Coal Resource Estimation in the Bayir Field, Yatagan-Mugla, SW Turkey

Abstract

This study focuses on some coal properties and calculation of coal resources with two classical (isopach and polygon) methods in the Bayir field, Yatagan-Mugla, which is located in southwestern Anatolia. This field has not been mined because it is still in the exploration stage. A productive coal seam of Early (?)–Middle Miocene age has a mineable coal thickness of 1.25 m to 18.01 m. Proximate analysis results indicated that this coal seam contains high moisture, ash, volatile matter, total sulphur content, and net calorific values. The weighted average mineable coal thickness calculated from the isopachs is 7.52 m and 7.82 m from polygonal methods. The in situ tonnages with isopach and polygonal methods were calculated to be 122.8 Mt and 130 Mt, respectively. The average value of the two methods shows 126.4 Mt in situ coal tonnages. Total amount of the in situ mineable coal resources is 77.7 Mt, which indicates an important coal potential in the Bayir field. The overburden thickness ranges from 72 m to 493 m in the Bayir field, averaging 257 m, indicating a deep coal mine. The overburden ratio averages 37 m³/ton, indicating an underground coal mine to feed a power plant in near future.

Keywords:

• Bayir
• coal
• isopach
• Mugla
• polygon
• quality
• resource
• Turkey

Acknowledgments

A part of this study has been supported by Dokuz Eylul University, Scientific Research Center (Project No. 0908-95-06-04). We would like to thank Dokuz Eylul University for the project study, MTA for the borehole data, and TKI for the logistic supports.