Applying new technologies basing on coal utilization demands precise identification of coal-bed composition. It is suggested, that such possibility is enabled by coal-bed logging with use of - adjusted to this aim - microlithotype analysis. Modification of this research method relies on ten-fold augmentation of 20 point grid size dimensions - up to 500 x 500 [...]. Maceral associations - as identified duringmicroscope observations - are placed in computer database according to their localization in logging. This allows for later graphic interpretation - microlithotype profile drawing. 13 associations has been educed in description, in majority being consistent with commonly used microlithotypes. However, a few changes has been introduced: in description of vitrite, telovitrite, macroscopically recognized in logging as vitrine layers, has been distinguished, as well as detro-gelo-vitrite, macroscopically recognized in logging as durain, while within bimaceralic microlithotypes there has been distinguished: vitrinertite (W), vitrinertite (I), clarite (W), clarite (I), durite (L), durite (I), all on the basis of dominant ingredient named in parenthesis. Accepted research methodology enables precise characteristics of petrographic variation within coal-bed logging. This allows especially to describe variation within dull coal (durain). Basing on research results, it is suggested that the biggest share in seam composition belongs to duroclarite - 23.8%, then vitrite - 18.7% and clarodurite - 17.6%, lower share of few percent belongs to: vitrinertite (I), vitrinertite (W), inertite, clarite (W), vitrinertoliptite, durite (I), durite (L), while both liptite and clarite (L) are less than one percent . Sequence of following microlithotypes also illustrate facies variation, what allows interpretation of environments of peat deposition in paleo-peat bog 116/2. Dominating percentage in log belongs to Forest Moor facies - 33.5%, while the lowest is Forest Terrestial Moor - 12.5%.

The fusulinid foraminifers of Schellwienia arctica (Schellwien, 1908) have been investigated from Polakkfjellet Mt., south Spitsbergen, and used as biostratigraphic marker for the latest Carboniferous earliest Permian strata of the Treskelodden Formation. A series of thin sections enable to investigate the internal structure and growth pattern of individual specimens. The observed variation of growth suggests dynamic environmental conditions at the investigated location and most likely over one-year long life span of this foraminifer.

The aim of geological investigations the results of which are given in this paper was identify the presence of Carboniferous coal in the area south of Homsund (Figs. 1 and 2). The field investigations were carried out in the summer of 1979 within the scientific expedition organized by the Institute of Geophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (problem MR-II-16/B). The investigations covered the northwestern part of Sörkappland, south of Hornsund and west of the Wurmbrandegga and Wiederfjellet (Fig. 2).

The Indian Cave Sandstone (Upper Pennsylvanian, Gzhelian) from the area of Peru, Nebraska, USA, has yielded

numerous isolated chondrichthyan remains and among them teeth and dermal denticles of the Symmoriiformes

Zangerl, 1981. Two tooth-based taxa were identified: a falcatid Denaea saltsmani Ginter and Hansen, 2010,

and a new species of Stethacanthus Newberry, 1889, S. concavus sp. nov. In addition, there occur a few long,

monocuspid tooth-like denticles, similar to those observed in Cobelodus Zangerl, 1973, probably representing

the head cover or the spine-brush complex. A review of the available information on the fossil record of

Symmoriiformes has revealed that the group existed from the Late Devonian (Famennian) till the end of the

Middle Permian (Capitanian).

Campyloprion Eastman, 1902 is a chondrichthyan having an arched symphyseal tooth whorl similar to that of

Helicoprion Karpinsky, 1899, but less tightly coiled. The holotype of Campyloprion annectans Eastman, 1902,

the type species of Campyloprion, is of unknown provenance, but is presumed to be from the Pennsylvanian

of North America. Campyloprion ivanovi (Karpinsky, 1922) has been described from the Gzhelian of Russia.

A partial symphyseal tooth whorl, designated as Campyloprion cf. C. ivanovi, is reported from the Missourian

Tinajas Member of the Atrasado Formation of Socorro County, New Mexico, USA. Partial tooth whorls from

the Virgilian Finis Shale and Jacksboro Limestone Members of the Graham Formation of northern Texas, USA,

are designated as Campyloprion sp. Two partial tooth whorls from the Gzhelian of Russia that were previously

referred to C. ivanovi are designated as Campyloprion cf. C. annectans. The age of Toxoprion lecontei (Dean,

1898), from Nevada, USA, is corrected from the Carboniferous to the early Permian. An alternative interpretation

of the holotype of T. lecontei is presented, resulting in a reversal of its anterior-to-posterior orientation. The

genera Helicoprion, Campyloprion, and Shaktauites Tchuvashov, 2001 can be distinguished by their different

spiral angles.

The quality of coal has been analyzed basing on the data from geological exploration and chemical – geological analyses of coal carried out on the samples obtained from the boreholes and mining pits. The operated coal seams indexed as 382 and 385/2 reveals the changeable morphology due to the thickness of carbon shoals and stent intergrowths. The other parameters, such as the ash content or the calorific value are strongly linked with the non-coal rock interlayers, which presence causes the decrease in the calorific value and increase in the amount of after-burning ash. These parameters are less dependable on the sedimentation environment of the coal formation material. The content of total sulfur in the analyzed seams does not show any link with the values of the parameters analyzed before. The total sulfur is made up from sulphide gathered in coal and sulphates deriving from the decomposition of plants and supplied by deposit waters in different phases of coal seam formation. The obtained results could be useful in the reconnaissance of the prospective seams lying below the currently exploited ones (e.g. 389) and the seams in the neighboring areas.

The Family Neokoninckophyllidae and its type genus Neokoninckophyllum Fomichev, 1939 (type species: N. tanaicum Fomichev, 1939) are discussed and emended. In addition, the genera Orygmophyllum Fomichev, 1953 and Yuanophylloides Fomichev, 1953, originally included in the Families Campophyllidae Wedekind, 1922 and Lophophyllidae Grabau, 1928, respectively, are emended as well and transferred to the Neokoninckophyllidae. Two early Bashkirian species, viz. Yuanophylloides rectus (Vassilyuk in Aizenverg et al., 1983) and Y. inauditus (Moore and Jeffords, 1945), and the Moscovian Neokoninckophyllum sp. nov. are described on the basis of new collections from the Donets Basin. Neokoninckophyllum tanaicum, Yuanophylloides gorskyi Fomichev, 1953 (both Moscovian in age) and Y. cruciformis Fomichev, 1953 (latest Bashkirian), are redescribed on the basis of peels taken from Fomichev’s (1953) type specimens. Derivation of the Family Neokoninckophyllidae from the Subfamily Dibunophyllinae Wang, 1950 is postulated and phylogenetic links within the former are hinted at. The occurrence of Yuanophylloides inauditus in both the Donets Basin and the Western Interior Province of North America points to marine communication between those areas during the Bashkirian. The slightly earlier appearance of the oldest neokoninckophyllids in the Donets Basin, in comparison to North America (i.e., R1 vs R2 ammonoid biozones), documents the common roots and monophyletic development of the Neokoninckophyllidae in both areas.

The Family Kumpanophyllidae Fomichev, 1953, synonymised by Hill (1981) with the Family Aulophyllidae Dybowski, 1873, is emended and accepted as valid. The new concept of this family, based on both new collections and discussion on literature data, confirms the solitary growth form of its type genus Kumpanophyllum Fomichev, 1953. However, several fasciculate colonial taxa, so far assigned to various families, may belong to this family as well. The emended genus Kumpanophyllum forms a widely distributed taxon, present in Eastern and Western Europe and in Asia. Its Serpukhovian and Bashkirian occurrences in China vs Bashkirian occurrences in the Donets Basin and in Spain, may suggest its far-Asiatic origin, but none of the existing taxa can be suggested as ancestral for that genus. Thus, the suborder position of the Kumpanophyllidae remains unknown. Four new species: K. columellatum, K. decessum, K. levis, and K. praecox, three Kumpanophyllum species left in open nomenclature and one offsetting specimen, questionably assigned to the genus, are described.

Roemeripora tollinoides sp. n. (Anthozoa, Tabulata) is described from Upper Carboniferous strata of SW Nordenskiöld Land (Ingeborgfiellet), Bellsund area in West Spistbergen (Svalbard). The new species is characteristic for a phacelo-cerioid structure of entire corallum.

The Lidfjellet thrust is the most prominent tectonic structure in the Lidfjellet-Řyrlandsodden fold zone, which stretches NNW-SSE along the western coast of Sřrkapp Land in Spitsbergen. This paper provides a reinterpretation of the Lidfjellet structure, with particular reference to lithostratigraphy of the autochthonous and overthrust sequences involved, and to the position of the thrust surface. Geological and palynologicalal data indicate that the sequence attributed previously to the Lower Cretaceous Helvetiafjellet Formation of the autochthonous cover represents in fact the Carboniferous (Viséan) Sergeijevfjellet Formation forming the lower part of the overthrust unit. The youngest deposits involved in tectonic structures of the Lidfjellet-Řyrlandsodden fold zone are of Upper Jurassic age.

The paper presents descriptions and illustrations of Anthracoporella spectabilis Pia (Dasycladaceae) and Palaeoaplisina laminaeformis Krotov (Hydrozoa) from the Treskelodden Formation (Lower Permian, Sakmarian) of the Hornsund area (Treskelen, Urnetoppen), and Chaetetes arcticus sp. n. (Demospongiae) from the „Wordiekammen Limestone" (Pernio — Carboniferous) of the Isfjorden area of the southern and central part of Spitsbergen. A. spectabilis and P. laminaeformis common in the Hornsund area are also known from the northern Ural Mts. and Timan.