Palynology, Palynostratigraphy and Paleoenvironmental Analysis of Maiganga Coal Mine, Gombe Formation, Nigeria

Abstract

Palynological analysis provides data for determinations of ages, palynostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of the studied parts of Gombe Formation (around Maiganga coal mine) in the Upper Benue Trough. The studied sections of the formation were sampled from the drilled cores of the strata derived from the coal exploration drilling project carried out at Maiganga. A total of 174 core samples from three boreholes that penetrated the strata have been studied for their palynofloral contents and the results used to date, zone and interprete the paleoclimatic conditions of the paleoclimatic conditions of the studied strata. The aim was to establish their microfloral assemblages, age, paleoclimate and biozonation. The standard maceration method was employed for the palynological analyses employing both acid and hydrogen peroxide as the processing media. The studied boreholes (BA-7, BA-16 and BA-17) were considerably rich in palynomorphs especially the samples processed with H2O2. Majority of the pollen and spores observed from the study included Proteacidites sigalii, Retidiporites magdalensis, Monoporites annulatus, Cingulastisporites ornatus,Rugulatisporites caperatus, Scabratriporites annellus, Proteacidites longispinosis, Distaverrusporites simplex and Foveotrilete margaritae. The recovered marker species have been used to date the studied section Early-Late Maastrichtian. The analyses of the palynomorphs were used to interpret the paleoclimate of the studied sections as well as zoning the sections into two palyzones, Proteacidites sigalii-Echitriporites trianguliformis and Cyathidites spp-Laevigatosporites haardtii zones. The paleoclimatic conditions were inferred to belong to the Late Cretaceous Palmae province.