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AGES2018 Presentation. Neoproterozoic Stratigraphic

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AGES2018 Presentation. Neoproterozoic Stratigraphic Neoproterozoic stratigraphic revisions to key drillholes in the Amadeus Basin – implications for basin paleogeography and petroleum and minerals potential Verity J Normington and Chris J Edgoose NTGS The Amadeus Basin • Extensive (~170,000 km2) Neoproterozoic – Devonian intracratonic sedimentary basin • Basement comprised of both Musgrave Province (south) and Arunta Region (north) • Affected by major intracratonic orogenic events the Petermann Orogeny (580-530 Ma) and the Alice Springs Orogeny (450- 300 Ma) • Largely unexplored terrane Georgina Basin Ngalia Basin Arunta Region Eromanga Basin Musgrave Province Systematic relogging of Neoproterozoic succession in selected drillholes Project scope • Application of new/redefined Neoproterozoic units to selected drillholes – Based on NTGS field study in the NE and mapping in the central part of basin reported previously at AGES (Normington et al 2015, Donnellan and Normington 2017) Revised Neoproterozoic succession 2013 stratigraphy (Edgoose 2013) Current stratigraphy (Normington 2018) Project contributions • Updated Neoproterozoic stratigraphy in selected drillholes across the basin – Improves correlations – Ensures future studies use the most up to date stratigraphy • Improves understanding of unit distribution across the basin – in particular the Wallara and Aralka formations • Important to petroleum and mineral systems – Increased recognition of continuous distribution of black, organic rich shales (often with sulphides) within previously recognised petroleum and mineral system significant units Which drillholes and where BMR Alice Springs 27 CPDD001 CPDD002 LA05DD01 FINKE 1 CPDD003 BR05DD01 WALLARA 1 Investigations Neoproterozoic complete or ongoing Olympic/Pertatataka/Julie Areyonga/Aralka Referenced drillholes Bitter Springs/ Heavitree Summary of changes to stratigraphy BMR Alice Springs 27 BR05DD01 CPDD001-003 Julie FM Pertatataka FM Pioneer SST Olympic FM Aralka FM Areyonga FM Wallara FM Bitter Springs GP original logged stratigraphy 27 revised logged stratigraphy CPDD003 CPDD002 CPDD001 missing stratigraphy Springs BMR BMR Alice BR05DD01 Julie FM Pertatataka Wallara Formation FINKE 1 FM • Formerly ‘finke beds’ originally WALLARA 1 Pioneer SST identified in drillcore in Finke 1 Olympic FM (Gorter 1983) Silcrete – Wallara Formation Aralka FM • NTGS has recognised in outcrop along Areyonga FM the N and NE margins and central and Wallara FM western (GSWA) Amadeus Basin Bitter • Surface expression often only Springs GP comprises calcrete and silcrete • Now formalised as Wallara Formation • Significant global marker unit Calcrete – Wallara Formation • Cryogenian, based on acritarch Cerebrosphaera buickii (Grey et al 2011) • Diagnostic stromatolite Bacialia burra • New type section, Wallara 1 DH Julie FM Pertatataka Wallara Formation FINKE 1 FM • Formerly ‘finke beds’ originally WALLARA 1 Pioneer SST identified in drillcore in Finke 1 Olympic FM (Gorter 1983) Type section, Aralka FM • NTGS has recognised in outcrop along Wallara 1 DH Areyonga FM the N and NE margins and central and Wallara FM Bitter western (GSWA) Amadeus Basin Springs GP • Surface expression often only comprises calcrete and silcrete • Now formalised as Wallara Formation • Significant global marker unit Organic shale • Cryogenian, based on acritarch and oil staining Cerebrosphaera buickii (Grey et al 2011) Type section, Wallara 1 DH • Diagnostic stromatolite Bacialia burra • New type section, Wallara 1 DH Baicalla burra Julie FM Distribution of Wallara Formation Pertatataka FM (‘finke beds’) Pioneer SST Olympic FM • Prior to formal definition to the Wallara Formation, the Aralka FM finke beds were only known in 3 drillholes (Edgoose 2013) Areyonga FM Wallara FM Bitter Springs GP Julie FM BR05DD01 Wallara Formation Pertatataka CPDD003 FM in drillhole Wallara 1 Pioneer SST Olympic FM • Increased distribution now recognised in Aralka FM Areyonga FM BR05DD01, CPDD003 and Wallara-1 Wallara FM Bitter • Previously logged as Johnnys Creek or Loves Springs GP Creek formations (Bitter Springs Group) or Pertatataka Formation • Reassigned on the basis of diagnostic Baicalia burra stromatolites (by GSWA) and lithofacies • Contrasting to outcrop it comprises dominantly black shales and red and green siltstones in drillholes – Sandstone and carbonates lithofacies only present in the Wallara-1 DH type section The Wallara Formation in BR05DD01 Typical Wallara Formation - Stromatolitic carbonate BR05DD01 - Calcareous siltstone - Organic-rich black shales - Carbonates The Wallara Formation in BR05DD01 Typical Wallara Formation - Carbonates BR05DD01 - Red (and green) siltstones - calcareous siltstone - Organic-rock black shales Mineralogical comparisons – BR05DD01 Areyonga The Wallara Formation can be Fm Johnnys identified in hyperspectral analysis Aralka Fm Wallara Fm Creek Formation (Hylogger data) 2nd row (SWIR mineralogy) Dolomite CalciteCalcite Phengite (mica mineral) Aspectral (likely black/dark grey shales) 3rd row (TIR mineralogy) Carbonate minerals Smectites (clay mineral) Silica WhiteWhite Micas micas There is a distinct difference between the bulk mineralogy of the Wallara Formation and surrounding Areyonga and Johnnys Creek formations For Hylogger data see Smith 2013, NTGS Rec 2013-007 Julie FM Previous distribution Pertatataka of Wallara Formation FM Pioneer SST Olympic FM Aralka FM Areyonga FM Wallara FM Bitter Springs GP Julie FM Current distribution Pertatataka of Wallara Formation FM • Has a basin-wide distribution Pioneer SST Olympic FM • Globally significant – Cryogenian global marker unit Aralka FM • Important new information for Neoproterozoic palaeogeographic Areyonga FM reconstructions of the Amadeus Basin and the Centralian Wallara FM Superbasin Bitter • Palaeogeographic reconstructions are complicated by tectonic Springs GP overprinting of Petermann and Alice Springs orogenies and halotectonics (Weisheit and Donnellan 2018) and glacial scouring Haines and Allen 2014. Julie FM Aralka Formation Pertatataka FM • Exposures restricted to the Pioneer SST N and NE margins and central basin Olympic FM Limbla Mbr • Dominantly recessive siltstone and shales - Aralka FM Ringwood Mbr most exposures comprise carbonate Aralka FM Areyonga FM Wallara FM Ringwood Member and siliciclastic Limbla Bitter Member Springs GP Type section – SE Olympic Bore Ringwood Member – Limbla Member – Type section Siltstone – Aralka Reference area – Limbla – Hi Jinx Syncline Formation Syncline Julie FM Distribution of Aralka Formation Pertatataka Including Ringwood and Limbla Members FM Pioneer SST • Distribution from surface exposures Olympic FM Limbla Mbr Aralka FM and Wallara 1 Ringwood Mbr Areyonga FM Aralka FM Aralka • Rapidly thins away from the NE Wallara FM Bitter margin Springs GP Julie FM The Aralka Formation in drillholes Pertatataka • Increased distribution now recognised in FM Pioneer SST BR05DD01, CPDD001, CPDD002 and Olympic FM Limbla Mbr Wallara-1 Aralka FM Ringwood Mbr Aralka FM Aralka Areyonga FM • Previously logged as Pertatataka Wallara FM Bitter Formation or Areyonga Formation Springs GP • Mostly black shales and siltstones ± sulphides • Sulphides not previously reported in BR05DD01 • Ringwood Member recognised in BR05DD01 is the most westerly occurrence in NT, supported by BR05DD01 biostratigraphic observations CPDD001-003 (Allen et al in prep) WALLARA 1 Limbla Aralka Formation in drillholes Syncline CPDD003 organic-rich, pyritic shale BR05DD01 CPDD001-003 BR05DD01 intraclast breccia Limbla Syncline intraclast breccia CPDD001 lenticular bedding Aralka Formation in drillholes CPDD003 black, organic-rich shale/siltstone BR05DD01 CPDD001-003 Pyrite is variable in content and typically disseminated (as seen in CPDD002, 003 and BR05DD01) CPDD003 disseminated pyrite within black shales Julie FM Ringwood Member – BR05DD01 Pertatataka FM Pioneer SST Olympic FM Aralka Fm Ringwood Mbr Limbla Mbr Aralka FM Ringwood Mbr Areyonga FM Aralka FM Aralka Wallara FM Bitter Springs GP Black shale/siltstone Tungussia inna stromatolite Atilyana fennensis Tungussia inna stromatolite stromatolites Mineralogical Comparisons – BR05DD01 Ringwood Mbr The Ringwood Member is Aralka Fm Aralka Fm recognisable in hyperspectral analysis (Hylogger data) 2nd row (SWIR mineralogy) Dolomite CalciteCalcite Phengite (mica mineral) Muscovite 3rd row (TIR mineralogy) Carbonate minerals Smectites (clay mineral) Silica WhiteWhite Micas Micas There is a distinct difference between the bulk mineralogy of the Aralka Formation and the Ringwood Member. For Hylogger data see Smith 2013, NTGS Rec 2013-007 Julie FM Previous distribution Pertatataka FM of Aralka Formation Pioneer SST Olympic FM Limbla Mbr Aralka FM Ringwood Mbr Areyonga FM Aralka FM Aralka Wallara FM Bitter Springs GP Current distribution of Aralka Formation Julie FM Pertatataka • Has a basin-wide distribution FM • Thins in basin centre then thickens significantly to the west Pioneer SST • As for the Wallara Formation, this is important new information for Olympic FM Neoproterozoic palaeogeographic reconstructions of the Amadeus Aralka FM Basin and the Centralian Superbasin Areyonga FM • Palaeogeographic reconstructions are complicated by tectonic Wallara FM Bitter overprinting of Petermann and Alice Springs orogenies and Springs GP halotectonic effects (Weisheit and Donnellan 2018) and it is a post- glacial unit Haines and Allen 2014. Pertatataka or Aralka Formation? Based on stratigraphic revisions Pertatataka Formation to Aralka and Wallara formations in CPDD001,002 and 003 and BR05DD01, Julie
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