Cannel City-Amburgy Coal Zone, upper Pikeville Formation, Breathitt Group, lower Atokan Series (Duckmantian), lower Middle Pennsylvanian

Locality: Jackson North outcrop - large roadcut on the eastern side of new Rt. 15, just south of the southbound old Rt. 15-new Rt. 15 split, north of the town of Jackson, north-central Breathitt County, eastern Kentucky, USA (37° 34’ 53.95” North, 83° 23’ 07.99” West)

Reference cited: