Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory

Ahmad M and Munson TJ (compilers)

Northern Territory Geological Survey Special Publication 5

Chapter 1: Introduction

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Ahmad M and Scrimgeour IR, 2013. Chapter 1: Introduction: in Ahmad M and Munson TJ (compilers). ‘Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory’. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Special Publication 5.

Disclaimer While all care has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of its information. The Northern Territory of Australia gives no warranty or assurance, and makes no representation as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in this publication, or that it is suitable for your intended use. You should not rely upon information in this publication for the purpose of making any serious business or investment decisions without obtaining independent and/or professional advice in relation to your particular situation. The Northern Territory of Australia disclaims any liability or responsibility or duty of care towards any person for loss or damage caused by any use of, or reliance on the information contained in this publication. Introduction Current as of January 2013

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION M Ahmad and IR Scrimgeour

The Northern Territory of Australia covers an area of about Chapters 2 and 3 cover Territory-wide topics; they 1.35 million km 2 and comprises ninety 1:250 000-scale respectively describe the geological framework of the topographic mapsheets. First Edition geological mapping NT and summarise the major commodities. Chapter 4 of these mapsheets was completed in the early 1970s by looks at the oldest known rocks within the NT, which the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR), later renamed are basement inliers of Archaean age within the Pine the Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO) Creek Orogen and Tanami Region. Chapters 5–21 and now known as Geoscience Australia (GA). From 1970 describe the NT’s Palaeo- to Mesoproterozoic orogenic to 1990, BMR and the Northern Territory Geological provinces and overlying basins. Chapters 22–38 Survey (NTGS) jointly conducted Second Edition mapping describe the Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic basins and of selected regions. Subsequently, NTGS took over the other provinces, including the Neoproterozoic–early principal role of mapping throughout the Territory and Palaeozoic Centralian Superbasin, late early Cambrian Second Edition mapping of selected regions of the NT is Kalkarindji Province, and the orogenic Irindina Province ongoing. Many economically important regions have also of the Arunta Region. Palaeozoic basins that extend into been mapped at 1:100 000-scale. the Mesozoic (Bonaparte and Pedirka basins) are also For over a century since the pioneering work of early included in this group. Chapters 39–42 describe the explorers such as HYL Brown (Figure 1.1), numerous NT’s Mesozoic and Cenozoic basins. government geologists have contributed towards the Each chapter has a date of currency, which records current understanding of the geology and mineral resources the time at which compilation of each chapter ceased of the NT. Their observations are detailed in numerous and editing and formatting commenced. This date may geological maps, reports, explanatory notes, bulletins and vary by as much as two years between chapters. For this records. Apart from these government data, there are a reason, there may be some inconsistency between the large number of publications and reports from academia currency of information between chapters. and mineral and petroleum exploration companies, much of which is held by the Minerals and Energy Information Centre of the NT Department of Mines and Energy. Since the 1970s, many new developments have taken place in the geological sciences. These include high- quality airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys, new more advanced geochronological techniques, precise and fast geochemical analytical methods and the development of digital technology, which now plays a pivotal role in the collation, processing, interpretation and delivery of JHRVFLHQWL¿FLQIRUPDWLRQDQGPDSV+RZHYHUGHVSLWHWKH large number of Territory-wide maps and digital datasets that have been published since this time, the NT has lacked an overarching document that described the NT’s geology and resource potential. Although detailed reports are available on individual geological mapsheets and on VRPHSURYLQFHVWKLVYROXPHUHSUHVHQWVWKH¿UVWV\QWKHVLV of available information dealing with the geology and mineral resources of the entire NT into a single publication. The overall aim is to provide industry, government and academia with a detailed reference point to the complex geological provinces of the NT and its associated mineral resources and exploration potential.

LAYOUT OF VOLUME

The relationship between geological time, geological provinces and mineral and petroleum systems is of fundamental importance and has guided the layout of this publication. The volume is subdivided on the basis of geological provinces, which are organised in ascending order with reference to the geological timescale. Mineral deposits within each province are divided on the basis Figure 1.1 +South Australia.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:1 Special publication 5 Introduction

HISTORY OF GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN tin at Bynoe and Mount Wells, copper at Daly River, and THE NORTHERN TERRITORY silver-lead-zinc at Mount Evelyn and McArthur River. In WKH $UXQWD 5HJLRQ VHYHUDO VLJQL¿FDQW GLVFRYHULHV ZHUH 1865–1945: Early investigations made at about this time, including mica at Harts Range in the 1880s (Joklik 1955), alluvial gold at Arltunga in 1887, The history of geological investigations in the Northern and reef gold in the same area shortly thereafter (Hossfeld 7HUULWRU\JRHVEDFNWRZKHQ+)/LWFK¿HOGDPHPEHU 1937). Gold was discovered in the Tanami Region in 1900 of BT Finniss’s surveying party found a few specks of gold (Davidson 1905). at the Finniss River, southwest of Darwin. Gold was also 7DWH  SURYLGHGWKH¿UVWUHSRUWGHDOLQJZLWK found at Tumbling Waters to the south of Darwin Harbour the geology of the NT. Other mapping and geological in 1869 by members of Surveyor General Goyder’s party. investigations during this early period included those of In 1863, administration of the Northern Territory was Tennyson Woods (1864, 1886, 1889), Etheridge (1902, transferred from NSW to South Australia and from 1889, 1904), and Playford (1900, 1904). Between 1889 and South Australian Government geologists made several 1911, HYL Brown (Figure 1.1), South Australian Chief investigations of the geology and mineral endowment Government Geologist, made numerous visits to the of the Northern Territory. In 1870, a hole dug for the Territory and produced 14 reports covering the geology construction of a telegraph pole at Yam Creek, north of of its many mineral provinces. He also produced a series Pine Creek, yielded alluvial gravel containing coarse gold of reconnaissance geological maps of the Northern and this led to major gold rush in the Pine Creek area. Territory through the 1890s and early 1900s, including Prospecting and mining activities increased rapidly and by WKH¿UVWJHRORJLFDOPDSRIWKH1RUWKHUQ7HUULWRU\ %URZQ VHYHUDOPLQHUDO¿HOGVKDGEHHQGLVFRYHUHGLQFOXGLQJ and Winnecke 1898, Figure 1.2), and a revised version published a decade later (Brown 1908, Figure 1.3). In 1911, the Commonwealth Government took over administration of the Northern Territory from South Australia and appointed HI Jensen as the Chief Government Geologist, a position he held until 1916. Geological investigations were conducted on many of the mineral ¿HOGVRIWKH17DIWHUKLVDSSRLQWPHQW)URP±WKH Government Geologist, HA Ellis, examined many mineral RFFXUUHQFHVDQGSURGXFHGDQXPEHURIVLJQL¿FDQWUHSRUWV and maps. Although gold was recorded by HYL Brown from Tennant Creek in 1895, it was not until 1933 that a gold UXVKFRPPHQFHGLQWKLVDUHD,QWKH¿UVWIRXU\HDUVWKLV ¿HOG SURGXFHG D PLOOLRQ GROODUV ZRUWK RI JROG ,Q  WG Woolnough, Commonwealth Geological Advisor, carried out an extensive examination of the Tennant Creek JROG¿HOGDQGPDGHDQXPEHURIUHFRPPHQGDWLRQVIRULWV development, based on geological investigations at that time (Crohn 1976). In 1935, the Aerial, Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia (AGGSNA) was jointly sponsored by the Commonwealth, Queensland and WA governments. From 1935–1941, AGGSNA carried out geological and geophysical surveys over most of the known mineral-bearing areas of the NT including the Brocks Creek, Maranboy, Pine Creek and Daly River PLQHUDO¿HOGV$QXPEHURILPSRUWDQWUHSRUWVDQGPDSV ZHUHFRPSOHWHGDWWKLVWLPH7KH¿UVWGHWDLOHGJHRORJLFDO map of the Northern Territory (Hossfeld 1953) was essentially based on AGGSNA mapping activities during this period. See Jones (1987) for a detailed account of the history of geological investigations and mineral exploration activities in the NT prior to 1946.

1946–1978: BMR era

Figure 1.2. Geological map of the Northern Territory of South In 1946, the Commonwealth Government established the Australia (Brown and Winnecke 1898), showing rock formations along main tracks and isolated parts of coastline (Image courtesy Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR). The discovery of of National Library of Australia). uranium at Rum Jungle in 1949 provided much needed

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:2 Special publication 5 Introduction impetus for geological investigations by BMR in this drilling programs, and the location of water bores for area and from 1950–1953, several separate investigations various station properties. In 1960, Peter W Crohn were conducted on the uranium occurrences. At about the (Figure 1.5) was appointed as the BMR Senior Resident same time, PS Hossfeld compiled a preliminary geological Geologist after his return from an Antarctic mission and map of the entire Northern Territory (Figure 1.4) and he was involved in the discovery of the Groote Eylandt discussed the stratigraphic relationships, lithology and manganese deposits. In 1965, Crohn was succeeded by structure (Hossfeld 1953). In 1952, BMR set up a regional Dick Dodson who led the Darwin Uranium Group and RI¿FHLQ'DUZLQDQGHPSOR\HGDQXPEHURIJHRORJLFDO WKH¿HOGSDUW\RIJHRFKHPLVWVDQGGULOOHUVWKDWIRXQGWKH staff whose main aim was to carry out regional geological Woodcutters lead-zinc deposit in 1967, while looking mapping. Systematic regional mapping of all of the NT for the extensions of Rum Jungle-style uranium deposits commenced in 1953, resulting in the publication of First (Wilkinson 1996). Edition 1:250 000-scale geological maps and explanatory In 1970, the Northern Territory Geological Survey notes through the 1960s and early 1970s. At the same (NTGS) was created as a part of the Mines Branch of time, the Resident Geological Section of the Northern the NTA and ten geological positions were transferred Territory Administration (NTA) conducted geological from BMR to NTGS. Peter Crohn returned to Darwin investigations of local relevance. Until 1956, this section to head the newly created geological section and was run by geologists on secondment from BMR. Dick Dodson went back to Canberra. During his time However, from 1956 onwards, the NTA employed its own Crohn expanded the project scope to include studies of JHRORJLFDOVWDIIDQGRSHQHGRI¿FHVLQ7HQQDQW&UHHNDQG minerals, groundwater, engineering geology, construction Alice Springs. In 1956, the number of geological staff materials, geochemistry and geophysics. In 1976, he was was increased to eight and Norman James Mackay was appointed Director of Mines, a position he held until appointed Senior Resident Geologist. The work in those 1979. BMR continued to carry out regional investigations, years included the supervision of geologists in Darwin and whereas NTGS’s main functions involved mineral deposit Alice Springs, the inspection of prospects, some involving DQGJURXQGZDWHULQYHVWLJDWLRQV7KH¿UVWFRPSUHKHQVLYH

Figure 1.3. Northern sheet of revised Geological map of the Northern Territory of South Australia (Brown 1908, image courtesy of University of Queensland Library). Large stretches of NT coastline had been mapped since previous 1898 edition (Figure 1.1). Manganese outcrops, noted on Groote Eylandt by HYL Brown during this survey, were the subject of follow-up investigations half a century later by PR Dunn and PW Crohn, leading to the discovery of a world-class manganese deposit in this area.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:3 Special publication 5 Introduction map of the NT (Figure 1.6) awaited the culmination of and metallogenic studies. The Environmental section First Edition 1:250 000-scale mapping and was compiled was involved in the mapping of National Parks and the by D’Addario et al (1976). PRQLWRULQJRIPLQHVLWHV$EUDQFKRI¿FHZDVHVWDEOLVKHG During this period, a number of major world- in Alice Springs and RBM Thompson was appointed as the class mineral discoveries were made (see Commodity ¿UVW$VVLVWDQW'LUHFWRU6RXWKHUQ5HJLRQ$-+RVNLQJZDV Reviews), including uranium at Rum Jungle (1949) and appointed as Assistant Director, Northern Region in 1982 in the East Alligator River Region (1969); zinc-lead-silver and was followed by CA Mulder in 1987, when Hosking at McArthur River; manganese at Groote Eylandt (1960); departed NTGS. To meet NTGS’s new responsibilities, staff bauxite at Gove (1949); and gold at Tennant Creek. Oil and were increased to a total of 38 professional, technical and gas accumulations were discovered in the Amadeus Basin DGPLQLVWUDWLYHSHUVRQQHO,QWKH¿UVWIHZ\HDUV%05DQG in the mid-1960s. NTGS geologists carried out joint investigations in the Pine Creek Orogen and Arunta Region. Subsequently, NTGS 1978–1998: NTGS following Self-Government took over the sole responsibility of mapping, commencing LQWKH/LWFK¿HOG'RPDLQRIWKH3LQH&UHHN2URJHQ,Q In 1978, after the NT was granted Self-Government, 1982, NTGS had a staff of 25 geologists and 24 supporting NTGS became part of the NT Department of Mines and FDUWRJUDSKLFDQG¿HOGVWDII Energy. In 1979, Paul Le Messurier was appointed as the In 1978, the Australian Science and Technology Director of NTGS (Figure 1.7). Under Le Messurier’s Council (ASTEC) carried out a review of BMR that leadership, NTGS was reorganised into Regional Mapping, ZDVIRFXVHGRQGH¿QLQJLWVIXWXUHUROH2QHRIWKH Metalliferous, Geophysics, Engineering Geology, Petroleum major recommendations of this review was that BMR Geology, Environmental and Geoscience Information should relinquish responsibility for the completion and sections. NTGS functions changed from local mine site, revision of the 1:250 000-scale map series throughout groundwater and engineering investigations to regional Australia. However, it was considered that until the NT geological mapping, geophysical surveys, environmental developed its own capability, BMR would continue to be

Figure 1.5. PW (Peter) Crohn, Senior Resident Geologist NT Figure 1.4. Preliminary geological map of the entire Northern (1960–1965), Chief Government Geologist NT (1969–1978). Territory compiled by Hossfeld in the early 1950s. Note that Peter led the geological investigation at Groote Eylandt because of extensive deformation, high-grade metamorphism and PDQJDQHVHGHSRVLWVWKURXJKLWVHDUO\GH¿QLWLRQVWDJH+H a paucity of geochronological information, the Arunta Region, expanded the functions of the NTGS from minesite studies and Musgrave and Irindina provinces are placed in the Archaean to minerals, groundwater, engineering geology, construction (‘Archaeozoic’). Image courtesy of National Library of Australia. materials, geochemistry and geophysics.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:4 Special publication 5 Introduction responsible for mapping at this scale, in cooperation with Huckitta and Kulgera areas in 1981 and involved a total of the NT Government. These recommendations were a twenty 1:100 000 mapsheets. This led to the commencing of turning point in the history of NTGS and by 1981, it had a long-term commitment to airborne geophysical programs assumed a greatly increased responsibility for geological that resulted in an average of one 1:250 000 mapsheet being mapping in the NT, as BMR gradually withdrew from ÀRZQHYHU\\HDUIURPWR such activities. The number of 1:100 000-scale mapping ,Q$XJXVW17*6SXEOLVKHGLWV¿UVWVFDOH projects in which NTGS was participating increased geological map and explanatory notes (DARWIN1; Pietsch from eight in 1979–1980 to eighteen in 1980–1981. 7KH ¿UVW 17*6IXQGHG DLUERUQH JHRSK\VLFDO VXUYH\V 1 Names of 1:250 000 and 1:100 000 mapsheets are in large and ZHUHÀRZQRYHUWKH/LWFK¿HOG1RUWK%DUURZ&UHHN small capital letters respectively, eg BARROW CREEK, DARWIN.

Figure 1.67KH¿UVWFRPSUHKHQVLYHJHRORJLFDOPDSRIWKH17DZDLWHGFRPSOHWLRQRI)LUVW(GLWLRQVFDOHPDSSLQJDQGZDV compiled by D’Addario et al (1976). Scanned image courtesy of National Library of Australia.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:5 Special publication 5 Introduction

1983), and by 1985, NTGS was conducting geological investigations across large areas of the Northern Territory, including the McArthur Basin, Tennant and Arunta regions and Musgrave Province. In 1987, a special initiative of $1 million was provided by the Territory Government to accelerate geological programs; this led to the publication of mineral commodity and petroleum basins studies as well as a mineral occurrence map of the Northern Territory. In 1995, CA Mulder (Figure 1.8) was appointed as the Director of NTGS, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. During the 1990s, NTGS undertook major regional mapping campaigns, particularly in the McArthur Basin, Musgrave Province and Tennant Region. During this period, a number of major mineral discoveries were made and important new mines opened in the Pine Creek Orogen, McArthur Basin and Tanami regions (see Commodity Reviews 6LJQL¿FDQWQHZPLQHVLQFOXGHGWKH(QWHUSULVHDQG a number of other gold mines in the PCO; several mines in WKH*UDQLWHVDQG'HDG%XOORFN6RDNJROG¿HOGVDQGWKHZRUOG class Callie gold mine in the Tanami Region; the Woodcutters base metals mine in the PCO; the world-class McArthur River base metals mine in the McArthur Basin; and the Nabarlek and ZRUOGFODVV5DQJHUXUDQLXPPLQHVLQWKH3&26LJQL¿FDQWRLO and gas accumulations were also discovered in the offshore Bonaparte Basin. Figure 1.7. P (Paul) Le Messurier, Chief Government Geologist and Director of NT Geological Survey (1979–1994). Under Paul’s 1998–present: Modern exploration initiatives leadership, NTGS was reorganised into Regional Mapping, Metalliferous, Geophysics, Petroleum Geology, Environmental In June 1997, Ross Fardon and Associates Pty Ltd completed and Geoscience Information sections. NTGS functions changed a review of NTGS and recommended several changes, from local minesite, groundwater and engineering investigations to regional geological mapping, geophysical surveys and including in-house printing of maps and reports, the targeting metallogenic studies. of geological problems rather than mapsheet areas, and an improvement in information technology and data handling capacity (Fardon 1997). In November 1998, the Minister of Mines and Energy announced that the Northern Territory Government would provide $16 million in additional funding to NTGS over a period of four years under the NT Exploration Initiative (NTEI). Dr RD (Dennis) Gee (Figure 1.9) joined NTGS as Director in October 1998 to lead the exploration initiative and to re-focus the geological survey in line with the recommendations of the ACIL Tasman review. The appointment of Dennis Gee, combined with additional funding through the NTEI, provided the catalyst for a change in direction for NTGS, resulting in exploration-focused, state- RIWKHDUWJHRVFLHQWL¿FSURJUDPVDQGDJUHDWHUHPSKDVLVRQ enhancing the mineral potential of the NT, the collection and interpretation of geophysical data, and the development of a range of digital databases. A highlight of the NTEI was the coverage of vast areas of the NT, particularly in the south, with 400 m line-spaced airborne magnetics and radiometrics. Mapping activity was focused on the Tanami Region, Arunta Region and Victoria, McArthur, South Nicholson, Georgina and Birrindudu basins. The NTEI was followed by the four-year (2003–2007), $15.2 million exploration initiative Building the Territory’s Resource Base, led by RG Brescianini (Director from ௘± Figure 1.10), which included $13 million for new geoscience programs. Following a review of the success of these two initiatives (ACIL Tasman 2007), the Figure 1.8. CA (Lex) Mulder, Director of NT Geological Survey Government announced a new Bringing Forward Discovery (1995–1998). initiative, initially for four years, then extended to seven

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:6 Special publication 5 Introduction

\HDUV ௘± ZLWKWRWDOIXQGLQJRIPLOOLRQ Bringing Forward Discovery included a focus on improving the gravity coverage of the NT, as well as a program of collaborative industry grants for drilling and geophysics in areas with a paucity of geological knowledge (Geophysical and Drilling Collaborations program). Dr IR Scrimgeour (Figure 1.11)was appointed Director in late 2006 and has led Bringing Forward Discovery since its inception. Throughout the period from 2003–2011, NTGS was particularly focused on regional studies in the Arunta Region, Pine Creek Orogen and Georgina Basin, and on developing systems for improving the internet accessibility of data and information. Throughout the initiatives, specialist expertise has been brought in to NTGS programs through collaboration, particularly with Geoscience Australia and CSIRO. 5HÀHFWLQJDQLQFUHDVHGHPSKDVLVRQSURYLGLQJGDWD of direct relevance to exploration, Dennis Gee initiated the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) in 2000, to enable the annual reporting of NTGS results to the exploration industry. The abstracts volumes from these annual forums provide a detailed record of the progress of NTGS programs since 2000. %HWZHHQ  DQG  17*6 SXEOLVKHG ¿IW\ 1:250 000 maps and thirty-one 1:100 000-scale geoscience maps, along with hundreds of associated published reports, records and external publications. Revised Second Edition 250 000-scale geological maps are now available for a large Figure 1.9. RD (Dennis) Gee, Chief Government Geologist and part of the Territory (Figure 1.12), and the NT has nearly Director of NT Geological Survey (1998–2002). In a brief period complete coverage of 1:250 000-scale fully attributed of four years, Dennis focused NTGS staff to exploration-oriented VWDWHRIWKHDUWJHRVFLHQWL¿FSURJUDPVZLWKDJUHDWHUHPSKDVLV geological map GIS tiles. Succeeding supervisors of regional on enhancing the mineral potential of the NT, the collection and mapping programs since the inception of NTGS have been interpretation of geophysical data, and the development of a range DL Dundas, G DeRoss, BA Pietsch, IR Scrimgeour and of digital databases.

Figure 1.10. RG Brescianini, Chief Government Geologist and Figure 1.11. Dr IR Scrimgeour, Chief Government Geologist and Director of NT Geological Survey (2002–2006). Director NT Geological Survey (2006–present).

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:7 Special publication 5 Introduction

DF Close. M Ahmad supervised the Metalliferous section stitches of geophysical and remotely sensed data, including from 1981 and became Chief Geoscientist in 2005. CA Mulder magnetics (Figure 1.13), radiometrics, elevation, gravity and supervised the Environmental section from 1982 to 1987. The ASTER27KLVKDVFRLQFLGHGZLWKDVLJQL¿FDQWLQFUHDVHLQ Geophysical section has had B Simmons, TLF Findhammer the NT’s geochemical and geochronological datasets. Many and RG Brescianini as supervisors, and the Petroleum of these datasets were used to compile the 1:2.5 million- Geology section has been headed by P Sinicia, D Pegum scale geological map of the Northern Territory (Figure 1.14) DQG*$PEURVH6LQFHVLJQL¿FDQWDGYDQFHVKDYHEHHQ and associated stratigraphic correlations by Ahmad (2000). PDGHLQWKH¿HOGRILQIRUPDWLRQWHFKQRORJ\DQGSURYLVLRQRI This digital map is revised, as and when new information geological maps and data to industry in digital formats. To becomes available, and three subsequent revisions have lead these changes, Tracey Rogers was appointed in 2000 to been published. The geological map is accompanied by a head the Geoscience Information section of NTGS (now the Regolith Map of the NT (Craig 2006) and a Metallogenic Geoscience Knowledge Management program). Following Map of the NT that depicts the distribution of mineral a review of NTGS in 2004, the traditional subdivision into occurrences and deposits (Khan et al 2010). Regional Mapping, Metalliferous, Petroleum and Geophysics The exploration initiatives since 1999 have sections were combined into the Regional Prospectivity group, contributed to a major exploration boom in the Northern which undertakes all new geoscience programs in NTGS. 7HUULWRU\ SDUWLFXODUO\ VLQFH  7KLV ZDV UHÀHFWHG LQ Since 2000, a large number of Territory-wide maps and a dramatic increase in mineral exploration expenditure digital datasets have been produced. There are NT-wide in the Northern Territory, from $41.5 million in 2003 to $228.4 million in 2011. The boom has seen a shift in 132° 129° 135° 138° F commodity focus for explorers in the Territory, resulting BATHURST MELVILLE COBOURG WESSEL JUNCTION BAY TRUANT ISLAND ISLAND ISLAND PENINSULA ISLANDS LQ D VLJQL¿FDQW LQFUHDVH LQ H[SORUDWLRQ IRU FRPPRGLWLHV E -12° 2 2 2 2 FOG BAY DARWIN ALLIGATOR MILINGIMBI GOVE RIVER ARNHEM BAY D 2 $GYDQFHG 6SDFHERUQH 7KHUPDO (PLVVLRQ DQG 5HÀHFWLRQ 2 2 2 2 CAPE SCOTT Radiometer. MOUNT BLUE PORT LANGDON PINE CREEK MOUNT EVELYN MARUMBA MUD BAY H B -14° 2 2 C 2 PORT KEATS FERGUSSON A KATHERINE URAPUNGA RIVER ROPER RIVER CAPE BEATRICE I 2 2 2 HODGSON DELAMERE LARRIMAH MOUNT PELLEW DOWNS AUVERGNE YOUNG

-16° 2 2 2 2 BAUHINIA WATERLOO VICTORIA RIVER DALY WATERS TANUMBIRINI ROBINSON RIVER DOWNS DOWNS

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-22° 2 2 2 2 2 LAKE MACKAY MOUNT DOREEN NAPPERBY ALCOOTA HUCKITTA TOBERMOREY

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-24°

BLOODS RANGE SIMPSON LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY RODINGA HALE RIVER DESERT G NORTH 22 SIMPSON PETERMANN AYERS ROCK KULGERA FINKE McDILLS DESERT RANGES SOUTH

-26° A11-242.ai NTGS map BMR/AGSO map 3 3rd edition map

Metallogenic 2 2nd edition map Special map: refer to study/map A list below to obtain title Special maps A Groote Eylandt Region F Cobourg Peninsula - Melville Island B Blue Mud Bay Special G Northwestern Musgrave Block C Urapunga - Roper River H Litchfield North Special Interpreted D Arnhem Bay - Gove G Litchfield South Special Interpreted E Wessel Islands - Truant Island

Figure 1.12. Coverage of 1:250 000-scale geological mapping of Figure 1.13. Seamless airborne magnetic map of the Northern the Northern Territory, as of February 2013. Territory.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:8 Special publication 5 Introduction such as rare earths, phosphate, iron ore, mineral sands and Basin, the Mount Peake vanadium magnetite deposit in vanadium, along with a major uranium exploration boom the Aileron Province, Myrtle zinc deposit in the McArthur from 2007–2010. There has also been an increased focus Basin and a number of rare earth element discoveries, RQJUHHQ¿HOGVDQGXQGHUFRYHUH[SORUDWLRQSDUWLFXODUO\LQ including Nolans Bore, Stromberg and Charley Creek. previously under-explored provinces such as the Arunta A number of mines commenced operations, including Region. Important discoveries over this period include several heavy mineral sands mines in the Tiwi Islands, the Barrow Creek-1 phosphate deposit in the Georgina the Bootu Creek manganese mine, and a number of new

Ma 0 QUATERNARY Qa Sand, silt and clay in coastal esturies

Sand, clay, calcrete and lacustrine limestone in inland palaeodrainage; GEOLOGICAL MAP of the NORTHERN TERRITORY TERTIARY Cz fluvial sandstone and siltstone on Bathurst and Melville Islands

70

MONEY SHOAL, BONAPARTE, ARAFURA AND PEDIRKA AND EROMANGA 132°E 135°E CARPENTARIA BASINS BASINS 129°E 138°E Mudstone, Shale, shale sandstone K K CRETACEOUS 100 COBOURG PENINSULA JUNCTION BAY WESSEL ISLANDS MELVILLE ISLAND TRUANT ISLAND BATHURST ISLAND Minjilang Sandstone, Shale, shale, * Units not exposed sandstone MELVILLE * Jk mudstone * Jk ISLAND Johnston CAPE DON WESSEL ISLANDS JURASSIC Sandstone, Sandstone, Milikapiti Qa shale, shale Qa ARAFURA SEA * J coal * J Pularumpi Tjipripu 200 iR Murenella

TIMOR K rev Sandstone, Sandstone, River K Qa TRIASSIC shale, shale, Cz Warruwi * T limestone * T coal Cz Paru Pickertaramoor M10 Nguiu Qa Creek K SEA K Sandstone, Sandstone, Murgenella River PERMIAN limestone, shale, BATHURST VAN DIEMEN GULF P shale, coal, AMADEUS, NGALIA, DALY, P coal

ISLAND King Galiwinku diamictite GEORGINA AND WISO BASINS Sandstone, Sandstone, 300 ALLIGATOR RIVER Coopers MILINGIMBI K Qa ARNHEM BAY 12°S DARWIN g4 M10 GOVE 12°S conglomerate, conglomerate, FOG BAY K K Maningrida siltstone, Pn Creek Milingimbi d9 M9 M8 CARBONIFEROUS siltstone, g4 C shale ALICE SPRINGS OROGENY 400-300 BEAGLE * DC shale, ADELAIDE K Qa M10 Qa M6 Nhulunbuy coal, Qa d6 Qa Qa Cato Yirrkala diamictite GULF Qa River g4 SOUTH ALLIGATOR Woolen g6 Sandstone, Qa Oenpelli River K f6 g5 DARWIN Wildman Ramingining shale River River GULF Sandstone, RIVER K

Alligator River DEVONIAN P1 g5 adeer M6b limestone D K RIVER GLYDE Qa se M10 D River

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RIVER d6 Maidjunga f6 shale,

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CAPE SCO P KoolatongRiver CAMBRIAN C2 Limestone, shale River d9 --

b1 d6 -- Sandstone, C

BLYTH Sandstone, conglomerate - - C1 Creek -- RIVER M6 f6 * C1 flood basalt Mann RI C2 M6 Jim Jim Pn VER Qa C1b Flood basalt A10d Amphibolite PERON ISLANDS Adelaide Cr K Annie 545 d4 g5 eek M6 River d4 g6 M8 K CARPENTARIA BUKALARA SANDSTONE, RISING SUN CENTRALIAN SUPERBASIN Migmatitic metapelite, d4 b1 d6 WESSEL GROUP CONGLOMERATE ARUMBERA, YUENDUMU A10 metabasite, gneiss, calc-silicate, marble, quartzite P1 P4 Sandstone, Sandstone, Sandstone, limestone, M7 M10conglomerate, D10 conglomerate siltstone PETERMANN OROGENY 570-530

g5 mudstone P10L 4 - - K P4 er JOSEPH C2 Burrundie d4 Walk River P3 Mainoru

f4 P4 PIONEER, OLYMPIC,

g5 d4 -- d4 d9 P4 DUERDIN GROUP PERTATATAKA

Qa CIOZORETORPOEN - - C1 Bulman V10 g5 V6 Conglomerate, Sandstone, dolostone, CO KAKADU P5f d9 sandstone, limestone, diamictite

P3 R P5 V10

iver Milyakburra P10L

BONAPARTE d4 -- mudstone, 3 P d4 -- C2 K M6 diamictite C2 K DALY P4 K K Pine Creek WILTO f5 RIVER Rose M6 Alyangula Umbakumba GROOTE AREYONGA, ARALKA K DALY P5f P10L V6 d9 EYLANDT Siltstone, dolostone, GULF N Angurugu g5 limestone, sandstone, RIV River P10L Pn N RIVER KATHERINE URAPUNGA ROPER RIVER M8 2 diamictite FERGUSSO Fish CAPE BEATRICE PORT KEATS Peppimenarti ER g5 K MOYLE

d4 R P4 R

r i d4 v M6 IVE K M6 e P5f

RIVER River f4 Flying Fox R M9 Qa g5 K P5 K d4 KATHERINE Numbulwar Wadeye Palumpa HEAVITREE, BITTER SPRINGS RIVER g5 d4 P5 M6b Waterhouse Quartzite, sandstone,

d9 C

K O re Jalboi conglomerate, dolostone, - V10 -

V10 KATHERINE ek P10L

C1b Barunga 1 limestone, salt

- - River Qa C2 Maranboy P5 d9 d9 P4 g5

RIVER Qa 1000 - g5 -

FLORA C1b Ngukurr STRATIGRAPHY RECOGNISED METAMORPHIC TERRAINS IGNEOUS COMPLEXES -- Y

C1b

RIVER WA ROPER R -- IVE RIVER KING R b8

VICTORIA C2 HIGH

FITZMAURICE -- HIGHWAY Qa M7

C2 -- d9 MARIA VICTORIA- SOUTH - - C1b g5 C2 Mataranka ROPER M7 K ISLAND McARTHUR TENNANT BIRRINDUDU NICHOLSON ARUNTA MUSGRAVE Creek M8 Qa Math BASIN REGION BASIN BASIN REGION BLOCK

R iso LARRIMAH HODGSON DOWNS in MOUNT YOUNG FELSIC VOLCANICS GRANITE/GNEISS MAFIC VOLCANICS MAFIC INTRUSIVES 15°S P IVER DELAMERE n reek M9 PELLEW 15°S 1000

C

AUVERGNE Creek unta TJAUWATA GROUP Elsey reek -- o M6

C M River C1b RIVER Bimodal volcanics, River sandstone,

V9 K CIOZORETORPOSEM P RIVER M10 U9 quartzite,

Ikymbon Creek -- AUVERGNE, conglomerate, Cattle ROPER GROUP Angalarri C1b FITZMAURICE AND SOUTH NICHOLSON f9 g9 b9 d9

GSON Qa d9 red-beds RE Aroona D Sandstone, KEEP RENNER GROUP TIJUNNA GROUPS GROUP

River Cz P9L VIR Birdum HO River shale C M10 K M9 Sandstone, Siltstone, Sandstone, MUSGRAVE OROGENY 1200-1160

River RIVER SIR EDWARD PELLEW GROUP shale shale, shale -- M6 D9 9V 9L reek Bullo Larrimah C1b C sandstone

Dry BAINES Cz COX Rosie RIVER NATHAN AND f4 Gregory WATTIE AND

River Timber Creek Birdum MT RIGG GROUPS BULLITA GROUPS DOOMADGEE FORMATION ?1500

Creek - - Dolostone VICTORIA Creek M6 Dolostone, Sandstone, Felsic and Delamere C1b LIMMEN BIGHT CHEWINGS OROGENY STU K d9 limestone, dolostone, mafic gneiss, M8 V8 L8 1590-1570 g8 b8 West Baines sandstone shale U8 schist, P8L ART D Ck Strangways M6b M6 Sandstone Pn M10 Creek MADDERNS YARD, YAYA quartzite g4 V8 M9 McARTHUR AND AND IWUPATAKA Snake Batten BALMA GROUPS FICKLING GROUP COMPLEXES 1600 P4 K Dolostone, LIMBUNYA GROUP Dolostone, Felsic and pelitic DALY WATERS TANUMBIRINI BAUHINIA DOWNS shale, Dolostone, shale, gneiss/schist, VICTORIA RIVER DOWNS Battle ROBINSON RIVER WATERLOO RIVER K sandstone shale, siltstone, orthoquartzite,

V10 VICTORIA f5

Creek f6 NAMERINI SUBGROUP siltstone, - - sandstone amphibolite, Creek Borroloola k Dolostone, chert, C1 Creek M6 LIEBIG OROGENY migmatite, River f7

ARNOLD ree M8 shale sandstone 1640-1630 calc-silicate C V9 -- Daly Waters CARP M9 Fletcher K C1b ENTA M8 RIA Lagoon M7 D7 V7 L7 BUCHANAN M7 The RIVER A7 P7L East Baines Tanumbirini 7g b7 7d RIVER M6 Top Springs CALVERT

ER R Leichh IVER Rive RIV

Behn r M8 RIVER k

Creek Cz PARSONS RANGE, Sandstone Sandstone -- Dunmarra WEARYAN Cree River ardt K TAWALLAH AND C1b RIVER HIGHWAY HIGHWAY PARGEE SANDSTONE, Armstrong RIVER KATHERINE RIVER GROUPS Townshend M9 d6 TOLMER AND PETERS CREEK VOLCANICS, Running Sandstone, BIRRINDUDU GROUPS WIRE CREEK SANDSTONE Creek K E M6b conglomerate 1700 V9 CH M6 Sandstone, Bimodal M8 conglomerate, volcanics, HAM M7 V6 L6b OELS f6 M8 F greywacke dolostone Creek MC ARTHUR M6b Mafic UPPER HATCHES REYNOLDS RANGE GROUP, Creek WICK STRANGWAYS

volcanics CREEK GROUP Sandstone, CADNEY METAMORPHICS

CASTLE WATERS HIGHWAY BEETALOO L6 EVENT 1730-1700 6g 6d NEW WALLHALLOW -- WAVE HILL DYLG E CALVERT HILLS LIMBUNYA Creek Sandstone, conglomerate Schist,

ewcastle C2 M10 Creek

N shale slate, f6 -- Mistake Depot -- M6 g6 D6 C3 C2 K Gold siltstone, P6L

REVIR calc-silicate, D6b Mafic A6

Stirling volcanics amphibolite,

Negri -- quartzite d6 YAMBAH EVENT C2 DaguraguRIVER Newcastle Waters ROBINSON Creek Creek 1780-1760 b6 River Creek Giles or Wattie Kalkarindji Creek M10 Creek Elliott Settlement BranchM6b 1800 P4 HIGHWAY PINE CREEK TENNANT TANAMI MURPHY

YAWH uzzle M10 OROGEN REGION REGION INLIER STAFFORD EVENT P M6 V9 M6 1810-1800 V7 Cz G

I

H M6 M10 BUNTINE LAKE M6 Y5 L6 WOODS g5 WARE GROUP STRANGWAYS COMPLEX g5 Y4 OORADIDGEE AND Sandstone, Felsic and RIA LOWER HATCHES TO BUSTARD, EDITH RIVER volcaniclastic mafic gneiss, Y4 CREEK GROUPS VIC L7 L8 AND EL SHERANA sandstone metavolcanics, g5 Y5 Sandstone, HELEN SPRINGS GROUPS metapelite 18°S Hooker WINNECKE CREEK SOUTH LAKE WOODS BRUNETTE DOWNS MOUNT DRUMMOND 18°S siltstone BIRRINDUDU Sandstone N52 A52 Maud Cresswell M10 Creek d9 Creek f6 Felsic Felsic Creek D6 T5f N5f P5L Creek volcanics Creek NONGRA volcanics N5 ttle TARRABOOL LAKE 2 a K C D9 LAKE

Lajamanu Renner Springs iver TANAMI EVENT 1830

R

DNALSNEEUQ --

- Cz - KILLI KILLI FORMATION LANDER ROCK FORMATION

C1b Creek

Sturt C1b -- T5 McKinlay L9 Greywacke, Greywacke,

D7 C1b Creek Fish Hole siltstone, siltstone,

g5 Cr Creek P5

Tomkinson South Nicholson shale shale,

- - -- Brunette CLIFFDALE VOLCANICS schist, C2 C1b k D7 Creek Cree N51 Felsic A51 gneiss Attack Bootu L7 f6 volcanics N52 Winnecke Creek D6 Y5 f5 b5 d5 N5f P5f Felsic L6b volcanics N52 Y4 DEAD BULLOCK FORMATION L6 Carrara River TENNANT EVENT 1850 Boree Creek 1850-1840 BIF, N51 Creek carbonaceous N5f BARRAMUNDI OROGENY g5 Attack shale, g4 NIMBUWAH EVENT siltstone, 1860-1840 TENNANT CREEK 1860-1850 TANAMI EAST GREEN SWAMP WELL D6 ALROY RANKEN chert, TANAMI sandstone, Ar Cz Playford FINNISS RIVER WARRAMUNGA MURPHY GROUP FORMATION dolerite METAMORPHICS D10 River N4 Buchanan Creek Greywacke, Greywacke, Greywacke, d5 BARKLY shale, shale, N4 shale, d4 PALAEOPROTEROZOIC f4 siltstone, siltstone, siltstone d4 N4 T5f sandstone hematitic

Cz g6 T5 T5f shales - V6 - Y4 P4L C1b

f4 Prentice Herbert -

d5 T4 C1b- Lake P4 T4

LAKE f4 BUCK TENNANT CREEK -- C2 TABLELANDS River b6 HIGHWAY T5f N5 g5 2 rev

iR Creek g5 N5f O g4

b6 g5 Lorne 1860 D STH ALLIGATOR GROUP

Tanami LANDER RIVER BONNEY WELL FREW RIVER Greywacke, - - MOUNT SOLITAIRE LANDER AVON DOWNS THE GRANITES C1b g5 Gosse RANKEN shale, James

T5 WELLTREE METAMORPHICS, NOURLANGIE SCHIST siltstone N52 g5 N51 Rabbit Flat Gneiss, R schist, RIVER iver g5 N51 D6 calc-silicate,

para- Tuff, shale, phyllite, chert

- - P3 LP3 C1b g5 T4 T5 Pn amphibolite, D metabasite Carbonaceous shale, A52 T5f BIF, g6 shale,

Wycliffe d6 dolostone - Wauchope River - g5 RIVER

WESTERN AUSTRALIA WESTERN N4 TANAMI Creek T5 Ar P10L 4 C2 T5 P A52 g5 d5 Wycliffe Well b5 Cz g5 D6 2000 g6 MT PARTRIDGE GROUP A51 g6 Cz w Sandstone,

Fre HIGHWAY b2

N51 shale

- BARROW CREEK - Ali- 21°S MOUNT THEO MOUNT PEAKE g6 ELKEDRA SANDOVER RIVER 21°S HIGHLAND ROCKS N4 g5 g5 C2 Curung g5 N4 T5

Creek T5

ELKEDRA RIVER LP2

g5 N51 D6b River P2 -

A51 C3- d5 g6 T5f Milne CREEK P10L 1 Ingallan g6 Taylorg5 A51 HANSON g5 A5 1 ?2050 A6 HANSON T5 Barrow Creek Creek KAKADU AND NAMOONA GROUPS P10L 4 P10L 4 Sandstone,

T5 P10L 4

g5 d6 dolostone, b1

HERMIT CREEK, MYRA FALLS METAMORPHICS

-

- ordon P1 - RIVER - g6 magnesite LP1 keerC C1 C3 G

A5

1 SANDOVER 2500 -- RUM JUNGLE AND BROWNS RANGE DOME,

C3 RIVER SANDOVER Ma - g5 P10L - nners NANAMBU COMPLEXES BILLABONG COMPLEX 4 C2 RIVER Granite, Granite, BUNDEY gneiss, gneiss, d6 schist, schist ALCOOTA MOUNT DOREEN NAPPERBY D HUCKITTA TOBERMOREY BIF LAKE MACKAY g8 g7 Ti-Tree

Creek A

d5 g6 -- rA rA - CO - A6 CO

g6 Yuendumu ARCHAEAN g6 D -- P10L 3 CO A6 O O A6 A6 D Cz LAKE P10L 3 P10L 1

MACKAY P10L

3 P10L A5

--

g8 3 ROAD 1 -- - C g6 P10L 3 - Note : Chronometric scale is non-linear. Creek C3 C2 C1 g6 A52 P10L 1 HIGHWAY P10L 1 Creek

d5 g8 g6 O - P10L 1 - O Napperby C3

PLENTY -- GEOLOGICAL REGIONS TOTAL MAGNETIC INTENSITY

d7 g6 C3- g5 PLENTY - LAKE g6 C2

LEWIS Muller

RIVER Marqua P10L -- 1 g6 Hart Range A52 K

C2 D -

HERMANNSBURG ALICE SPRINGS ILLOGWA CREEK -

d5 MOUNT LIEBIG A6 HAY RIVER C2 Creek A5 -- MOUNT RENNIE A51 g6 1 A10d C1 MONEY SHOAL CARPENTARIA g6 d7 d5 A5 A52 g6 BASIN BASIN A52 2 A10 g7 g7 Papunya A6 P10L 2 b7 d6 g6 ARAFURA d7 A7 g6 BASIN S TUART FIELD f7 ARNHEM f7 P10L 2 P10L INLIER 1 PINE CREEK Cz A7 d5 R IVER OROGEN

P10L d7 Kunparrka g9 g6 BONAPARTE

1 P10L 3 BASIN -- (Haasts Bluff) g7 P10L g6 ALICE SPRINGS K P10L 4 C McARTHUR BASIN 3 De O ering A6 A52 P Creek g6 P10L 1 A7 g7 DALY P10L 1 HALLS D O CREEK BASIN

S TODD OROGEN

S --

P10L 4 P10L Illogwa 1 --

S O Hermannsburg S P10L C HA

S O C 2 Y -

- O P10L 4 D P10L 4 A6 P10L

C 4 WOLFE CREEK CARPENTARIA

- RODINGA - RIV BASIN BASIN 24°S LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY Areyonga C Cz ER P10L 2 HALE RIVER SIMPSON DESERT NORTH 24°S BLOODS RANGE g5 C reek P10L 1 S HALE A51 DUNMARRA

D FINKE BASIN

VICTORIA-

- L A K E - BIRRINDUDU Cz C RIVER N E A L E RIVER BASIN McMinn

RIVE

R S - Creek - ORD MURPHY C INLIER PALMER BASIN

PL102 HUGH RIVER L A K E A M A D E U S f9 b9 P10L P10L P TENNANT 1 3 TOMKINSON O TANAMI SOUTH Kaltukatjara(Docker River) RIVER K WISO BASIN CREEK U9 PROVINCE NICHOLSON D BASIN LAWN HILL VICTORIA- PLATFORM g9 FINKE BIRRINDUDU AYERS ROCK KULGERA McDILLS SIMPSON DESERT SOUTH BASIN PETERMANN RANGES WARRAMUNGA PROVINCE O P10L 2 D P10L 4 LASSETER HIGHWAY P10L 3 REGION GEORGINA BASIN O Yulara Curtin Springs FINKE MURRABA BASIN Cz DAVENPORT PROVINCE P10L 3 P P10L 1 ARUNTA REGION RIVER CANNING BASIN HIGHWAY Finke g9 MURRABA BASIN AILERON PROVINCE K

U8 Kulgera NGALIA BASIN U8 U8 k Cree U8 g9 U8 Goyder REGION IRINDINA d9 U8 PROVINCE WARUMPI PROVINCE AILERON PROVINCE 26°S 132°E 135°E 26°S 129°E SOUTH AUSTRALIA 138°E AMADEUS BASIN AILERON PROVINCE

AILERON PROVINCE AMADEUS BASIN EROMANGA BASIN AMADEUS BASIN SCALE 1:2 500 000 EROMANGA BASIN PEDIRKA BASIN

50 0 50 100 150 200 250 km MUSGRAVE PROVINCE

Central Australian North Australian Orogenic Domains Archaean basementBasement Younger basins platformPlatform coverCover platformPlatform coverCover Orogenic domains inliersInliers Low Intensity High Intensity NORTHERN TERRITORY 0 100 200 300 400 500 km 0 100 200 300 400 500 km QUEENSLAND Albers Equal Area Projection AUSTRALIA Central Meridian 133°30' EAST SCALE 1 : 10 000 000 SCALE 1 : 10 000 000 Standard Parallels 13°30' and 23°30' SOUTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94) SOUTH AUSTRALIA SYMBOLS NEW SOUTH WALES Compiled: M Ahmad and IR Scrimgeour 2006. Northern Geological boundary...... Compiled using overlays from the complete coverage of First Edition, and partial coverage of Second Edition 1:250 000 geological maps, published by the Northern Territory Geological Survey and Territory VICTORIA Geoscience Australia; augmented by preliminary bedrock interpretations in selected areas from high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys. Palaeo-drainages are from information supplied by Natural Fault; thrust...... Resources Division, Department of Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts. Geological Main road...... TASMANIA Survey Cartography: IM Burgan. Produced by the Northern Territory Geological Survey, Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines, Darwin, Australia. Secondary road...... Richard Brescianini, Director, Northern Territory Geological Survey Issued under the authority of the Minister for Mines and Energy, the Honourable KONSTANTINE (KON) VATSKALIS, MLA. Railway...... This map is available from Minerals and Energy Information Centre, 3rd Floor Centrepoint Building, Darwin. Phone (61) 8 89996443, Fax (61) 8 89995221. Email [email protected]. GEOLOGICAL MAP of the NORTHERN TERRITORY 2006 edition Northern Territory Government Watercourse......

NORTHERN TERRITORY GOVERNMENT 2006 Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines 1:250 000 geological map sheet...... Oc The recommended reference for this map is: Ahmad M and Scrimgeour IR, 2006. Geological map of the Northern Territory, 1:2 500 000 scale. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Darwin. SIMPSON DESERT SOUTH WARNING: Colours will fade with prolonged exposure to light Figure 1.14*HRORJLFDOPDSRIWKH17 (GLWLRQ ¿UVWFRPSLOHGLQDQGXSGDWHGWKUHHWLPHVVLQFHLWVUHOHDVH

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:9 Special publication 5 Introduction and re-opened gold mines in the Pine Creek Orogen and $3.44 billion. These data highlight both the importance of Tanami regions. Onshore petroleum activity has also mineral industry to the Northern Territory economy and the dramatically increased since 2010, with recognition of prospectivity of the NT. the potential of many of the Territory’s basins for large However, despite its long mining history and the resources of unconventional petroleum, especially shale presence of some 3000 known mineral occurrences, the gas. Northern Territory is comparatively under-explored and has a substantial potential for major mineral discoveries of ECONOMIC OVERVIEW gold, copper, uranium, lead-zinc, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, nickel, manganese, bauxite, phosphate, The Northern Territory hosts a number of world-class potash, diamonds, tin, mineral sands, vanadium, tungsten, mineral deposits, including manganese at Groote Eylandt, coal and several other commodities. Many of the NT’s bauxite at Gove, phosphate at Wonarah, uranium in the sedimentary basins, both onshore and offshore, are also Alligator Rivers region, base metals at McArthur River, and very prospective for conventional and unconventional gold in the Tanami, Tennant Creek and Pine Creek areas. petroleum. The location of operating mines and major developing The Palaeo- to Mesoproterozoic orogenic provinces of projects in November 2012 is shown in Figure 1.15. The the Northern Territory have remarkable mineral potential total value of the available resources at these major deposits for a variety of commodities and contain almost 80% of is in the order of $150–200 billion with past production of the known mineral occurrences. The most mineralised DERXW  ELOOLRQ DW FXUUHQW SULFHV ,Q WKH ¿QDQFLDO \HDU province is the Pine Creek Orogen, from which 16 different 2010/11, the NT produced mineral commodities valued at metals have historically been mined. Large uranium deposits are located in the vicinity of Archaean granitic

Tiwi complexes, close to the unconformity with overlying O (Zircon) Kilimiraka Palaeoproterozoic rocks in the Alligator Rivers and Rum CARPENTARIA BASIN (Zircon) F MONEY SHOAL BASIN Alcan Gove O (Al) -XQJOHXUDQLXP¿HOGV9HLQW\SHK\GURWKHUPDOGHSRVLWVRI Tom’s Gully DARWIN (Au) Rustlers Roost Nhulunbuy ARAFURA BASIN Au, Sn, Ag-Pb, W, Cu, Bi are clustered in the central part Browns Oxide (Au) O Ranger (U) (Cu, Co, Ni) ARNHEM PROVINCE C F PINE CREEK Jabiru Cosmo Deeps (Au) C OROGEN of the Pine Creek Orogen. Gold is the major commodity O Spring Hill (Au) DALY BASIN O O F O Frances Creek (Fe) Gemco (Mn) within this group of metals, followed by tin. Stratabound BONAPARTE Brocks Creek BASIN (Au) Union Reefs Mt Todd (Au) O and stratiform polymetallic deposits are associated with FITZMAURICE (Au) F BASIN McARTHUR BASIN DALY BASIN Maud Creek (Au) carbonaceous sediments in the Pine Creek Orogen, such Katherine F Roper HM (Fe, Ti, V) O Manbarrum F as the Pb-Zn-Cu-Ni-Co deposits in the Rum Jungle area. VICTORIA BASIN F Roper Bar (Fe) (Pb, Zn) Mataranka (Lime) F F WOLFE BASIN Roper River (Fe) In the Warramunga Province, mineralisation is dominated by Cu-Au-Bi deposits, typically associated with magnetite- Borroloola HALLS McArthur River chlorite bodies. Mineralisation in late Palaeoproterozoic CREEK (Zn, Pb, Ag) OROGEN CARPENTARIA BASIN O rocks in the Davenport Province is largely of hydrothermal F F Redbank Myrtle Merlin (Cu) origin and includes quartz-wolfram lodes and gold-bearing ORD (Zn, Pb) C BASIN (diamonds) BIRRINDUDU BASIN MURPHY INLIER quartz reefs. The NT’s most economically important gold

KALKARINDJI PROVINCE province is the Tanami Region. This area contains the LAWN HILL PLATFORM TOMKINSON PROVINCE world-class Callie deposit and has produced an estimated TANAMI O Bootu Creek (Mn) SOUTH F NICHOLSON 8 Moz of gold over the last two decades. Gold, base metals, TENNANT Highland WISO BASIN WARRAMUNGA Tennant Creek BASIN Plains (P) PROVINCE BIRRINDUDU rare earth elements, ferroalloys and gemstone occurrences BASIN Warrego Tailings F Peko Tailings Tanami (Au) (Au, Fe) C are widespread in the Arunta Region, and include a world- F (Au, Cu, Co) F Old Pirate (Au) Rover 1 F Wonarah (P) FODVV UDUH HDUWKV GHSRVLW DW 1RODQV %RUH DQG VLJQL¿FDQW F (Cu, Au) REGION REGION GEORGINA BASIN O vanadium-magnetite, tungsten-molybdenum and copper CANNING BASIN Callie (Au) DAVENPORT ARUNTA PROVINCE deposits. The Murphy Province KDV VLJQL¿FDQW SRWHQWLDO Mt Peake (V, Ti, Fe) F F F for uranium and base metals deposits and hosts a number AILERON PROVINCE Ammaroo (P) Arganara (P) MURRABA BASIN Bigrlyi (U,V) Spinifex Bore of known prospects. The Arnhem and Warumpi provinces F Nolans (REO, P) (garnet sands) Molyhil Mud Tank (W, Mo) Jervois and the NT portion of the Musgrave Province have received NGALIA BASIN F (Cu, Ag, Au) (vermiculite) F FF REGION O F little attention from explorers and are arguably the most Harts Range WARUMPI PROVINCE F Alice (garnet sands) IRINDINA under-explored Proterozoic terranes on the Australian Springs PROVINCE AMADEUS BASIN Charlie Creek (REO) continent. F Angela (U) AILERON PROVINCE EROMANGA BASIN Overlying late Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic AMADEUS BASIN AMADEUS BASIN Chandler basinal strata are also highly prospective. McArthur F (Salt) Yulara Basin sediments host the giant HYC (McArthur River) Karinga F PEDIRKA BASIN (Potash) Pb-Zn-Ag and several other smaller base metals deposits, MUSGRAVE PROVINCE EROMANGA BASIN A12-344.ai

0 100 200 km including enigmatic copper-bearing breccia pipes at Redbank. The basin is a continuation of the world- Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic Mesozoic-Cenozoic Neoproterozoic- Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic Archaean Palaeozoic Basins Orogens famous Carpentaria Zinc Belt, which contains substantial shale-hosted stratiform zinc-lead-silver deposits at O OPERATING MINES C CARE AND MAINTENANCE F UNDER FEASIBILITY (including construction) Mount Isa, Hilton and Century in Queensland, and at Figure 1.15. Mines and undeveloped mineral deposits in the NT, McArthur River and Myrtle in the Northern Territory. as of November 2012. Uranium and gold deposits are present in the southeast

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:10 Special publication 5 Introduction of the McArthur Basin and black shale intervals within rock types from the Pine Creek Orogen were sampled the basin are very prospective for unconventional for Rb-Sr, K-Ar, Pb-Pb and U-Pb dating. The results of petroleum. The southern McArthur Basin also contains these early studies were tabulated in Walpole et al (1968). diamond-bearing kimberlites at the Merlin deposit. The McDougall et al (1965) carried out Rb/Sr and K/Ar dating on Roper Group, in the upper part of the McArthur Basin sedimentary rocks and granites from the McArthur Basin. succession, hosts iron ore deposits in the Roper River In 1972, BMR commenced Rb/Sr geochronological studies DUHD DQG KDV VLJQL¿FDQW SRWHQWLDO IRU VKDOH JDV DQG RLO to date major tectonic events in the Arunta Region, but most in the Beetaloo Sub-basin. The Tomkinson Province and results were not published until early 1980s (Black and Shaw Birrindudu Basin successions are time equivalents of 1995). Black (1977) carried out Rb/Sr geochronology of the the McArthur Basin, but are relatively poorly explored. granites and sedimentary rocks of the Tennant Region. At Both basins contain minor base metals occurrences, and the time, it was generally thought that the Rb/Sr system minor oil shows have been reported from the Birrindudu was robust enough to withstand subsequent geological %DVLQ7KH7RPNLQVRQ3URYLQFHDOVRFRQWDLQVVLJQL¿FDQW processes, unless melting had taken place. hydrothermal manganese mineralisation at Bootu Creek. However, by early 1980, it was realised that both The NT’s Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic basins contain Rb/Sr and K/Ar isotopic systems are easily reset by nearly 400 mineral occurrences, mainly of base metals, subsequent tectonothermal events and remain open until phosphate and uranium, and many of these basins are lower temperatures are attained, and therefore can record DOVR YHU\ SURVSHFWLYH IRU SHWUROHXP 6LJQL¿FDQW GHSRVLWV younger ages. Conventional U-Pb zircon geochronology of uranium are hosted by sedimentary rocks of the is a most robust technique, but cannot be used for complex Amadeus and Ngalia basins. The Amadeus Basin also has zircons containing inherited cores or metamorphic rims. considerable potential for conventional and unconventional The 40Ar/39Ar technique, an adaptation of the K-Ar SHWUROHXPDQGKDVSURGXFLQJRLODQGJDV¿HOGVDW3DOP geochronological technique, is used for dating K-rich Valley, Mereenie and Surprise. The Georgina Basin is a rocks and minerals (via the natural decay of 40K to 40Ar)

premier target for phosphate exploration and hosts the world- 129°00' 130°30' 132°00' 133°30' 135°00' 136°30' 138°00' FODVV:RQDUDKDQGDQXPEHURIRWKHUVLJQL¿FDQWGHSRVLWV 11°

The offshore Bonaparte Basin is a world-class petroleum CARPENTARIA BASIN MONEY SHOAL BASIN 12° province that contains a number of producing oil and gas Nhulunbuy DARWIN ARAFURA BASIN ¿HOGVDQGWKHRQVKRUHEDVLQKRVWVVLJQL¿FDQW0LVVLVVLSSL DALY BASIN Jabiru ARNHEM PROVINCE 13° BONAPARTE Valley-style zinc-lead-silver deposits. Neoproterozoic to BASIN PINE CREEK OROGEN

Palaeozoic basins that are also prospective for petroleum FITZMAURICE BASIN include the offshore Arafura Basin and the stacked 14°

DALY BASIN McARTHUR BASIN Warburton and Pedirka basins in the southeast of the NT. HALLS Katherine CREEK The Pedirka Basin also contains substantial resources of OROGEN 15° coal at depth. VICTORIA BASIN

WOLFE The Mesozoic Carpentaria Basin has outstanding BASIN 16° Borroloola potential for manganese. It hosts the giant Groote CARPENTARIA BASIN

Eylandt manganese deposits and several under-explored MURPHY 17° PROVINCE ORD manganese occurrences. The onshore part of the Money BASIN BIRRINDUDU BASIN Shoal Basin provides much of the construction material 18° KALKARINDJI PROVINCE LAWN HILL (sand, aggregate, dimension stone) for the Darwin region PLATFORM

TANAMI and offshore areas of this basin are very prospective for WISO BASIN TOMKINSON PROVINCE SOUTH NICHOLSON 19° petroleum. The Eromanga Basin, in the southeastern NT, TENNANT BASIN BIRRINDUDU BASIN Tennant Creek also has considerable petroleum potential. WARRAMUNGA PROVINCE The Cenozoic coastline of the Northern Territory 20° GEORGINA BASIN

FRQWDLQVDQXPEHURIEDX[LWHSUR¿OHVDQGKRVWVWKHZRUOG REGION REGION DAVENPORT CANNING PROVINCE BASIN 21° class bauxite deposit at Gove. It also hosts the heavy ARUNTA mineral sands deposits of the Tiwi islands. Inland, in AILERON PROVINCE MURRABA BASIN the central and southern parts of the Northern Territory, 22° a number of calcrete- and palaeochannel-style uranium NGALIA BASIN occurrences have been reported. 23° REGION WARUMPI PROVINCE IRINDINA AMADEUS BASIN PROVINCE GEOCHRONOLOGY Alice Springs 24°

AMADEUS BASIN AILERON PROVINCE EROMANGA BASIN One of the most important tools for understanding the 25° Yulara PEDIRKA BASIN geology of the NT is radiometric dating. A large proportion EROMANGA BASIN PEDIRKA BASIN

MUSGRAVE 02100 00 km of the NT’s rocks are barren of fossils and are therefore PROVINCE 26° YHU\GLI¿FXOWWRGDWHE\DQ\RWKHUPHDQV7KHGLVWULEXWLRQ Archaean Neoproterozoic-Palaeozoic U-Pb sample of NTGS and NTGS-GA geochronology sites in the NT is Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic orogens Mesozoic-Cenozoic Ar-Ar sample Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic basins given in Figure 1.16. A12-115.ai The earliest radiometric age determinations on Northern Figure 1.16. Coverage of Ar-Ar and U-Pb isotopic age Territory rocks were made in 1960, when granite and other determinations in the NT.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:11 Special publication 5 Introduction through a step-heating process. The method is more analysis of zircons to characterise their source. This precise and accurate than the Rb/Sr method, but has new geochronological dataset has vastly improved the similar resetting problems due to later thermal events. understanding of the NT’s geological framework, regional The development of SHRIMP (Sensitive High correlations and tectonic evolution. Resolution Ion Micro Probe) dating in the early 1980s revolutionised geochronology through its ability to rapidly GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS measure the isotopic and elemental abundances in minerals (most commonly U and Pb in zircon) at a micrometre-scale, Airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys making it well-suited for the analysis of complex minerals, particularly in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It also has Coverage of high-quality magnetic and radiometric surveys allowed the rapid analysis of the age of detrital zircons from in the NT is shown in Figure 1.17. sedimentary rocks. Although limited SHRIMP work was 7KH ¿UVW V\VWHPDWLF JHRSK\VLFDO VXUYH\V LQ WKH undertaken on behalf of NTGS during the 1990s, it was not NT commenced in 1935 with the setting up by the until the commencement of the NTGS–GA Geochronology Commonwealth Government of the Aerial Geological and Project under the National Geoscience Accord in 1999 Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia (AGGSNA). WKDWVLJQL¿FDQWDPRXQWVRI6+5,0383EGDWDZHUH Very early geophysical surveys were carried out in the routinely acquired in NTGS projects. Under the NTGS–GA Pine Creek, Redbank and Tennant Creek areas. Magnetic collaboration, GA undertakes SHRIMP geochronology on surveys in the Tennant Creek area were exceptionally behalf of NTGS, with the sharing of costs and intellectual successful in outlining the ironstone-hosted gold-copper- property. In addition to the large volume of SHRIMP data bismuth orebodies that are characteristic of this mining generated under this scheme, NTGS has also undertaken district (Rayner 2007). In the early to mid-1950s, BMR Laser Ablation-Induced Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA- purchased a number of aircraft for the purpose of airborne ICPMS) geochronology since 2007, particularly for U-Pb JHRSK\VLFDO VXUYH\V ,Q WKH 1RUWKHUQ 7HUULWRU\ WKH ¿UVW analysis of detrital zircons, as well as Lu-Hf isotopic airborne radiometric surveys were carried out in 1952 over

132O 133O 129O 130O 131O 134^ 135O 136O 137O 138O -11O -11O HIGH-RESOLUTION AIRBORNE MAGNETIC AND RADIOMETRIC SURVEYS BATHURST MELVILLE COBOURG WESSEL JUNCTION BAY TRUANT ISLAND ISLAND 58 ISLAND PENINSULA ISLANDS (150 – 500m spacing) Exploration Initiative Surveys -12O 48 -12O 20 1 Koolpin Mitchell Ranges 40 Amadeus West DARWIN 2 24 22 ALLIGATOR 1974 1990 FOG BAY DARWIN MILINGIMBI ARNHEM BAY GOVE 1999 8 RIVER 2 Alligator 21 Rodinga 41 Bonney Well -13O 4 -13O 1 20 1976 1990 1999 44 16 3 MOUNT Daly 22 Gove 42 Elkedra CAPE SCOTT PINE CREEK MOUNT EVELYN BLUE MUD BAY PORT LANGDON MARUMBA 1979 1991 1999 17 -14O 27 -14O 23 Jinduckin 10 45 4 Litchfield North 43 South Lake Woods 23 Katherine 26 1981 1992 1999 FERGUSSON PORT KEATS KATHERINE URAPUNGA ROPER RIVER CAPE BEATRICE RIVER 24 Milingimbi 29 5 Barrow Creek 44 Rum Jungle 3 30 1992 -15O -15O 1981 1999 25 Helen Springs 6 Huckitta 45 Mary River HODGSON PELLEW AUVERGNE DELAMERE LARRIMAH MOUNT YOUNG 1993 DOWNS 1981 2000 53 19 26 Roper River 46 O O Kulgera Amadeus Central -16 37 -16 7 1993 1981 2000 50 59 33 27 Groote Eylandt VICTORIA RIVER BAUHINIA WATERLOO DALY WATERS TANUMBIRINI ROBINSON RIVER 8 Kakadu II 47 Bauhinia DOWNS DOWNS 1993 47 1982 2000 -17O -17O 28 Mount Theo/ 9 Huckitta East 48 West Arnhem 31 54 Highland Rocks NEWCASTLE 1983 2000 LIMBUNYA WAVE HILL BEETALOO WALHALLOW CALVERT HILLS 1993 WATERS 54 10 Litchfield South 29 Port Keats 49 Wiso -18O 25 -18O 1984 1994 2000 34 51 30 WINNECKE SOUTH LAKE BRUNETTE MOUNT 11 Petermann Urapunga 50 Waterloo BIRRINDUDU HELEN SPRINGS CREEK WOODS DOWNS DRUMMOND 1985 1994 2001 43 -19O -19O 12 Kulgera West 31 Limbunya 51 Barkly 39 1986 1995 2001 GREEN SWAMP 55 TANAMI TANAMI EAST 49 TENNANT CREEK ALROY RANKEN WELL 13 Petermann East 32 Mount Peake 52 Eromanga 18 Tennant Creek 1987 1995 O O 2001 -20 55 -20 18 14 33 53 15 41 Ayers Rock Robinson River Sturt MOUNT THE GRANITES LANDER RIVER BONNEY WELL FREW RIVER AVON DOWNS 1988 1996 2001 SOLITAIRE 15 The Granites 34 54 Buchanan O O Birrindudu -21 -21 32 1988 1997 2002 28 5 HIGHLAND SANDOVER 16 35 MOUNT THEO MOUNT PEAKE BARROW CREEK ELKEDRA Kakadu Napperby/Hermannsburg 55 Georgina ROCKS RIVER 42 1988 1997 2002 -22O -22O 17 36 Alcoota/Alice Springs 56 Simpson 55 Marumba 1989 1997 2004 LAKE MACKAY MOUNT DOREEN NAPPERBY ALCOOTA HUCKITTA TOBERMOREY 18 57 52 Tanami 37 57 Jervois 38 9 Victoria River Downs -23O 35 -23O 36 6 1989 1998 2004 19 ILLOGWA Batten Trough 38 Mackay 58 Tiwi Islands MOUNT RENNIE MOUNT LIEBIG HERMANNSBURG ALICE SPRINGS HAY RIVER CREEK 1989 1998 2006 Alice Springs 52 O O 59 -24 40 -24 39 Tennant Creek Tanumbirini 1998 2007 SIMPSON BLOODS RANGE LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY RODINGA HALE RIVER DESERT NORTH 21 56 O 46 O -25 11 13 -25

14 SIMPSON SIMPSON PETERMANN AYERS ROCK KULGERA FINKE McDILLS DESERT RANGES DESERT SOUTH NORTH 12 7 -26O -26O O O O O O O O O O O 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 Grey lines and text indicate 1:250 000 mapsheets 0 100 200 300 km A12-336.ai

Figure 1.17. Coverage of high-quality magnetic and radiometric surveys of the NT.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:12 Special publication 5 Introduction the Rum Jungle and Edith River areas of the Pine Creek 17*6KDVGHYHORSHGDVSDWLDOLQGH[RIRSHQ¿OHFRPSDQ\ Orogen (Milligan et al 1994, Wood and McCarthy 1952). VXUYH\V IHDWXULQJ FRPSUHKHQVLYH VSHFL¿FDWLRQV RI DOO Other areas covered by airborne radiometry during the surveys for which it holds digital data. 1950s included Mosquito Creek (Livingstone 1957), Mount Hardy, Nicholson River (Livingstone 1955), Gardiner Gravity surveys Range (Muller 1961), Tennant Creek (Spence 1962) and South Alligator Valley (Livingstone 1958). Radiometric Coverage of high-quality gravity surveys of the NT is DQRPDOLHV ZHUH UHFRUGHG DQG FODVVL¿HG DV EHLQJ ¿UVW shown in Figure 1.18. second- and third-order in terms of size and intensity. Most In 1960, BMR commenced a helicopter-supported 11 km- VXUYH\VZHUHÀRZQE\WUDYHUVHVVSDFHGEHWZHHQTXDUWHURI spaced regional gravity program for the Australian continent a mile to two miles by a large DC-3 aircraft at an elevation that took 15 years to complete. Until 1998, this was the only of about 500 feet (about 150 m). Lighter Cessna and Auster JUDYLW\GDWDVHWDYDLODEOHIRUPRVWUHJLRQVRIWKH177KH¿UVW DLUFUDIWZHUHXVHGWREHWWHUGH¿QHDQRPDOLHVSLFNHGXSLQ more detailed (4 km line spacing or less) surveys were the the initial DC-3 surveys. 1998 Tennant Creek and 1999 Tanami surveys by Geoscience Both data quality and accuracy has improved since $XVWUDOLD6LQFH17*6KDVLQYHVWHGLQVLJQL¿FDQWO\ WKH ¿UVW DLUERUQH JHRSK\VLFDO VXUYH\V DQG WHFKQLTXHV KDYH improving the gravity coverage of the NT, commencing with EHQH¿WHGIURPWHFKQRORJLFDODGYDQFHVLQGDWDDFTXLVLWLRQ the West Arnhem survey (acquired using the airborne GT-1A measurement precision and compensation systems for method) and subsequent helicopter-supported ground gravity removing the magnetic effects of survey aircraft. Most of VXUYH\V7KHJURXQGJUDYLW\VXUYH\VKDYHEHHQVLJQL¿FDQWO\ the historic radiometric surveys recorded data using just HQKDQFHGE\H[SORUDWLRQFRPSDQLHVWKDWKDYHIXQGHGLQ¿OO 4 channels, but radiometric recording of 256 channels of 132O 133O 129O 130O 131O 134^ 135O 136O 137O 138O gamma ray data is now a standard. The advent of GPS systems -11O

BATHURST MELVILLE COBOURG WESSEL JUNCTION BAY TRUANT ISLAND in the 1990s provided much better positioning and the ability ISLAND ISLAND PENINSULA ISLANDS

-12O to acquire airborne data from much more closely spaced 3 DARWIN ALLIGATOR FOG BAY DARWIN MILINGIMBI ARNHEM BAY GOVE survey lines and lower altitudes than was previously possible. RIVER

Many of the earlier surveys in the Northern Territory were -13O

MOUNT conducted on a line spacing of 1500 m at altitudes of greater CAPE SCOTT PINE CREEK MOUNT EVELYN BLUE MUD BAY PORT LANGDON MARUMBA than 150 m, except for some of the smaller and better targeted -14O Katherine programs in the Tennant Region, where magnetic surveys FERGUSSON PORT KEATS KATHERINE URAPUNGA ROPER RIVER CAPE BEATRICE RIVER

were on a line spacing of 160 m. In the sedimentary basins, O -15 the line spacing of surveys was usually greater than 3000 m. HODGSON PELLEW AUVERGNE DELAMERE LARRIMAH MOUNT YOUNG $OLQHVSDFLQJRIPRUOHVVDQGDÀ\LQJKHLJKWRIPRU DOWNS O less is now standard and most of the early surveys have now -16 VICTORIA RIVER BAUHINIA WATERLOO DALY WATERS TANUMBIRINI ROBINSON RIVER been superseded by better-quality closely spaced surveys, DOWNS DOWNS ÀRZQVLQFH$OO17*6VXUYH\VKDYHEHHQFRQGXFWHGDW -17O NEWCASTLE LIMBUNYA WAVE HILL BEETALOO WALHALLOW CALVERT HILLS DÀLJKWOLQHVSDFLQJRIRUPZLWKWKHH[FHSWLRQRIWKH WATERS 7 -18O Bonney Well and Jervois surveys, and GA’s Tennant Creek 4 WINNECKE SOUTH LAKE BRUNETTE MOUNT BIRRINDUDU HELEN SPRINGS survey, which were all conducted at a spacing of 200 m. CREEK WOODS DOWNS DRUMMOND 6LQFHWKHVWDUWRIWKH¿UVWDLUERUQHVXUYH\LQWKH5XP -19O

GREEN SWAMP TANAMI TANAMI EAST TENNANT CREEK ALROY RANKEN Jungle area, GA has acquired magnetic/radiometric data WELL Tennant Creek over a million line km in the Northern Territory. GA’s -20O 1 2 MOUNT contribution was fairly regular until 1977 and became THE GRANITES LANDER RIVER BONNEY WELL FREW RIVER AVON DOWNS SOLITAIRE

LQWHUPLWWHQWWKHUHDIWHUUHWXUQLQJWRYHU\VLJQL¿FDQW -21O contributions in 1987, 1993 and 1998. HIGHLAND SANDOVER MOUNT THEO MOUNT PEAKE BARROW CREEK ELKEDRA 17*6ZDVRQHRIWKH¿UVWRIWKH$XVWUDOLDQVWDWHV ROCKS RIVER -22O and territories to acquire high-quality airborne regional 8 6 LAKE MACKAY MOUNT DOREEN NAPPERBY ALCOOTA HUCKITTA TOBERMOREY

JHRSK\VLFDOVXUYH\GDWDRQDV\VWHPDWLFEDVLV7KH¿UVW 5 O 17*6VSRQVRUHGVXUYH\ZDVÀRZQLQRYHU%$552: -23 ILLOGWA 2 MOUNT RENNIE MOUNT LIEBIG HERMANNSBURG ALICE SPRINGS HAY RIVER CREEK. It covered an area of 17 280 km on a line spacing Alice Springs CREEK -24O of 500 m, involving a total of 43 042 line km. 9 SIMPSON BLOODS RANGE LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY RODINGA HALE RIVER DESERT From 1981 to 1999, NTGS gradually acquired regional NORTH geophysical data at an average rate of coverage of one -25O SIMPSON PETERMANN AYERS ROCK KULGERA FINKE McDILLS DESERT 1:250 000-scale mapsheet per year. However from 1999, an RANGES SOUTH appreciable acceleration of the airborne program was made -26O SRVVLEOHWKURXJKVLJQL¿FDQWDGGLWLRQDOIXQGLQJSURYLGHG 0 100 200 300 km by the NT Government’s three successive exploration 1 Tanami 4 Birrindudu 67 Barkly 1999 2005 2009 SIMPSON initiatives. This has enabled the proportion of the NT DESERT 2 Tennant Creek 5 East Arunta 8 West Arunta NORTH 2001 2006 2010 covered by modern airborne surveys to rise from 48% in Grey lines and text indicate 3 West Arnhem 6 Central Arunta 9 East Amadeus 1:250 000 mapsheets 1998–1999 to more than 90% in 2012 (Figure 1.17). 2003 2008 2012 A12-345.ai Numerous geophysical surveys at various scales have DOVREHHQÀRZQDFURVVWKH17E\H[SORUDWLRQFRPSDQLHV Figure 1.18. Coverage of high-quality gravity surveys of the NT.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:13 Special publication 5 Introduction over their areas of interest. As of November 2012, 44% of usually overlying an orogenic domain (or orogen), which is the NT is covered by gravity surveys at a station spacing of an area characterised by intense deformation and widespread 4 km or less, including the entire Tanami and Arunta regions, metamorphism. A geological region LVGH¿QHGDVDUHODWLYHO\ and large areas of the Amadeus Basin, northern Georgina large two-dimensional geographical area with a cohesive, Basin and southern McArthur Basin (Figure 1.18). in some cases complex, geological assemblage that is VLJQL¿FDQWO\GLIIHUHQWLQRYHUDOOJHRORJ\IURPWKHDGMRLQLQJ Other geophysical surveys regions, and differs from geological province in that it does not include depth/time dimensions. Geological provinces Numerous electrical geophysical methods, such as DUHGH¿QHGDVWKUHHGLPHQVLRQDOERGLHVRIURFNZLWKGLVWLQFW electromagnetic (EM) and induced polarisation (IP) surveys geological characteristics and ages, that are separated from have been used for exploration purposes in the NT, but the RWKHU SURYLQFHV E\ PDMRU VWUXFWXUHV DQGRU XQFRQIRUPLWLHV use of electrical methods in pre-competitive geoscience For example, the Tennant Region covers a large geographical is a relatively recent development. The only large pre- area containing a wide spectrum of Proterozoic sedimentary, competitive EM survey acquired to date is the Pine Creek metamorphic and igneous rocks surrounded by younger DLUERUQHHOHFWURPDJQHWLF $(0 VXUYH\ZKLFKZDVÀRZQ Phanerozoic basins. This region is subdivided into three in 2008–2009 by GA, under their Onshore Energy Security GLVWLQFW JHRORJLFDO SURYLQFHV QDPHO\ WKH :DUUDPXQJD Program. The survey included 29 900 line-kilometres Davenport and Tomkinson provinces. An inlier is a relatively of new data at various line spacings (555 m, 1666 m and small geological area surrounded by younger rocks, whereas 5000 m) covering 74 000 km2, including large areas of the an outlier is a small geological area surrounded by older rocks. Pine Creek Orogen (excluding Kakadu National Park) and northwestern McArthur Basin (Craig 2011). Numerous Mapsheet nomenclature and locality reference regional-scale AEM surveys have also been acquired under the NTGS Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program Names of 1:250 000 and 1:100 000 mapsheets are in since 2010, particularly in central Australia, were they have ODUJH DQG VPDOO FDSLWDO OHWWHUV UHVSHFWLYHO\ HJ '$5:,1 been used in uranium exploration programs. KOOLPINYAH. Locations cited in this publication are based Multispectral and hyperspectral remotely sensed data are on Map Grid of Australia (MGA) coordinates and the increasingly being used to understand the distribution of key Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94). The grid minerals at the surface, particularly to understand alteration zones covered by the Northern Territory are 52 and 53, systems and regolith geology. In 2012, NTGS and CSIRO released sixteen Territory-wide mineral maps, based on a 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 000mE 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 stitch of ASTER multispectral data. Small-scale airborne -11°00’ 8 BATHURST MELVILLE COBOURG JUNCTION BAY WESSEL ISLANDS TRUANT ISLAND ISLAND ISLAND PENINSULA hyperspectral surveys have also been acquired in key regions 87 000mN 00 of the NT. Incorporation of hyperspectral data into the third -12°00’ FOG BAY DARWIN ALLIGATOR MILINGIMBI ARNHEM BAY GOVE TM RIVER 86 000mN dimension is provided by the NTGS HyLogger , which has 00 -13°00’ been acquiring detailed hyperspectral information on drill CAPE SCOTT PINE CREEK MOUNT EVELYN MOUNT BLUE MUD BAY PORT LANGDON 85 000mN MARUMBA 00 core from across the NT since 2010. -14°00’ 52L 53L

PORT KEATS FERGUSSON KATHERINE URAPUNGA ROPER RIVER CAPE BEATRICE 84 000mN A number of deep seismic surveys have been acquired RIVER 00 by GA, particularly in the southern half of the NT. Notable -15°00’ 83 000mN AUVERGNE DELAMERE LARRIMAH HODGSON MOUNT YOUNG 00 deep seismic surveys include the Amadeus Basin (1985), DOWNS PELLEW -16°00’ Batten Fault Zone (2002), Tanami (2005) and Georgina– 82 000mN 00 WATERLOOVICTORIA RIVER DALY WATERS TANUMBIRINIBAUHINIA ROBINSON RIVER Arunta (2009) seismic traverses. These interpreted seismic DOWNS DOWNS -17°00’ 81 000mN lines have contributed greatly to the understanding of the 00 LIMBUNYA WAVE HILL NEWCASTLE BEETALOO WALLHALLOW CALVERT HILLS NT’s deep crustal structure and tectonic evolution. WATERS -18°00’ 80 000mN 00

BIRRINDUDU WINNECKE SOUTH LAKE HELEN SPRINGS BRUNETTE MOUNT CREEK WOODS DOWNS DRUMMOND DEFINITIONS AND NOMENCLATURE -19°00’ 79 000mN 52K 53K 00 TANAMI TANAMI EAST GREEN SWAMP TENNANT CREEK ALROY RANKEN WELL 78 000mN ,QJHQHUDOWKHJHRVFLHQWL¿FWHUPLQRORJ\XVHGLQWKLV -20°00’ 00

THE GRANITES MOUNT LANDER RIVER BONNEY WELL FREW RIVER AVON DOWNS SOLITAIRE YROXPHIROORZVGH¿QLWLRQVJLYHQLQ)LVKHUDQG:DUUHQ 77 000mN (1975), Plumb et al (1981) and the American Geological -21°00’ 00 HIGHLAND MOUNT THEO MOUNT PEAKE BARROW CREEK ELKEDRA SANDOVER ROCKS RIVER 76 000mN Institute’s Glossary of Geology (Neuendorf et al 2005). The 00 -22°00’ IROORZLQJUHJLRQDOVFDOHJHRVFLHQWL¿FWHUPVDUHIUHTXHQWO\ LAKE MACKAY MOUNT DOREEN NAPPERBY ALCOOTA HUCKITTA TOBERMORY 75 000mN 00 XVHGLQWKLVYROXPHDVGH¿QHGEHORZ -23°00’

A craton is a part of the Earth’s crust that has attained MOUNT RENNIE MOUNT LIEBIG HERMANNSBURG ALICE SPRINGS ILLOGWA HAY RIVER 74 000mN CREEK 00 stability and has been little deformed for a prolonged period -24°00' 73 000mN BLOODS RANGE LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY RODINGA HALE RIVER SIMPSON DESERT of time. A sedimentary province (or basin) is an accumulation NORTH 00 of sedimentary rocks, with or without volcanics, deposited in -25°00' 52J 53J 72 000mN PETERMANN AYERS ROCK KULGERA FINKE MCDILLS SIMPSON DESERT 00 a subsiding segment of the Earth’s crust. Its lateral boundaries RANGES SOUTH -26°00' A12-338.ai may be structural, depositional, erosional, or interpreted (in 129°00' 130°30' 132°00' 133°30' 135°00' 136°30' 138°00' the sub-surface), and its vertical boundary is a regionally Figure 1.19. Northern Territory map zones, 1:250k mapsheet extensive unconformity. A platform is an area covered by coverage, MGA coordinates (red grid) and latitude/longitude UHODWLYHO\ ÀDW RU JHQWO\ WLOWHG PDLQO\ VHGLPHQWDU\ URFNV coordinates (black grid).

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:14 Special publication 5 Introduction

Sedimentary rocks, lavas, pyroclastic High-grade metamorphic rocks with Intrusive igneous rocks and combined rocks and metamorphic rocks with stratigraphic layers not preserved or not intrusive / extrusive igneous bodies. preserved stratigraphic layers. clearly established. Supergroup Supersuite eg Woodcutters Supergroup eg Cullen Supersuite

Group Complex Suite eg Namoona Group eg Madderns Yard Metamorphic Complex eg Jim Jim Suite, Kalkarindji Suite Subgroup eg Kombolgie Subgroup Formation Geographic term + metamorphic term Geographic term + lithological term HIERACHY HIERACHY eg Wildman Siltstone eg Nourlangie Schist eg Umbrawarra Leucogranite

NOMENCLATURE Member eg Acacia Gap Quartzite Member

Table 1.1&RPSDULVRQRIQRPHQFODWXUHRIVWUDWL¿HGDQGQRQVWUDWL¿HGURFN PRGL¿HGIURP3DUNHULQ'UH[HOet al 1993). and L–J, as shown in Figure 1.19. Where possible, grid ages in this timescale are after Gradstein et al (2004) and references are provided as UTM eastings and northings (eg Ogg et al (2008). Where Australian stage names are used 327668mE 8625341mN) and are theoretically accurate to (eg for the Cambrian and Ordovician), they are correlated the nearest metre, although in practice, an uncertainty of against the ICS stages. up to 100 m or more should be assumed, depending on the vintage of the mapping data. Grid coordinates collected via ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS modern GPS instruments should be accurate to about 5 m. ,QWKH¿UVWLQVWDQFHWKHDXWKRUVRIWKLVFRPSLODWLRQH[SUHVV Stratigraphic nomenclature thanks to all geologists of government, industry and academia who have advanced the geological understanding The stratigraphic names used in this volume are listed in of the Northern Territory. It is their painstaking meticulous Geoscience Australia’s Stratigraphic Unit Database (http:// work that has made this publication possible. Apart from www.ga.gov.au/products-services/data-applications/ the contributing authors, many other staff of the Northern reference-databases/stratigraphic-units.html), which Territory Geological Survey have made very valuable was originally established as the National Register of suggestions and input leading to numerous improvements Stratigraphic Names in 1949. This database is a centralised in the volume. reference point for all Australian stratigraphic unit The seed of this publication was sown during the information and it provides the primary national standards regime of Dennis Gee at the time of the publication of the for geological nomenclature in Australia. Staines (1985) 2.5M-scale Geological Map of the Northern Territory in has published a guide to lithostratigraphic nomenclature 2001, but actual work on the volume was delayed until late in Australia on behalf of the Australian Stratigraphy 2005, when then-Director Richard Brescianini recognised Commission. Most Northern Territory geological units are the need for such a publication at a time when there was named in accordance with the International Stratigraphic high staff turnover. We are indebted to both Dennis and Guide (Murphy and Salvador 2000). However, there are Richard for pointing us in the right direction. some cases where informal stratigraphic names have been A great deal of the high-quality, recent U-Pb SHRIMP used and in such cases, the names are not capitalised (eg geochronology data referred to in this volume was collected Inindia beds). Names in single quotes (eg ‘Horn Valley through the collaborative NTGS-Geoscience Australia (GA) Formation’) have been superceded and are not current. geochronology project since 1999, as part of the National Geoscience Agreement (NGA). GA are acknowledged for 5RFNWHUPLQRORJ\DQGFODVVL¿FDWLRQ WKHLU VLJQL¿FDQW HFRQRPLF DQG VFLHQWL¿F FRQWULEXWLRQV WR studies of the geology of the NT. The naming hierarchy used in this volume for A number of colleagues from the state geological VWUDWL¿HG URFNV VHGLPHQWDU\ URFNV ODYD S\URFODVWLFV surveys of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and metamorphic rocks that preserve stratigraphy), and Western Australia, and from the NT Department of metamorphic rocks and igneous rocks is provided in Land Resource Management (formerly Natural Resources, Table 1.1. Grainsize terminology of clastic rocks follows Environment, the Arts and Sport) have reviewed chapters :HQWZRUWK  6DQGVWRQHVDUHFODVVL¿HGDFFRUGLQJWR within this volume and/or have supplied information, )RON  DQGWKHFDUERQDWHURFNFODVVL¿FDWLRQIROORZV images and diagrams. Their valuable contributions to this the revision of Wright (1992). Igneous rock names follow text are gratefully acknowledged. Many colleagues from the nomenclature scheme approved by the International the exploration and mining industry have also supplied Union of Geological Sciences (Le Maitre et al 1989). helpful and constructive comments and information on various sections of the text, as well as a number of images Timescale and diagrams. 7KLV¿UVWHYHUGHWDLOHGFRPSLODWLRQRQWKHJHRORJ\ The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) 2010 and mineral resources of the Northern Territory has been geological timescale is used in this volume. Listed numerical greatly enriched by all of the above contributions.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 1:15 Special publication 5 Introduction

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Geological Survey, Record 2000-010. Jones TG, 1987. Pegging the Northern Territory. The history Black LP, 1977. A Rb-Sr geochronological study in the of mining in the Northern Territory of Australia, 1873– Proterozoic Tennant Creek Block, central Australia. 1946. Department of Business, Industry and Resource BMR Journal of Geology and Geophysics 2, 111–122. Development, Darwin. Black LP and Shaw RD, 1995. An assessment based on Khan M, Ahmad M and Wygralak AS, 2010. Metallogenic U-Pb zircon data of Rb-Sr dating in the Arunta Inlier, map of the Northern Territory 1:2 500 000 scale. Northern central Australia. Precambrian Research 71, 1–4, 3–15. Territory Geological Survey, Darwin. Brown HYL and Winnecke C, 1898. Geological map of the Knight CL, 1975. Introduction: in Knight CL (editor) Northern Territory of South Australia. Scale: 20 miles ‘Economic Geology of Australia and Papua New to an inch (1:1 267 200) 6XUYH\RU *HQHUDOV 2I¿FH Guinea, volume 1 – Metals’. 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