Characteristics of dispersed organic matter in the Menilite Beds from the Skole Unit

Composition and thermal maturity of organic matter components from Menilite Beds (Skole Unit) were analyzed. Samples (26) were collected from 9 outcrops within the investigated area. Samples represented several lithologies - clay and manly shales, mudstones. sandstones/siltstones. micritic limestones and cherts. Macerals of three groups (vitrinite, inertinite and liptinite) are present in the analyzed samples. Macerals of the liptinite group are the most numerous. Within this group, bituminite is most common, while alginite and liptodetrinite are less often observed. Macerals of the vitrinite (collotelinite, telinite, vitrodetrinite) and inertinite (fusinite, semifusinite, inertodetrinite) groups are also present, but their content is significally lower compared to the macerals of the liptinite group. Organic matter within all the investigated area is clearly immature, which is confirmed by both vitrinite reflectance R-o and T-max parameters. The composition of organic matter relates mostly to kerogen type II and III (and their mixture). Several relations between Rock-Eval parameters and maceral composition were identified. The obtained results were compared to data from Menilite Beds of the Silesian Unit.