Mineral Composition, Depositional Environment and Spectral Characteristics of Oil Shale Occurring in Dundgobi, Mongolia

This study investigated genetic, mineralogical and spectral characteristics of oil shale and coal samples in Dundgobi area, Mongolia. Based the Rock/Eval and Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, kerogen type, hydrogen quantity, thermal maturity and depositional environment were confirmed. Moreover, the mineral composition of oil shale and coal samples were analyzed by XRD and spectroscopy. The result of Rock Eval/TOC analysis revealed that the samples of Eedemt deposit are immature to mature source rocks with sufficient hydrocarbon potential, and the kerogen types were classified as Type I, Type II and Type III kerogen. On the other hand, the samples from Shine Us Khudag deposit were mature with good to very good hydrocarbon potential rocks where kengen types are defined as Type I, Type II/III and Type III kerogen. According to the carbon and sulfur contents, the depositional environment of the both sites were defined as a freshwater depositional environment. The XRD analysis revealed that the mineral composition of oil shale and coal samples were quartz, calcite, dolomite, illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, anorthoclase, albite, microcline, orthoclase and analcime. The absorption features of oil shale samples were at 1412 nm and 1907 nm by clay minerals and water, 2206 nm by clay minerals of kaolinite and montmorillonite and 2306 nm by dolomite. It is considered that spectral characteristics on organic matter content test must be tested for oil shale exploration using remote sensing techniques.