Authors / CoAuthors
Reid, A.J. | Korsch, R.J. | Hou, B. | Black, L.P.
Abstract
Zircons within the Eocence Garford Paleochannel, central South Australia, were derived from two main sources: (1) local Archean-Mesoproterozoic rocks of the Gawler Craton exposed within the paleocatchment, including the 2525-2440 Ma Mulgathing Complex and 1595-1575 Ma Gawler Range Volcanics-Hiltaba Suite, and (2) Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks within the catchment that contribute a late Mesoproterozoic to Cretaceous component of recycled zircons from a variety of primary sources. These sources include the 1190-1120 Ma Pitjantjatjara Supersuite and 1080-1040 Ma Giles Complex, within the Musgrave Province; c. 510 Ma syn-Delamerian magmatism possibly derived from the Adelaide Rift Complex; and Jurassic-Cretaceous zircons ranging from ~220 Ma to ~100 Ma, with one statistical population at 122 ± 3 Ma. It is likely that zircons from these sources outside the paleocatchment were transported into the Mesozoic rocks of the Eromanga Basin within the catchments, before being re-eroded into the Garford Paleochannel. Given the presence of significant gold mineralization within the Neoarchean rocks of the Gawler Craton, the abundance of locally-derived Archean zircons may support the potential for paleoplacer gold deposits within the Eocene paleodrainage system. Likewise, the abundance of zircons derived from the Gawler Range Volcanics/Hiltaba Suite may support the notion that potential secondary uranium mineralisation within the paleochannels may have a source in these commonly uranium-enriched Mesoproterozoic volcanics and granites. Finally, these data suggest that the Garford Paleochannel was not a major contributor to the zircon budget of the paleo-beach heavy mineral sands province of the adjacent Eucla Basin.
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nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
65452
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- External Publication
- ( Theme )
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- geochronology
- ( Theme )
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- sedimentology
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- AU-SA
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
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2007-09-28T00:00:00
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