O tzw. bułach węglowych i możliwości ich występowania w polskiej części Zagłębia Górnośląskiego

Abstract

ON THE SO-CALLED COAL BALLS AND THEIR OCCURRENCE IN THE POLISH PART OF THE UPPER SILESIAN COAL BASIN Summary So far, coal balls (fossil blocks of Carboniferous peat containing plant fragments with preserved anatomic structure) have not been encountered in the Polish part of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The Polish palaeobotanic-geological literature lacks any more detailed description of such Carboniferous fossil remains so important from the scientifical point of view. The author present some most important data concerning coal balls, their exterior, genesis, internal structure, chemical composition, mode of occurrence in deposits, geographical distribution, importance for natural science. In addition, he describes and compares some atypical coal balls gathered by him in the mine ''Rydułtowy'', near Rybnik, and points to the coal measures found to occur in the external zone of the so-called Marginal Beds (paralic series – Namurian A), in which, according to his opinion, additional interesting fossils of this kind may be expected to appear, characterized by a more typical development.