Report on the activities of the administrative and technical sections in the Katherine-Darwin area, to March, 1954. A brief account is given of geological and geophysical operations. The results of prospecting and field work are summarised.

A geophysical survey, comprising self-potential and electromagnetic methods, was made during the 1952 and 1953 field seasons at the Labour Victory Copper Mine, about 7 miles north-north-west of the Mt. Elliott Copper Mine, near Selwyn, Northern Queensland. The self-potential survey covered an area of 2,400 feet x 900 feet, but owing to other operational commitments during the 1953 season, the electromagnetic survey was confined to the southern part of the area. The primary object of the work was to determine the extent of the mineralisation associated with the known lode, which strikes north-south through the centre of the surveyed area. The self-potential survey revealed a well-defined anomaly nearly 1,000 feet long, in the northern part of the area. The axis of this anomaly is parallel to, but about 75 feet west of, the known lode. The disused main shaft of the now idle mine is at the southern end of the anomaly, which in this vicinity deviates slightly towards the south-east, i.e. towards the known lode. No workings exist in the area of the indication, and no outcrops were found, the rock formations being hidden for the most part by alluvium. The electromagnetic results confirmed those of the self-potential survey, but the electromagnetic indication extends farther to the south. The results suggest that the indication may be caused by lenticular bodies and that these are disturbed by cross faults. No mineralised deposits were indicated by the electrical results in the southern part of the area. It is recommended that some trenching and geological and geochemical work be done in the area of the strong electrical indication. If the results of the testing show that the indication is not due to graphitic or pyritic schists, it is recommended that a number of diamond drill holes be put down. Suggested locations for five such drill holes are given. If the anomaly is due to ore the geophysical results suggest an ore body of considerable size.

This record gives a brief account of the conditions encountered in a geological reconnaissance of the south-western portion of the Canning Basin - an area covered mostly by sand and seif dune, interspersed by scattered low rock outcrops.

Samples from four cores from Cape Range No. 1 Test Well, Shothole Canyon, Exmouth Gulf were submitted for palaeontological examination, by West Australian Petroleum Pty. Ltd. Portion of each core was crushed, washed and examined for microfossils. Foraminifera of Lower Cetaceous age were found in all samples. Radiolaria, ostracoda and Inoceramus prisms were also present. A detailed list of microfossils recognised in each sample is given below.

No details are available of the previous volcanic activity of Vitu Island, but some old natives have stories of unusual phenomena referable to vulcanism which accompanied a change in sea level many years ago. The inference of the stories was that the change was sudden and accompanied by increased emissions of steam from Zones A and B (of this report). It was impossible to assess from natives interrogated how long ago this occurred, but palms estimated to be about 40 years old grow near the shore in the area to which the stories refer. This area embraces the Catholic Mission, Balangori No. 2 village and Mt. Utopi, and, according to legend, most of the coastal portion to an height of about 300 feet was previously submerged. A more detailed survey of the island would be necessary to establish the veracity of the stories, but there is certainly evidence that portion of the area was submerged. Old oyster shells occur to heights of about 30 feet above sea level attached to basalt cliffs below the Catholic Mission. Since it was necessary for the "Theresa May", on which the writer was travelling, to visit the Vitu Island Group on the return trip from the Langila Crater investigation, the advantage was taken of examining as many thermal areas as possible. Although geysers and fumaroles occur on Narage Island, the northernmost island of the group, it was possible only to examine briefly those areas on Vitu (Garove) Island in the time available.

The 1954 investigation was primarily concerned with examination of as many of the thermal areas as possible in the short time available, and to record temperatures which could be used as a basis for comparison in future investigations. The writer arrived at Talasea on the "Theresa May" on the 28th August after completing investigations in the Langila Crater area and on Vitu Island. Over the next three days thermal areas near Talasea and west of Pangala village on the north coast of Garua Harbour were visited and temperatures taken.

A reflection traverse was shot across the centre part of the Giralia Anticline in the Carnarvon Basin of Western Australia, in an attempt to verify the unconformity between Mesozoic and Palaeozoic sediments shown by a previous traverse across the northern part of the anticline. Shallow seismic events recorded were of good quality and correlated very well with surface geology. They also indicated two faults in places where steep dips in surface beds might, by analogy with the northern end, be expected. Deep events were in general of poor quality and inconsistent. However, over approximately a mile of the traverse, they were of good quality and indicated nonconformity with the shallow events.

During the reconnaissance survey carried out in 1952 by Mr. J.E. Thompson, Senior Geologist of the Bureau of Mineral Resources, four traverses were made across the Island and established the following sequence: [see record for detail]. Because of the lack of good exposures, and unreliable dips, no stratigraphic thicknesses could be obtained. Samples of the limestones and tuffaceous siltstones were subsequently sent to Canberra and their microfauna examined by the authors. Following is the list of the faunal determinations.

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available