Conodont Biostratigraphy of the upper Devonian reef complexes of the Canning Basin, Western Australia

A brief synopsis of the evidence from the Carboniferous marine faunas of Australia has been used to draw a correlation chart for the Carboniferous System in the continent. The Lower Carboniferous faunal sequence of the intracratonic basins of Western Australia is represented by the conodont and brachiopod zones established for the Bonaparte Gulf Basin. These are dated mainly in terms of biostratigraphic scales based on conodonts, foraminifers, and brachiopods established in the Lower Carboniferous of Britain and Belgium, i.e., mainly the Kohlenkalk facies. The Carboniferous brachiopod zones of the New England GeosyncIine, recognizable only in eastern Australia, are dated in terms of the ammonoid and conodont zones of the German Lower Carboniferous, i.e., the Kulm facies. Hence, in so far as it is possible to correlate the Kulm with the Kohlenkalk facies in western Europe, it is possible to make generalized correlations throughout the marine Carboniferous of the Australian continent. Correlation of terrestrial sequences in Australia, and between them and those overseas, is based on plant and spore evidence. The sporadic nature of this evidence, however, renders such correlation highly tentative.

Since the first visits by European explorers nearly five hundred years ago, the islands of New Guinea have been visited by explorers and scientists from many nations, including England, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Russia, America, Japan, and Australia. Early contacts ranged from brief watering and careening stays to exploratory cruises charting shorelines. During the 19th century, when German and British colonial administrations were being established, exploration was carried out during border-demarcation surveys, by expeditions mounted specifically to explore the interior of the island, and by mission and administration patrols. Since late in the 19th century a considerable volume of information has been collected by scientific expeditions organized by overseas institutions or governments, by petroleum exploration groups, and by mineral prospecting and mining groups and individuals. In recent years many overseas mining and prospecting companies have been active. All these ventures have contributed to our knowledge of the geology and geomorphology of the island. At times the published written record of investigations has been fragmentary and obscure, at others comprehensive and readily available. It is the aim of this bibliography to bring together as much as possible of the published data in the fields of geology, geomorphology, and pedology. For practical reasons the scope of its coverage has been limited to that part of the island system east of meridian 141 °E. West of this meridian is Irian Jaya; east of it are New Guinea and the neighbouring islands. Current official place names have been used throughout the text.

A collection of palaeontological papers 1972 (bulletin 150)

The Sydney Basin extends for 380 km along the east coast of New South Wales south of latitude 32°S, and has an onshore area of about 36 000 km2 . About 4800 m of Permian and Triassic sedimentary rocks are preserved in the basin which lies between the New England and Lachlan Fold Belts. The study of the Sydney Basin by the Sedimentary Basins Study Group of the Petroleum Exploration Branch of the Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources was undertaken in co-operation with the New South Wales Department of Mines, who prepared a 1:500 000 geological map (PI. 1). The study has required constant exchange of ideas and information with petroleum exploration companies and the Department of Mines. In addition to the authors of this Bulletin the following members of the Sedimentary Basins Study Group since late 1966 have contributed to the study: D. J. Forman, M. A. Reynolds, K. G. Smith, R. Bryan, A. R. Jensen, P. J. Alcock, P. J. Hawkins, R. B. P. Pitt, S. Ozimic, J. I. Raine, K. Rixon, and B. G. West.

This report presents the results of geochemical investigations in the Mount Isa district, northwest Queensland. Samples, mainly from cores, represent Group 2 Shales (comprising Kennedy Siltstone and Spear Siltstone), Urquhart Shale, Native Bee Siltstone, greenstones, and local basic igneous rocks. These have been used to study element distributions in mineralized and unmineralized localities. It was found that primary element dispersions are associated with the 1100 Cu orebody, but not with the Ag-Pb-Zn bodies. This, together with the different modes of occurrence of the orebodies, suggests that the mineralization at Mount Isa took place in two separate events. The Ag-Pb-Zn deposits are considered to be syngenetic whereas the Cu deposits appear to be, in part at least, epigenetic. The chemical evidence suggests strongly that much of the Cu in the silica dolomite bodies was derived from the underlying greenstones. In addition, an attempt has been made to differentiate the Urquhart Shale from the other units on the basis of chemical composition. Of the elements analysed, Ca appears to be the most diagnostic and it may be possible to define the upper limit of the Urquhart Shale using this element.

Collection of Palaeontological Papers, 1983.

Standard curves for interpretation of the magnetic anomalies due to spheres have been derived. The anomalies in the vertical component, and the horizontal component in the direction of the traverse, are each found to be represented by a single family of curves. The horizontal component is found to be not represented by a single family, and separate curves for each field inclination and traverse azimuth are presented. Curves for the anomaly in the total intensity were not computed.

The Georgina Basin is a large Palaeozoic sedimentary basin extending from northwestern Queensland into the Northern Territory. Field parties from the Bureau of Mineral Resources mapped some of the Queensland part of the basin in the early 1950s, and the remainder in the period 1957-65; officers of the Geological Survey of Queensland participated in most of the Queensland surveys. Since 1957, petroleum exploration companies have made geological, gravity, aeromagnetic, and seismic surveys in selected areas, and the Bureau of Mineral Resources has carried out aeromagnetic and reconnaissance gravity surveys over most of the basin, and seismic surveys in Queensland and in small areas in the Northern Territory. Sixteen petroleum exploration wells have been drilled, but no commercial deposits of oil or gas were found; three deep stratigraphic holes were drilled by the Bureau, which also drilled an aggregate of about 3000 m in shallow scout holes. The Georgina Basin covers an area of about 325,000 sq km and extends in a belt trending northwest from latitude 25°S in northwestern Queensland to about latitude 18°S in the Northern Territory. The basin is about 1000 km long and about 500 km wide. The southwestern, western, northern, and eastern margins are defined by Precambrian outcrops, but the northwestern and southwestern margins are concealed by Mesozoic sediments. The position of the northwestern margin has not been resolved, but the southeastern margin has been defined approximately by gravity, seismic, and aeromagnetic surveys and by limited stratigraphic drilling.

The Stairway Sandstone was studied in the field in 1962 and 1963 during the reconnaissance geological mapping of the Amadeus Basin. In 1964 rather more detailed work was carried out: sections were measured and cross-bedding determined throughout the Amadeus Basin, and the phosphorites were examined in some detail because of their possible economic significance. In 1965 and 1966 surface and subsurface material was studied in detail to determine the provenance, environment of deposition, and palaeography of the formation. This work was done partly in the laboratories of the Bureau of Mineral Resources, and partly in the Department of Geology of the Australian National University, Canberra (under the sponsorship of the Bureau of Mineral Resources).