Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory
Ahmad M and Munson TJ (compilers)
Northern Territory Geological Survey Special Publication 5
Chapter 36: Bonaparte Basin
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Ahmad M and Munson TJ, 2013. Chapter 36: Bonaparte Basin: 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. Bonaparte Basin
Current as of November 2012 Chapter 36: BONAPARTE BASIN M Ahmad and TJ Munson
INTRODUCTION onshore coastal areas along the NT–Western Australia border northward into the Timor Sea across Australia’s The Bonaparte Basin (previously referred to as Bonaparte continental margin. The basin covers an area of Gulf Basin, Figure 36.1) is a large, predominantly offshore, approximately 270 000 km2, with the onshore portion being composite polyphase sedimentary basin, extending from about 20 000 km2. It contains up to 15 km of Phanerozoic,
125° 127° 129° 131°
Calder TIMOR-LESTE 9° Graben lt u a F k n a Goulburn TIMOR TROUGH Troubadour B h Graben INDONESIA High c o d n y Laminaria Sahul Platform L High Kelp High MONEY SHOAL Flamingo High Flamingo BASIN A Syncline Malita GrabenDarwin Shelf
Sahul Ashmore Syncline Platform Vulcan 12° Sub-basin D Londonderry High DARWIN Paqualin Transfer Zone BONAPARTE BASIN Daly Basin
Pine Creek Petrel Sub-basin Orogen BROWSE BASIN BerkeleyC Platform Moyle Kulshill Platform Birrindudu Terrace Basin Daly Basin Yampi Shelf Keep Inlet Carlton Sub-basin Sub-basin Fitzmaurice 15° Kimberley Basin Pincombe Basin NT Inlier WA Victoria Basin Bastian Basin Wyndham B Burt Range Sub-basin Carlton Sub-basin Kununurra Wolfe Basin
0 100 km Halls Carr-Boyd Creek Basin Orogen Birrindudu Basin Halls Speewah Creek Basin Orogen Ord Basin
Offshore Petrel Sub-basin Mesozoic–Cenozoic road
platform/high Neoproterozoic– fault Palaeozoic offshore basin boundary location Figure 36.2 early Cambrian Kalkarindji Province syncline location Figure 36.18 Palaeo–Mesoproterozoic state boundary CDsections in Figure 36.3 basins WESTERN NORTHERN DARWIN Palaeo–Mesoproterozoic locality AUSTRALIA TERRITORY orogens Archaean
onshore Bonaparte Basin A11-253.ai Figure 36.1. Regional setting of Bonaparte Basin showing major structural elements. NT geological regions from NTGS 1:2.5M GIS GDWDEDVH:$JHRORJLFDOUHJLRQVVLPSOL¿HGDQGVOLJKWO\PRGL¿HGIURP7\OHUDQG+RFNLQJ VRPHVPDOORXWOLHUVLQOLHUVRPLWWHG
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:1 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
PDULQHDQGÀXYLDOVLOLFLFODVWLFDQGFDUERQDWHVHGLPHQWDU\ The middle Cambrian to Early Carboniferous Carlton rocks. Along with the Browse, Roebuck and Carnarvon Sub-basin occurs to the south of an east–west fault zone basins in Western Australia, the Bonaparte Basin forms part in onshore areas of the basin, mostly in Western Australia. of the Late Paleozoic to Cenozoic Westralian Superbasin The Proterozoic Pincombe Inlier separates the Carlton Sub- (Bradshaw et al 1988), which extends along the northwestern basin to the west from a northerly plunging syncline to continental margin of Australia from the Arafura Sea in the the east that forms the Late Devonian–Carboniferous Burt north to the Exmouth Plateau in the south. Range Sub-basin (Sweet 1977). The Pincombe Inlier was a The boundaries of the Bonaparte Basin are not well probable emergent palaeohigh through the Late Devonian to GH¿QHG2QVKRUHDUHDVLQWKHVRXWKDUHIDXOWHGDJDLQVWWKH Early Carboniferous (Jorgensen et al 1990). 3LQH&UHHN2URJHQDQG9LFWRULDDQG.LPEHUOH\EDVLQV7R The regional geology and stratigraphic succession of the the northwest, the basin extends across the Timor Sea to Bonaparte Basin has been described by many authors over the the Timor Trough, where water depths exceed 3000 m. To last half century. Regional studies of the onshore succession the east the basin is bounded by the Lynedoch Bank Fault include Traves (1955), Brady et al 9HHYHUV DQG System, which separates it from the Money Shoal Basin, Roberts (1968), Dickins et al (1972), Laws (1981), Whitehead and to the southwest, it adjoins the offshore Browse Basin and Fahey (1985), Beere and Mory (1986), Mory (1988, (Figure 36.1). Elements of the stratigraphic succession are 0RU\DQG%HHUH /DYHULQJDQG2]LPLF continuous with those of adjacent offshore basins. Petroconsultants (1990), McConachie et al (1996) and Dunster The Bonaparte Basin is structurally complex and et al 6LJQL¿FDQWVWXGLHVRIWKHRIIVKRUHVXFFHVVLRQV consists of a number of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic platform LQFOXGH/DZVDQG.UDXV *XQQ /HHDQG*XQQ areas and sub-basins (Mory 1991, Figures 36.1, 36.2). The (1988), Gunn and Ly (1989), MacDaniel (1988), Mory (1988, Vulcan Sub-basin is a major northeast-trending Late Jurassic 1991), Botten and Wulff (1990), Petroconsultants (1990), rift depocentre in the western part of the Bonaparte Basin. +RFNLQJet al :RRGV *RUWHU DQXPEHU It is separated from the Ashmore Platform to the west and of papers in Ellis et al *RUWHUet al (2005, 2008, 2009) WKH/RQGRQGHUU\+LJKWRWKHHDVWE\WZRHQHFKHORQIDXOW and Bourget et al6LJQL¿FDQWVXPPDULHVRIWKHEDVLQ systems. The Ashmore Platform is a large elevated block include Longley et al &DGPDQDQG7HPSOH DQG ORFDWHG WR WKH ZHVW RI WKH9XOFDQ VXEEDVLQ ,W FRQWDLQV D Geoscience Australia (2009, 2011). UHODWLYHO\ WKLQ VXFFHVVLRQ RI ÀDWO\LQJ &UHWDFHRXV VWUDWD 7KH %RQDSDUWH %DVLQ FRQWDLQV VLJQL¿FDQW RLO DQG JDV overlying Permian–Triassic rocks which were faulted and accumulations and is an important petroleum producer. eroded during the Jurassic. The Londonderry High comprises 2QVKRUHSRUWLRQVRIWKHEDVLQLQWKH17DQG:$FRQWDLQDQ elevated Permian–Triassic rocks with thin Late Jurassic and H[WHQVLYH0LVVLVVLSSL9DOOH\W\SHEDVHPHWDOVSURYLQFH Cretaceous cover. The Sahul Platform is also an elevated This chapter focuses on the onshore sedimentary basement area overlain by less than 5000 m of Late Permian VXFFHVVLRQVRIWKH3HWUHODQG.HHS,QOHWVXEEDVLQVLQWKH17 to Cenozoic rocks. It was uplifted to form a structural high A full discussion of the other components of the Bonaparte during Jurassic extension of the adjacent Malita and Calder %DVLQLVEH\RQGWKHVFRSHRIWKLVYROXPH+RZHYHUEULHI grabens. The Malita Graben is a northeast-trending trough VXPPDULHV RI WKH PLGGOH &DPEULDQ±(DUO\ 2UGRYLFLDQ between the Sahul Platform and Darwin Shelf. Its eastward Carlton Group, which only outcrops in the Carlton Sub- extension is known as the Calder Graben. Both grabens basin in Western Australia, and of the offshore successions contain a thick succession of late Palaeozoic, Triassic, of the Petrel Sub-basin are also included. Jurassic and Early Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. They were developed during the Middle Jurassic as a result of rifting Southeastern Bonaparte Basin prior to the break-up of Gondwana. The northwest-trending Sahul and Flamingo synclines are depocentres that link and 7KHVRXWKHDVWHUQ%RQDSDUWH%DVLQLQFOXGHVWKH3HWUHO.HHS RIIVHWWKHQRUWKHDVWWUHQGLQJ9XOFDQ6XEEDVLQDQG0DOLWD Inlet and Carlton sub-basins. The Petrel Sub-basin is located and Calder grabens. They are separated by the Laminaria mostly offshore in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, but extends and Flamingo highs. The Petrel Sub-basin Figure 36.2) is a onshore into coastal areas of the NT (Figure 36.2). The sub- broad northwest-trending Palaeozoic rift in the southeastern basin is an northwest-trending Palaeozoic rift (Figure 36.3) Bonaparte Basin that extends into onshore areas of the that contains a succession of thick Palaeozoic and thinner NT and Western Australia. It contains a thick Palaeozoic Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. The eastern and western succession overlain by thinner Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. margins of the sub-basin are both faulted and converge to the 2IIVKRUHWKH3HWUHO6XEEDVLQH[SHULHQFHG/DWH3DODHR]RLF south. To the east, the onshore Petrel Sub-basin and poorly and Mesozoic rifting that has resulted in a northeast-trending GH¿QHG.HHS,QOHW6XEEDVLQDUHERUGHUHGE\WKH3URWHUR]RLF structural overprint. The Darwin Shelf, to the northeast of the 3LQH&UHHN2URJHQ)LW]PDXULFH%DVLQDQG+DOOV&UHHN Petrel Sub-basin, represents a thin succession of Jurassic to 2URJHQZKHUHDVWRWKHVRXWKZHVWDQGVRXWKWKH3HWUHODQG Cenozoic sedimentary rocks. The Keep Inlet Sub-basin refers onshore Carlton and Burt Range sub-basins abut Proterozoic to a poorly developed depocentre to the east and southeast URFNV RI WKH .LPEHUOH\ 6SHHZDK DQG &DUU%R\G EDVLQV RI WKH 7XUWOH%DUQHWW +LJK ZKLFK H[WHQGV RQVKRUH WR WKH Proterozoic basement rocks form extensive shelves around QRUWKRIGULOOKROH.HHS5LYHULQQRUWKHDVW$89(5*1(1 the eastern, western and southern margins of the southeastern DQG SRVVLEO\ WR WKH HDVW DV SDUW RI WKH .XOVKLOO 7HUUDFH Bonaparte Basin (Figure 36.2) and these are overlain by a relatively thin cover of Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks. The 1 Names of 1:250 000 and 1:100 000 mapsheets are in large and VKHOYHVWRWKHHDVWLQFOXGHWKH.XOVKLOO7HUUDFHDQG0R\OH VPDOOFDSLWDOOHWWHUVUHVSHFWLYHO\HJ$89(5*1(LEGUNE. Platform, which extend to the north-northeast into the Darwin
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:2 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
128° 129° 130°
Malita Darwin Graben Shelf Newby-1 Curlew-1 Schilling-1 Gull-1 Marsi-1 12° NT WA
Petrel Sub-basin Flat Top-1
Billabong-1
Petrel-1 Petrel Fishburn-1
13° Petrel Deep Frigate-1 Frigate Deep-1 Sandpiper-1 Tern
Billawock-1 Berkley Platform Penguin-1 Polkadot-1 Moyle Marina-1 Sidestep-1 Blacktip North-1 Bougainville-1 Platform Blacktip Berkley-1 Lesueur-1 Lacrosse Terrace Shakespeare-1 Kinmore-1 NORTHERN 14° TERRITORY Cambridge High Turtle-Barnett Kimberley Weasel-1 High Lacrosse-1 Kulshill Moyle-1 Basin Terrace Cambridge-1 Kulshill-1 Kulshill-2 Turtle-1 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Windjana-1 Matilda-1 Turtle-2 Barnett-1 Cape Ford-1 Barnett-2, 3 Sunbird-1 Cambridge Keep Inlet 0 50 km Trough Sandbar-1 Sub-basin
Pelican Island-1 Kingfisher-1
Fitzmaurice Mobile Zone Bonaparte-1 15° Bonaparte-2 Ningbing-1 Carlton Keep River-1 Sub-basin Ningbing-2 Garimala-1 WESTERN NORTHERN Skull-1 AUSTRALIA TERRITORY Waggon Creek-1 Weaber Vienta-1 Spirit Hill-1
Petroleum exploration well A11-262.ai Salt diapir Not classified Major "basin forming" fault Mesozoic sub-basin Dry hole Depocentre axis Oil show Paleozoic sub-basin Hinge Oil discovery Platform/shelf Basin outline Oil and gas show Precambrian basement Oil discovery and gas show Gas show Gas field Gas discovery
Figure 36.2. 5HJLRQDOVWUXFWXUDOHOHPHQWVRIWKH&DUOWRQ3HWUHODQG.HHS,QOHWVXEEDVLQVVKRZLQJSHWUROHXP¿HOGVGULOOKROHVDQGVDOW GLDSLUV VOLJKWO\PRGL¿HGDIWHU*HRVFLHQFH$XVWUDOLD ¿JXUH /RFDWLRQVKRZQLQ Figure 36.1.
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:3 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Shelf. The Berkley Platform to the west extends eastward into The Kulshill Terrace refers to the onshore parts of the Petrel WKH&DPEULGJHDQG7XUWOH%DUQHWWKLJKVZKHUHLWLVÀDQNHG DQG.HHS,QOHWVXEEDVLQVWRWKHZHVWRIWKH0R\OH5LYHU by the Lacrosse Terrace. A large-scale northwest-plunging Fault where a thick, poorly exposed Palaeozoic succession syncline extends along the axis of the Petrel Sub-basin, has been intersected in drillholes. parallel to the prevailing structural grain, and regional dips The stratigraphic succession of the southeastern within the sub-basin are also to the northwest, resulting in a Bonaparte Basin in the NT (Table 36.1) is complex and progressive younging of the sedimentary succession in that KDVEHHQGH¿QHGDQGGHVFULEHGLQDQXPEHURISXEOLFDWLRQV direction from early Palaeozoic in onshore areas, through late including Beere and Mory (1986), Mory and Beere (1988), Palaeozoic and Mesozoic to Cenozoic offshore (Figures 36.1, Mory (1991), Gorter (1998) and Gorter et al 36.3). The Late Palaeozoic–Mesozoic succession exceeds 8VHIXOUHFHQWVXPPDULHVRIWKH3HWUHO 15 000 m in thickness in the central and northern parts of the DQG.HHS,QOHWVXEEDVLQVDUHLQ*HRVFLHQFH$XVWUDOLD Petrel Sub-basin. (2009, 2011). Late Middle Devonian to Early Carboniferous upper- Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks outcrop along the coast crustal extension resulted in the formation of a number DQGKLQWHUODQGLQVRXWKHUQPRVW)2*%$<&$3(6&277 of rift-related structures, particularly in the south and ZHVWHUQ 3257 .($76DQG QRUWKZHVWHUQ$89(5*1( LQ southwest of the basin (Figure 36.2*XQQ 2¶%ULHQ WKH 17 DQG LQ /,66$'(// &$0%5,'*( *8/) DQG et al &ROZHOODQG.HQQDUG 7KHVHVWUXFWXUHVDUH VRXWKHUQPRVW0('86$%$1.6LQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLD7KH ERXQGHGE\PDMRUQRUPDOIDXOWVDQGRUIDXOWV\VWHPVDQG onshore succession of the Bonaparte Basin ranges from include planated basement platforms (eg Berkley Platform Cambrian to early Middle Triassic in age. Siliciclastic and DQG 0R\OH 3ODWIRUP KRUVW EORFNV HJ &DPEULGJH +LJK FDUERQDWHURFNVRIWKHPLGGOH&DPEULDQ±(DUO\2UGRYLFLDQ DQG7XUWOH%DUQHWW+LJK URWDWHGIDXOWEORFNV HJ/DFURVVH Carlton Group outcrop along the southwestern margin 7HUUDFHDQG.XOVKLOO7HUUDFH DQGJUDEHQV HJ&DPEULGJH of the Bonaparte Basin in Western Australia, within the 7URXJK DQG .HHS ,QOHW 6XEEDVLQ ,Q RQVKRUH DUHDV RI Carlton Sub-basin (Mory and Beere 1988) and are the oldest the NT, the major structural elements include the Moyle sedimentary rocks within the basin. An unnamed subsurface 3ODWIRUP.XOVKLOO7HUUDFHDQGWKH.HHS,QOHW%XUW5DQJH evaporitic unit of uncertain lateral extent, penetrated in and Carlton sub-basins. The Moyle Platform is bounded to deep drillholes and interpreted from seismic data, is most the east by major faults of the Fitzmaurice Mobile Zone and OLNHO\ WR EH /DWH 2UGRYLFLDQ LQ DJH (GJHUOH\ DQG &ULVW to the west by the Moyle River Fault. It consists of crystalline :RRGVLGH/HRQDUGet al ,QWKH17WKH basement rocks that are probably equivalent to those of the succession comprises the Late Devonian Cockatoo and 3LQH&UHHN2URJHQDQG9LFWRULD%DVLQRYHUODLQE\VKDOORZ Ningbing groups, the Late Devonian–Early Mississippian Late Carboniferous to Early Permian sedimentary rocks. /DQJ¿HOG *URXS 0LVVLVVLSSLDQ :HDEHU *URXS /DWH
MALITA PETREL GRABEN SUB-BASIN NW SE B A 0 X 0
4000 4000 Ningbing reef
8000 8000
12 000 m 12 000 m LT SA Cenozoic axial intrusion SALT Woodbine Group Cretaceous Bathurst Island Group equivalent Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous BERKLEY PLOVER- PETREL MOYLE Flamingo Group PLATFORM LACROSSE SUB-BASIN PLATFORM TERRACE Middle Triassic to Middle Jurassic C SW X NE 0 D Troughton Group Early Permian to Middle Triassic 5000 Kinmore Group Late Carboniferous–Early Permian basement Permian Kulshill Group 10 000 Early Carboniferous
upper Weaber Group 15 000 m lower Weaber Group Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous ocean crust Cockatoo, Langfield and Ningbing groups early Palaeozoic and older basement
A12-286.ai
Figure 36.36LPSOL¿HGGLDJUDPPDWLFFURVVVHFWLRQVDFURVVVRXWKHDVWHUQ%RQDSDUWH%DVLQ UHGUDZQDQGVOLJKWO\PRGL¿HGDIWHU%LVKRS ¿JXUH /RFDWLRQVVKRZQLQFigure 36.1. Cross-sections intersect at X. (a) Northwest–southeast cross-section across southern portion of Malita Graben and Petrel Sub-basin. (b) Southwest–northeast cross-section across Petrel Sub-basin.
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Mississippian–Early Pennsylvanian Wadeye Group, Early faulting and by passive rise during the Carboniferous– 3HQQV\OYDQLDQ±&LVXUDOLDQ.XOVKLOO*URXSDQG&LVXUDOLDQWR Permian (Figure 36.2). There is no direct evidence of the 0LGGOH7ULDVVLF.LQPRUH*URXS,QRIIVKRUHDUHDVWKHVHDUH depositional age of this evaporitic succession, but it most overlain by the Middle Triassic–Jurassic Troughton Group, OLNHO\LVLQWKHUDQJH/DWH2UGRYLFLDQWR6LOXULDQ /HRQDUG Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Flamingo Group, Cretaceous et al*HRVFLHQFH$XVWUDOLD IURPFRPSDUDWLYH Bathurst Island Group equivalent and Cenozoic Woodbine stratigraphic relationships with similar successions in the Group. The only onshore outcrops of these offshore Canning Basin of Western Australia (Jones et al 1997). Middle Triassic and younger successions are isolated Early &UHWDFHRXVURFNVLQ3257.($76DQG&$3(6&277 LATE DEVONIAN
CAMBRIAN–ORDOVICIAN Cockatoo Group
Carlton Group The Petrel Sub-basin developed as a rift basin in the Late Devonian as a consequence of northeast-oriented extension, 2YHUPRIFODVWLFDQGFDUERQDWHURFNVRIWKHPLGGOH &DPEULDQ±(DUO\ 2UGRYLFLDQ Carlton Group (Caye 1968) outcrop along the southwestern basin margin in Bonaparte Basin /,66$'(// &$0%5,'*( *8/) DQG VRXWKHUQPRVW (WA) 0('86$%$1.6LQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLDXQFRQIRUPDEO\ overlying tholeiitic basalts of the late early Cambrian Chewtonian $QWULP3ODWHDX9ROFDQLFV .DONDULQGML3URYLQFH 7KHVHDUH the oldest sedimentary rocks within the Bonaparte Basin. 475
The Carlton Group does not outcrop in the NT portion Floian Bendigonian of the basin, although it is possible that it may occur in WKHVXEVXUIDFHDQGLWLVRQO\WHQWDWLYHO\LGHQWL¿HGLQWKH subsurface in offshore areas (Petroconsultants 1990). The 480 JURXSLVEHVWGHYHORSHGLQWKH2QVORZDQG3UHWORYH+LOOV Lancefieldian areas of Western Australia, where it has been subdivided into six conformable formations (Figure 36.4), from base to top, Early Ordovician Early Pander Greensand WKH7DUUDUD)RUPDWLRQ+DUW6SULQJ6DQGVWRQH6NHZWKRUSH 485 Formation, Pretlove Sandstone, Clark Sandstone and 3DQGHU *UHHQVDQG 9HHYHUV DQG 5REHUWV .DXOEDFN Tremadocian
DQG9HHYHUV 0RU\DQG%HHUH 3HWURFRQVXOWDQWV Warendian 1990). These were deposited in a range of environments, Datsonian 490 from intertidal to subtidal shallow marine to deeper marine St 10 St Payntonian towards the top. The top of the group is everywhere eroded. Trilobite faunas from the Carlton Group were described in Shergold et al (2007) and enable a correlation of the middle Cambrian strata with the two successive sedimentary 495 Iverian Clark successions that have been recognised from sequence 9 Stage Sandstone stratigraphic studies in the Georgina Basin in the NT to the east (Shergold et al 1988, Southgate and Shergold Idamean /DXULH VHTXHQFH 2UGLDQ DQG VHTXHQFH 500 ODWHVW 2UGLDQ±HDUO\ 0LQG\DOODQ 7KH 7DUUDUD )RUPDWLRQ Paibian UHSUHVHQWV VHTXHQFH ZKHUHDV WKH LQWHUYDO IURP +DUW Mindyallan Spring Sandstone to Pretlove Sandstone probably represents Guz Boomerangian Pretlove Sandstone 505 sequence 2. A correlation chart showing the relationships of Cambrian Undillan Skewthorpe Formation these units to successions in similar-aged NT basins is in Dru Floran &HQWUDOLDQ6XSHUEDVLQ ¿JXUH. Hart Spring Templetonian Sandstone St 5 St ?LATE ORDOVICIAN–?SILURIAN 510 Ordian Tarrara Formation ? Antrim Plateau Volcanics 6HGLPHQWDU\URFNVDUHDEVHQWIURPWKHODWH(DUO\2UGRYLFLDQ to Middle Devonian interval in the onshore Bonaparte
Basin, but extensive evaporite deposits of unknown lateral 515 4 Stage Series 2 Series 3 Furongian continuity are known from the southernmost offshore
SDUWVRIWKHEDVLQ (GJHUOH\DQG&ULVW :RRGVLGH A11-263.ai 2002, Leonard et al 7KHVHLQFOXGHVDOWSLHUFHPHQW ? Figure 36.4. Generalised stratigraphic succession of the diapirs and salt pillows, penetrated in deep drillholes &DPEULDQ±(DUO\2UGRYLFLDQVXFFHVVLRQRIWKH&DUOWRQ6XEEDVLQ and interpreted from seismic data, that developed during LQ :HVWHUQ $XVWUDOLD $EEUHYLDWLRQV 'UX 'UXPLDQ *X] Late Devonian–earliest Carboniferous extensional *X]KDQJLDQ 6W 6WDJH
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:5 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin resulting in the deposition of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks 2URJHQ :KLWHKHDG DQG )DKH\ ,W ERWK LQWHU¿QJHUV in terrestrial and shallow marine environments. Devonian– ZLWKDQGFRQIRUPDEO\XQGHUOLHVWKH.HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQH Carboniferous sedimentation within the sub-basin was (Whitehead and Fahey 1985, Dunster et al 2000), and these DVVRFLDWHGZLWKWKHDVXFFHVVLRQRIGLVFUHWHWUDQVJUHVVLYH two units are at least partially equivalent to several other regressive cycles (Petroconsultants 1990, McConachie et al formations in Western Australia, including the Steeple Creek 'XULQJ WKH ¿UVW F\FOH XS WR P RI &RFNDWRR and Cyril sandstones. The formation typically comprises Group sedimentary rocks were deposited during the Late ÀDWO\LQJ EHGV RI SRO\PLFWLF FRQJORPHUDWH DQG UHGEURZQ Devonian (Laws 1981, Mory and Beere 1988). Coarse clastic sandstone with occasional cross-beds (Figure 36.8) and rocks are associated with the eastern and western faulted reaches a maximum thickness of about 300 m (Pontifex basin margins and grade basinward into marine siliciclastic and Sweet 1972). Conglomerate clasts are set in a sandy rocks, including siltstone and shale with interbedded PDWUL[ DQG DUH XS WR FREEOHERXOGHU VL]H 7KH\ LQFOXGH sandstone and sandy limestone of the lower Bonaparte a range of rock types, including quartzite, rhyolite, shale, )RUPDWLRQRIWKH/DQJ¿HOG*URXS 0RU\DQG%HHUH phyllite and siltstone (Whitehead and Fahey 1985). Mory Figure 36.5). Interbeds of dolostone, marl and limestone and Beere (1988) reported an intraformational angular are found along the western margin. In the NT, the group is unconformity within the Ragged Range Conglomerate H[SRVHGLQZHVWHUQ$89(5*1( Figure 36.6). in Western Australia. The formation was deposited in The Cockatoo Group (Rowley and Lee 1986) has been alluvial fan to shallow tidal conditions, proximal to uplifted divided into ten formations, as summarised by Mory and Proterozoic rocks. Pelecypods and gastropods at the base Beere (1988), but only two formations are recognised in the and pelecypods at the top of the type section demonstrate a NT (Dunster et al 2000): the Ragged Range Conglomerate PDULQHVHWWLQJDQGD)UDVQLDQDJHDWOHDVWLQSDUW 9HHYHUV DQG RYHUO\LQJ .HOO\V .QRE 6DQGVWRQH Figure 36.7, and Roberts 1968). Table 36.1). Constituent units occurring within Western Australia include the Steeple Peak Sandstone, Cyril Kellys Knob Sandstone 6DQGVWRQH .XQXQXUUD )RUPDWLRQ *DOORSLQJ &UHHN 7KH .HOO\V .QRE 6DQGVWRQH 5RZOH\ DQG /HH Formation, Abney Sandstone, Cecil Sandstone, Maudoobar HTXLYDOHQWWRµ.HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQH0HPEHU¶RI9HHYHUV 6DQGVWRQHDQG+DUJUHDYHV)RUPDWLRQ7KHVHKDYHFRPSOH[ DQG5REHUWV FRQIRUPDEO\RYHUOLHVDQGLQWHU¿QJHUVZLWK lateral and vertical stratigraphic relationships, and several the Ragged Range Conglomerate. It outcrops as prominent, unconformities have been recognised within the succession deeply dissected plateaux that dominate the topography (Mory and Beere 1988). The Cockatoo Group is regarded DQGDUHDVFHQLFDWWUDFWLRQLQQRUWKHUQ.HHS5LYHU1DWLRQDO DV EHLQJ )UDVQLDQ LQ DJH 9HHYHUVDQG 5REHUWV ,W Park (Whitehead and Fahey 1985, Figures 36.9, 10). South LVXQFRQIRUPDEOHRQ3URWHUR]RLFURFNVRIWKH+DOOV&UHHN of Burt Range, conglomeratic beds that are assigned to 2URJHQWKHODWHHDUO\&DPEULDQ$QWULP3ODWHDX9ROFDQLFV WKH .HOO\V .QRE 6DQGVWRQH DUH XQFRQIRUPDEOH RQ URFNV .DONDULQGML3URYLQFH DQGLQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLD&DPEULDQ RI WKH +DOOV &UHHN *URXS DQG WKH :KLWHZDWHU 9ROFDQLFV DQG 2UGRYLFLDQ URFNV RI WKH &DUOWRQ *URXS 0RU\ DQG +DOOV&UHHN2URJHQ'XQVWHUet al 2000). The unit is also Beere 1988). in faulted contact with the Enga Sandstone and Burt Range )RUPDWLRQRIWKH&DUERQLIHURXV/DQJ¿HOG*URXS3RQWLIH[ Ragged Range Conglomerate DQG6ZHHW GHVFULEHGWKH.HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQHDVD 7KH 5DJJHG 5DQJH &RQJORPHUDWH 9HHYHUV DQG 5REHUWV tabular body of cross-bedded quartz sandstone at least 300 m HTXLYDOHQWWRµ5DJJHG5DQJH&RQJORPHUDWH0HPEHU¶ WKLFN,Q.HHS5LYHU1DWLRQDO3DUNWKHIRUPDWLRQFRQVLVWV of Plumb 1968) outcrops as low ridges and benches and is of red to orange, tabular, cross-bedded, medium-grained, unconformable on Proterozoic rocks, the Antrim Plateau pebbly quartz sandstone with conglomeratic beds towards 9ROFDQLFVDQGWKH:KLWHZDWHU9ROFDQLFVRIWKH+DOOV&UHHN the base (Whitehead and Fahey 1985). Facies analysis of
Age Group Stratigraphic Units
Zimmerman Tournaisian Langfield Group Sandstone Septimus Bonaparte Limestone Formation Enga Sandstone Burt Range Formation
Fammenian Ningbing Ningbing Group Bonaparte Group Buttons limestone Formation Formation
Hargreaves Westwood Cecil Sandstone Formation Formation
Late Devonian Carboniferous Cockatoo Frasnian Group Kellys Knob Bonaparte Sandstone Formation Figure 36.5. Schematic stratigraphic and facies Ragged Range Conglomerate relationships between units of Cockatoo, Ningbing Sandstone Dolomitic Unconformity DQG/DQJ¿HOGJURXSVLQRQVKRUHVRXWKHUQ3HWUHO
Siltstone/Shale Shaly Sub-basin in NT and easternmost Western $XVWUDOLD PRGL¿HGIURP3HWURFRQVXOWDQWV Limestone Carbonaceous A12-287.ai McConachie et al 1996, Dunster et al 2000).
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:6 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
WKH.HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQHLQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLDOHGWRWKH 129°30' 130° 130°30' UHFRJQLWLRQ RI DHROLDQ ÀXYLDO DQG WLGDO HQYLURQPHQWV RI CAPE SCOTT GHSRVLWLRQ 0RU\DQG%HHUH ,Q.HHS5LYHU1DWLRQDO 13° 3DUNWKH.HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQHLVDGLVWDOIDFLHVHTXLYDOHQW Bonaparte Basin RIWKH5DJJHG5DQJH&RQJORPHUDWHDQGFRQWDLQVÀXYLDOO\ reworked alluvial fan deposits (Dunster et al 2000). 0 50 km
Daly Ningbing Group Billawock-1 Basin
13°30' 7KH1LQJELQJ*URXS 0RU\DQG%HHUH HTXLYDOHQWWR µ%XWWRQV%HGV¶±¶1LQJELQJ/LPHVWRQH¶LQWHUYDORI9HHYHUV Bonaparte Basin and Roberts 1968) is only exposed in a narrow north- Bougainville-1 northwest-trending belt in northeastern CAMBRIDGE Pine Creek *8/)DQGVRXWKHUQPRVW0('86$%$1.6LQ:HVWHUQ Orogen Shakespeare-1 Australia. In the NT, it is entirely subsurface and is only 14° Kinmore-1 known from petroleum and deep mineral drillholes in PORT KEATS $89(5*1(DQG3257.($76 'XQVWHUet al 2000, Gorter et al 2005). In Western Australia, the group has been VXEGLYLGHGLQWR¿YHIRUPDWLRQVLQDVFHQGLQJVWUDWLJUDSKLF Moyle1 RUGHUWKH'MLOLUUL/LPHVWRQH.DPLOLOL)RUPDWLRQ:XQJDEDO Kulshill-1 Kulshill-2 Carpentaria Limestone, and the laterally equivalent Garimala Limestone Basin and Buttons Formation (Mory and Beere 1988). In the NT, 14°30' Barnett-1–3 only the Buttons Formation is recognised, the remainder of the succession being undivided (Table 36.1). As a result of Sunbird-1 local disconformities and rapid lateral facies changes, the Kingfisher-1 thickness of the group varies considerably from 171 m in Pine drillhole Ningbing-1 in Western Australia (Mory and Beere Creek Orogen WRDPD[LPXPRIPLQGULOOKROH.HHS5LYHU Bonaparte Basin 15° in northwest LEGUNELQ$89(5*1( &D\H 7KH Keep group is Late Devonian (Famennian) in age (Mory and River-1 Beere 1988) and consists predominantly of carbonate rocks deposited as a reef complex similar to those of the Canning Weaber-1–5 Fitzmaurice basin in Western Australia (Playford et al 2009). In offshore Basin Victoria parts of the Bonaparte Basin, deeper marine rocks of the Victoria Basin %RQDSDUWH )RUPDWLRQ /DQJ¿HOG *URXS FRQWLQXHG WR EH 15°30' Basin Pincombe-1 AUVERGNE deposited at this time and are in part laterally equivalent Spirit Hill-1 to the Ningbing Group (Figure 36.5). The group is Halls Creek conformable or disconformable on the Cockatoo Group, or Orogen is disconformable on Proterozoic rocks, or on the Antrim Birrindudu 3ODWHDX 9ROFDQLFV ,W LV FRQIRUPDEO\ RU GLVFRQIRUPDEO\ Basin RYHUODLQ E\ WKH /DQJ¿HOG *URXS RU LV GLVFRQIRUPDEO\ Wolfe Basin overlain by the Weaber Group (Mory and Beere 1988). 16° A11-266.ai Early Cretaceous Bathurst Island fault Undivided Ningbing Group Group equivalent Kinmore-1 A thick section of undivided Ningbing Group (referred to Carboniferous–Middle Triassic petroleum well DVµXQDVVLJQHG1LQJELQJ*URXS¶LQ'XQVWHUet al 2000) unassigned Mesozoic–Cenozoic RFFXUV LQ WKH VXEVXUIDFH LQ QRUWKZHVWHUQ $89(5*1( Early Carboniferous Neoproterozic– Palaeozoic ZKHUHLWZDVLQWHUVHFWHGLQ.HHS5LYHU &D\H Weaber Group early Cambrian ,Q WKLV GULOOKROH D PWKLFN VHFWLRQ LGHQWL¿HG Kalkarindji Province Langfield Group DVµ1LQJELQJ/LPHVWRQH¶E\&D\H LVRYHUODLQ Palaeo–Mesoproterozoic Late Devonian basins E\PRIµXQQDPHGIRUPDWLRQ¶ERWKLQFOXGHGLQ Palaeo–Mesoproterozoic the Ningbing Group by Mory and Beere (1988) for a Cockatoo Group orogens WRWDOWKLFNQHVVRIP7KHµXQQDPHGIRUPDWLRQ¶ Figure 36.6. Northern Territory portion of Bonaparte Basin, ZDVVXEVHTXHQWO\LGHQWL¿HGDV%XWWRQV)RUPDWLRQE\ VKRZLQJ VLPSOL¿HG RXWFURS JHRORJ\ GHULYHG IURP *$ 0 Gorter et al (2005, Figure 36.11 7KHEDVDOPRI geology and NTGS 1:2.5M geological regions GIS datasets. XQGLYLGHG1LQJELQJ*URXSLQ.HHS5LYHUFRQVLVWVRI 2XWFURSSLQJXQLWVLQ3257.($76DQG&$3(6&277DUHWRR ¿QHJUDLQHG DQG OHVVHU PHGLXPJUDLQHG OLPHVWRQH DQG poorly mapped to assign to revised stratigraphic succession of dolostone with authigenic quartz and rare ostracodes, Gorter (1998) and Gorter et al (2005, 2008, 2009). Cretaceous URFNVLQHDVWHUQ3257.($76DUHDUELWUDULO\DVVLJQHGWRRQVKRUH calcispheres and mollusc fragments, interpreted by Caye Carpentaria Basin, but are same age as, and were almost certainly (1969) as representing a back reef lagoonal environment. continuous with Bathurst Island Group equivalent rocks of This is overlain by 280.5 m of bioclastic and mottled Bonaparte Basin.
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:7 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Unit, thickness (distribution) Lithology Depositional environment Stratigraphic relationships Cenozoic WOODBINE GROUP undifferentiated Woodbine Siliciclastic and carbonate rocks. Marine shelf. 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ%DWKXUVW,VODQG*URXS Group equivalent. <1300 m (offshore) Cretaceous BATHURST ISLAND GROUP EQUIVALENT Wangarlu Fm equivalent Claystone with subordinate Inner to distal marine shelf. Conformable on Darwin Fm. <2000 m (offshore) siltstone and minor sandstone, grading upward into claystone, calcimudstone and marl. Darwin Fm equivalent Radiolarian chert, claystone and Shallow marine. Conformable on Echuca Shoals Formation <52 m (onshore and offshore) calcimudstone RIIVKRUH 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ".LQPRUH*URXS (onshore). Echuca Shoals Formation Glauconitic claystone and Shallow marine. 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ)ODPLQJR*URXS >250 m (offshore) siltstone. Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous FLAMINGO GROUP In ascending order: Siliciclastic and lesser carbonate Deltaic to shallow marine to Disconformable to unconformable on Elang Fm P" rocks. open marine shelf. Troughton Group. Frigate Shale P Sandpiper Sandstone P Middle Triassic to Middle Jurassic TROUGHTON GROUP In ascending order: Dominantly siliciclastic rocks. Fluvial braided-stream, 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ0RXQW*RRGZLQ6XEJURXS Cape Londonderry Fm P FRQWLQHQWDOGHOWDLFÀXYLDOWR Malita Fm P coastal. Plover Fm <500 m (offshore). Early Permian to Middle Triassic KINMORE GROUP MOUNT GOODWIN SUB-GROUP undifferentiated Ascalon Fm Shale and siltstone. Marginal marine to shallow 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ+\ODQG%D\6XEJURXS /Mairmull Fm marine. 20 m (onshore) In ascending order: Claystone, siltstone and minor Marginal marine, shallow 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ+\ODQG%D\6XEJURXS Penguin Fm P sandstone. marine, low-relief delta plain, Mairmull Fm P nearshore marine. Ascalon Fm P Fishburn Fm 180 m (offshore) HYLAND BAY SUB-GROUP Tern Fm Sandstone, siltstone and mudstone 2IIVKRUHDQGSURJUDGLQJ 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ'RPEH\)P <73 m (offshore and onshore) in repeating cycles. sandy shoreface to estuarine. 8QFRQIRUPDEO\RYHUODLQE\3HQJXLQ)P Dombey Fm Limestone and sandstone. Marine shelf. 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ&DSH+D\)P <30 m (offshore and onshore) Cape Hay Fm Shale, sandstone and siltstone. River-dominated delta system 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ3HDUFH)P P RIIVKRUHDQGRQVKRUH with restricted shoreface. Pearce Fm Limestone and shale and lesser 2IIVKRUHPDULQHWRPDULQH 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ)RVVLO+HDG)P <50 m (offshore and onshore) sandstone. Sandstone more shelf. dominant in onshore areas. NOT SUB-GROUPED Fossil Head Fm Carbonaceous siltstone and Marine-shelf. Lower part may 8QFRQIRUPDEOHWRFRQIRUPDEOH LQQRUWK RQ <590 m (offshore and onshore) mudstone with sandstone and be prodeltaic. .H\OLQJ)P minor limestone. Late Carboniferous–Early Permian KULSHILL GROUP Keyling Fm Mostly sandstone, with lesser Fluvial, subordinate Probably unconformable on Ditji Fm. >500 m (offshore and onshore) siltstone, shale, coal, conglomerate lacustrine and paludal. and minor limestone. Lesser marginal marine and intertidal. Ditji Fm Calcareous sandstone, sandy Marine or marginal marine. Probably unconformable on Quoin Fm. <130 m (offshore) limestone with minor coal. Quoin Fm Sandstone, siltstone and shale. 0RVWO\ÀXYLDOIROORZLQJGH Probably unconformable on Treachery Fm. <750 m (offshore and onshore) JODFLDWLRQ DOVRLQWHUWLGDO nearshore and continental.
Table 36.1. Summary of onshore and offshore stratigraphic succession of Petrel Sub-basin in the NT. Abbreviation: Fm = Formation (continued on next page).
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:8 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Unit, thickness (distribution) Lithology Depositional environment Stratigraphic relationships Treachery Fm Tillite, diamictite, carbonaceous *ODFLRJHQLF PDULQHDWOHDVW 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ%RUGHU&UHHNDQG.XUL\LSSL >300 m (offshore and onshore) shale, varved siltstone, sandstone, in part, possibly marginal formations. and minor limestone and coal. marine or non-marine. Border Creek Fm Sandstone and conglomerate, Fluvial to deltaic. 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQYDULRXVXQLWVRIWKH >111 m (onshore) minor siltstone. /DQJ¿HOG:HDEHUDQG:DGH\HJURXSV Keep Inlet Fm Calcareous, feldspathic and lithic Fluvial and fan delta, 1RWGH¿QHG P RQVKRUH TXDUW]VDQGVWRQH PLQRUFRDO glaciogenic. Kuriyippi Fm Sandstone and lesser amounts of 0DLQO\ÀXYLDOLQORZHUSDUW 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ:DGH\H*URXSDQGSRVVLEO\ <1017 m (offshore and onshore) siltstone, shale and minor coal in glaciogenic in upper part. on older units. XSZDUG¿QLQJF\FOHV Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous WADEYE GROUP Aquitaine Fm Sandstone grading up into Mostly non-marine. 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ$UFR)P/DWHUDOHTXLYDOHQW >200 m (offshore and onshore). siltstone. of Point Spring Sandstone in WA. Arco Fm Siltstone, shale, sandstone. Shallow marine 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ6XQELUG)PRU7DQPXUUD)P <650 m (offshore and onshore). Lateral equivalent of Point Spring Sandstone (WA). WEABER GROUP Tanmurra Fm Calcareous and dolomitic Transgressive, delta to 8QFRQIRUPDEOHRQ.LQJ¿VKHU6KDOHDQG <277 m (offshore and onshore) sandstone with minor limestone, shallow marine shelf. Burvill Fm. siltstone and shale. Burvill Fm Sandstone, siltstone, shale, Lower shoreface and offshore &RQIRUPDEOHRQ0LOOLJDQV)RUPDWLRQ "
Table 36.1. Summary of onshore and offshore stratigraphic succession of Petrel Sub-basin in the NT (continued from previous page).
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:9 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Figure 36.79LHZVRXWKIURP1LJOL Gap, showing Late Devonian strata of Cockatoo Group overlying early Palaeozoic and Proterozoic strata $89(5*1( KEEP, 52L 509500mE 8259300mN, after Whitehead and Fahey 1985: plate 5). Cockatoo Group: D .HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQH E 5DJJHG Range Conglomerate. c = late early &DPEULDQ $QWULP 3ODWHDX 9ROFDQLFV d = Meso–Neoproterozoic rocks of 9LFWRULDDQG:ROIHEDVLQVH 3DODHR± "0HVRSURWHUR]RLF/HJXQH)RUPDWLRQRI Fitzmaurice Basin. f = Palaeoproterozoic URFNVRI+DOOV&UHHN2URJHQ
a
Figure 36.8. Gradational contact between Ragged Range &RQJORPHUDWH ORZHUKDOIRILPDJH DQGVWHHSVFDUSRI.HOO\V .QRE 6DQGVWRQH $89(5*1( .EEP, Nigli Gap area, precise b location unknown, after Whitehead and Fahey 1985: plate 7).
Figure 36.10.HOO\V.QRE6DQGVWRQH a) Basal conglomerate with VDQGVWRQHOHQVHV $89(5*1(.EEP/ P(P1 Figure 36.9 .HOO\V .QRE 6DQGVWRQH 7\SLFDO VFDUSIRUPLQJ after Whitehead and Fahey 1985: plate 8). (b) Large-scale trough H[SRVXUHVKRZLQJODUJHVFDOHFURVVEHGGLQJ $89(5*1( FURVVEHGGLQJLQSHEEO\TXDUW]VDQGVWRQH $89(5*1(.EEP, .EEP, Nigli Gap area, precise location unknown, after Whitehead southern Burt Range Amphitheatre, precise location unknown, and Fahey 1985: plate 10). after Whitehead and Fahey 1985: plate 9). limestone that contains algal bioherms and abundant Buttons Formation bioclastic fragments of brachiopods, bryozoans, crinoids, The uppermost Devonian (upper Famennian) Buttons gastropods, and encrusting and other algae. Caye (1969) )RUPDWLRQ 0RU\ DQG %HHUH HTXLYDOHQW WR µ%XWWRQV interpreted this limestone as representing a shallow water %HGV¶RI9HHYHUVDQG5REHUWV DQGµ%XWWRQVEHGV¶RI turbulent environment, presumably in the reef crest or fore Playford 1982) outcrops in the Burt Range area in Western reef zones. Australia, but is only known from the subsurface in the NT.
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:10 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Depth (m) Keep River-1 Kulshill-1Bonaparte-1 Weaber-1 0 Kulshill ?Border Creek Fossil Head Group Formation Kuriyippi Formation Tanmurra Formation Formation Tanmurra Formation Kingfisher Shale Utting Calcarenite 500 Yow Creek Formation Tanmurra Keyling Kingfisher Formation Formation Milligans Shale Formation
Kingfisher Utting Shale Calcarenite Langfield 1000 Yow Creek Group Formation Yow Creek Treachery Buttons Formation Formation Formation and Ningbing Group
Kuriyippi 1500 Formation
Milligans Formation
2000 Early Permian to Middle Triassic
Milligans Fossil Head Formation Kinmore Group Formation Wadeye Late Carboniferous–Early Permian Group undivided Langfield Group Keyling Formation 2500 Treachery Formation Kulshill Group Devonian Kingfisher Shale (undivided) ?Border Creek Formation Utting Calcarenite Kuriyippi Formation Yow Creek Formation 3000 Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous
Wadeye Group Langfield Group Tanmurra Formation
Milligans Kingfisher Shale 3500 Formation Utting Calcarenite Weaber Group Buttons Formation Yow Creek Formation
Milligans Formation Buttons Formation Langfield Group 4000 undivided Late Devonian Ningbing Group Cockatoo Buttons Formation Group Ningbing Group undivided
4500 Devonian (undivided)
Cockatoo Group
A12-281.ai
Figure 36.116LPSOL¿HGVWUDWLJUDSKLFORJVRIGULOOKROHV.HHS5LYHU.XOVKLOO%RQDSDUWHDQG:HDEHULQWKHRQVKRUH%RQDSDUWH Basin. Stratigraphic picks are after Gorter et al ¿JXUHVDQG
It is a stratigraphic equivalent of the Garimala Limestone, the Buttons Formation in Western Australia as being which outcrops in the Ningbing Range in Western Australia. ±PWKLFNDQGFRQVLVWLQJRIWKLQO\EHGGHGOLPHVWRQH 'ULOOKROHV.HHS5LYHU $89(5*1( DQG.XOVKLOO (wackestone, grainstone, calcimudstone) and cross-bedded 3257.($76 LQWHUVHFWHGPDQGDERXWP sandstone, with sandy and laminated carbonate beds. In respectively, of Buttons Formation (Caye 1969, Gorter .HHS5LYHUWKHIRUPDWLRQLVDVLOW\GRORPXGVWRQHWKDW et al ¿JXUH EXWWKHVHLQWHUVHFWLRQVKDYHQRWEHHQ overlies undivided Ningbing Group and is unconformably described in any detail. Mory and Beere (1988) described RYHUODLQE\/DQJ¿HOG*URXSVHGLPHQWDU\URFNV &D\H
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:11 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
,Q .XOVKLOO WKH IRUPDWLRQ LV XQFRQIRUPDEOH EHWZHHQ These Carboniferous–Permian sedimentary rocks form the Cockatoo Group rocks and the Milligans Formation PDMRULW\RIWKHEDVLQ¿OOLQWKH3HWUHO6XEEDVLQ (Weaber Group), with other components of the Ningbing *URXSEHLQJDEVHQW$ODJRRQDOWR"EDFNUHHIVHWWLQJKDV /DQJ¿HOG*URXS been interpreted for the formation (Mory and Beere 1988). 7KH/DQJ¿HOG*URXS %HHUHDQG0RU\ UHDFKHVD LATE DEVONIAN–EARLY CARBONIFEROUS maximum thickness of about 900 m and has been divided LQWR¿YHIRUPDWLRQVDOORIZKLFKDUHSUHVHQWLQWKH17 By the Mississippian, the Petrel Sub-basin had developed LQ$89(5*1(DQGSUREDEO\LQWKHVXEVXUIDFHLQ3257 via rifting into a northwest-trending basin that accumulated .($76 &UHHYH\ 'XFKHPLQ DQG &UHHYH\ PDULQH ÀXYLDOGHOWDLF DQG JODFLDO VHGLPHQWV DV D UHVXOW Dickins et al 1972, Figures 36.6, 36.12, Table 36.1). It of post-rift subsidence and salt withdrawal during the includes, in ascending stratigraphic order, the subsurface Carboniferous and Permian (Geoscience Australia 2009). Bonaparte Formation, and the outcropping Burt Range Formation, Enga Sandstone, Septimus Limestone and Petrel Sub-basin and Zimmerman Sandstone (Figure 36.13). The Bonaparte onshore Bonaparte Basin Formation has been shown to be also laterally equivalent Period stage Global western eastern to formations of the underlying Cockatoo and Ningbing Permian shelf basin shelf groups (Mory 1990, McConachie et al 1996, Figure 36.5). It is therefore longer ranging (Late Devonian– Carboniferous) than the remainder of the group, which is
Gzhelian Border Border Late Early Carboniferous (Tournaisian). Fine-grained rocks of Kasi- Kuriyippi movian Creek Formation Creek the Bonaparte Formation were deposited in quiet, relatively deep marine conditions, and this formation is interpreted Formation Formation as the distal equivalent of the other correlative units, ovian Mosc- Middle Kulshill Group Kulshill which were deposited in a more proximal, shallow marine, FODVWLFLQÀXHQFHG VKHOI VHWWLQJ 7KH /DQJ¿HOG *URXS LV conformable and disconformable on the Ningbing Group, Pennsylvanian and is unconformably overlain by the Weaber Group and by
Early WKH%RUGHU&UHHNDQG.HHS,QOHWIRUPDWLRQVRIWKH.XOVKLOO
Bashkirian Aquitaine Formation Group. Wadeye Point Point Group Spring Spring Sandstone Arco Formation Sandstone Bonaparte Formation 7KH %RQDSDUWH )RUPDWLRQ %HHUH DQG 0RU\ Late hovian Serpuk- HTXLYDOHQWWRµ%RQDSDUWHEHGV¶RI9HHYHUVDQG5REHUWV Sunbird 1968) is only known from onshore petroleum exploration Formation ZHOOVLQ&$0%5,'*(*8/)LQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLD Sandbar Sandstone although it also possibly occurs in the subsurface in the northwestern NT and in offshore areas of the Petrel Sub- Tanmurra Formation EDVLQ$OWKRXJKLWLVLQFOXGHGZLWKLQWKH/DQJ¿HOG*URXS Mory (1990) and McConachie et al (1996) showed that Burvill Kingfisher Sh Burvill Fm Fm Middle Visean Utting Calcarenite the formation is a long-ranging unit that is also laterally equivalent to formations of the underlying Cockatoo and Weaber Group Weaber Yow Creek Formation 1LQJELQJ JURXSV 7KH W\SH VHFWLRQ LV GH¿QHG EHWZHHQ 2280 and 3210 m depth in drillhole Bonaparte-1 (Beere Milligans
Mississippian DQG 0RU\ WKLV LV WKH WKLFNHVWNQRZQ LQWHUVHFWLRQ Formation Waggon (930 m) of the formation, but the base of the unit was not Waggon Creek Creek Facies reached in this drillhole. Several drillhole intersections in Facies ? the NT were assigned to the Bonaparte Formation by Mory and Beere (1988). These include a 633 m thick intersection
? Zimmermann Sst LQ.XOVKLOOD PWKLFNLQWHUVHFWLRQLQ.HHS5LYHU Septimus Lst Early DQGD PWKLFNLQWHUVHFWLRQLQ:HDEHU+RZHYHUWKH Mid-Tn Enga Sst Tournaisian Breccia /DQJ¿HOG*URXSLVDSSDUHQWO\DEVHQWLQ.XOVKLOO *RUWHU Burt Burt
Group et al ¿JXUH DQG3HWURFRQVXOWDQWV UHDVVLJQHG Range Bonaparte Range Langfield Fm Formation Fm WKHURFNVLQ.HHS5LYHUDQG:HDEHUWRRWKHUXQLWVRI Dev this group. The Bonaparte Formation is therefore limited in A12-291.ai areal extent to interpreted deeper-water portions of the Petrel Figure 36.12. Carboniferous stratigraphic succession of Sub-basin away from the basin’s margins. The formation southeastern Bonaparte Basin showing facies relationships consists of shale and siltstone with interbedded variably UHGUDZQDQGVOLJKWO\PRGL¿HGDIWHU*RUWHUet al ¿JXUH 7LPHVFDOHVOLJKWO\PRGL¿HGDIWHU*UDGVWHLQDQG2JJ dolomitic sandstone and minor quartzose limestone, and $EEUHYLDWLRQV 'HY 'HYRQLDQ )P )RUPDWLRQ 3HUP was deposited in a quiet-water marine shelf or a deeper 3HUPLDQ 6K 6KDOH 6VW 6DQGVWRQH 7Q 7RXUQDLVLDQ basinal setting of uncertain depth (Mory and Beere 1988).
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:12 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin
Burt Range Formation VKDOORZLQJIURPLQQHUVKHOIWRVKRUHIDFHRQDFODVWLFLQÀXHQFHG 7KH %XUW 5DQJH )RUPDWLRQ 9HHYHUV DQG 5REHUWV carbonate platform. Local environments of deposition include HTXLYDOHQW WR µ%XUW 5DQJH /LPHVWRQH¶ RI 1RDNHV et al high-energy shoals and lower-energy intertidal–supratidal 1952) outcrops in a north to southeast-trending arcuate settings (Mory and Beere 1988). EHOW PRVWO\ LQ HDVWHUQ &$0%5,'*( *8/) LQ :HVWHUQ $XVWUDOLDEXWH[WHQGLQJLQWRZHVWHUQ$89(5*1(,QWKH Enga Sandstone NT, it is best exposed as low- to moderate-relief benches 7KH(QJD6DQGVWRQH 7UDYHV HTXLYDOHQWWRµ6QRZLH LQWKH%XUW5DQJH$PSKLWKHDWUHLQ.HHS5LYHU1DWLRQDO 6DQGVWRQH¶RI7UDYHV LVH[SRVHGLQWKH%XUW5DQJH Park (Figure 36.13). The formation is conformable or LQHDVWHUQ&$0%5,'*(*8/)LQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLDDQG disconformable on the Ningbing Group and is conformably, LQ .HHS 5LYHU 1DWLRQDO 3DUN LQ ZHVWHUQ $89(51*( RU ORFDOO\ XQFRQIRUPDEO\ 9HHYHUV DQG 5REHUWV In the NT, the formation forms a resistant cap on the Burt overlain by the Enga Sandstone. It is also probably Range Formation or is exposed as dissected plateaux. It unconformably overlain in the subsurface by the Milligans conformably overlies the Burt Range Formation (Whitehead Formation of the Weaber Group (Mory and Beere 1988). and Fahey 1985, Figure 36.13), although the contact is Whitehead and Fahey (1985) interpreted the formation to ORFDOO\XQFRQIRUPDEOH 9HHYHUVDQG5REHUWV DQG EHGLVFRQIRUPDEOHRQWKH&RFNDWRR*URXSLQ$89(5*1( conformable underlies the Septimus Limestone. Whitehead but Dunster et al (2000) described the contact between the and Fahey (1985) also described a locally disconformable two formations in this area as being faulted. The formation XSSHU FRQWDFW ZLWK WKH %RUGHU &UHHN )RUPDWLRQ .XOVKLOO KDVEHHQVXEGLYLGHGLQWRWKUHHPHPEHUVLQWKH6RUE\+LOOV *URXS 7KHIRUPDWLRQLVLQIDXOWHGFRQWDFWZLWKWKH.HOO\V area in Western Australia (Rowley and Lee 1986), but these .QRE6DQGVWRQH &RFNDWRR*URXS DQG%RUGHU&UHHN units have not been recognised in the NT. )RUPDWLRQ LQ .HHS 5LYHU 1DWLRQDO 3DUN 0RU\ DQG %HHUH The Burt Range Formation reaches a maximum thickness (1988) estimated a maximum thickness of about 320 m for the RI P LQ :HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLD 0RU\ DQG %HHUH ,Q unit in Western Australia, but exposures in the NT are less ZHVWHUQ$89(5*1(DSSUR[LPDWHO\PRIWKHIRUPDWLRQ than 150 m thick (Whitehead and Fahey 1985). The formation ZDV LQWHUVHFWHG LQ GULOOKROH 6SLULW +LOO DERXW P KDVEHHQLQWHUVHFWHGLQ.HHS5LYHU:HDEHUDQG:HDEHU :HDEHUDQGDERXWPLQ.HHS5LYHU 3HWURFRQVXOWDQWV 2A, where it is less than 50 m in thickness (Petroconsultants 2XWFURSVLQ.HHS5LYHU1DWLRQDO3DUNDUHDERXWP 1990), but the positioning of the stratigraphic picks in these thick (Whitehead and Fahey 1985). Exposures of the unit are NT drillholes is uncertain (Dunster et al 2000). dominated by calcareous sandstone, quartzose limestone The Enga Sandstone consists of fossiliferous quartz and dolostone. Carbonaceous shale has also been intersected sandstone with minor siltstone, shale and quartzose limestone. in drillholes (d’Auvergne et al 1980, Mory and Beere 1988, Beds range from massive to laminated to cross-bedded, and Jorgensen et al 1990). Sedimentary structures include rare may be bioturbated. Fossils include bivalves, brachiopods, intraformational breccias and clasts, ripples and bioturbation. gastropods, bryozoans, trilobites, ostracods, foraminifera, Brachiopods collected from the base of the formation in crinoids, conodonts, algae and plant fragments (Mory and $89(5*1( LQGLFDWH D EURDG /DWH 'HYRQLDQ WR (DUO\ Beere 1988). The conodonts indicate a mid-Tournaisian age Carboniferous age (J Laurie pers comm in Whitehead and (Druce 1969). A shallow marine setting, dominated by beach, Fahey 1985), but a more diverse fossil assemblage including WLGDO FKDQQHO DQG EDUULHUODJRRQ HQYLURQPHQWV LV LQGLFDWHG brachiopods, crinoid fragments, bivalves, gastropods, corals, for the formation (Mory and Beere 1988). nautiloids, echinoids, bryozoans and conodonts, indicates an HDUO\WRPLGGOH7RXUQDLVLDQDJH 9HHYHUVDQG5REHUWV Septimus Limestone Druce 1969, Roberts 1971). The Burt Range Formation is 7KH 6HSWLPXV /LPHVWRQH 9HHYHUV DQG 5REHUWV interpreted to have been deposited during a period of overall HTXLYDOHQWWRµ0RXQW6HSWLPXV/LPHVWRQH¶RI1RDNHV
Figure 36.13 /DQJ¿HOG *URXS 9LHZ south from northern end of Burt Range Amphitheatre, showing Burt Range Formation overlain by Enga Sandstone with Zimmerman Sandstone in middle distance. Border Creek Formation of .XOVKLOO*URXSRYHUOLHV(QJD6DQGVWRQH and Zimmerman Sandstone. a = Border &UHHN )RUPDWLRQ E =LPPHUPDQ 6DQGVWRQH F (QJD6DQGVWRQH G %XUW 5DQJH )RUPDWLRQ H .HOO\V .QRE Sandstone of underlying Cockatoo *URXS $89(5*1( .EEP, near 52L 502000mE 8258000mN, after Whitehead and Fahey 1985: plate 11).
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:13 Special publication 5 Bonaparte Basin et al 1952) outcrops mostly in the central Burt Range in Dunster et al (2000) interpreted as indicating a major clastic eastern CAMBRIDGE GULF in Western Australia, but a LQÀX[RYHUDSUHYLRXVO\FDUERQDWHGRPLQDWHGSODWIRUP$ few scattered exposures in westernmost AUVERGNE were shoreface to shallow marine environment of deposition is assigned to this formation by Pontifex and Sweet (1972) likely (Mory and Beere 1988). Uncommon marine fossils and Whitehead and Fahey (1985). In the Burt Range, the from this unit in Western Australia include brachiopods, formation is conformable between the Enga Sandstone bivalves, bryozoans, crinoids, and trace fossils including below and the Zimmerman Sandstone. However, in the type Rhizocorallium. The brachiopods indicate a late Tournaisian section at Mount Septimus to the north, it is unconformably age (Roberts 1971). overlain by Kulshill Group rocks that Mory and Beere (1988) referred to the Keep Inlet Formation, and in the subsurface Weaber Group in the NT, it is unconformably overlain by the Milligans Formation of the Weaber Group (Petroconsultants 1990). The Weaber Group (Traves 1955, Gorter et al 2005) is a In the type section, the formation reaches an estimated complex succession of clastic and carbonate sedimentary maximum thickness of about 300 m, but it thins rapidly rocks that reaches a maximum thickness of about 2400 m away from this area to be only 25 m thick in exposures 9 km and is separated by several unconformities (Figure 36.12). to the south (Mory and Beere 1988). The formation has The group is exposed in the onshore Petrel Sub-basin in been intersected in Keep River-1 and Weaber-1 in the NT, northeastern CAMBRIDGE GULF and southeastern where it is about 100 m thick (Petroconsultants 1990), but MEDUSA BANKS in Western Australia, and northwestern the positioning of the stratigraphic picks in these drillholes AUVERNGE in the NT (Figure 36.6). It also occurs in the is uncertain (Dunster et al 2000). subsurface in the offshore Petrel Sub-basin and in PORT In the type section, the Septimus Limestone consists of KEATS (Creevey 1966, Duchemin and Creevey 1966, limestone, quartzose limestone and calcareous sandstone Dickins et al 1972). The group contains eight formations (Mory and Beere 1988). Elsewhere, the sandstone facies is (Mory and Beere 1988, Gorter et al 2005); these are, in FRPPRQO\WKHRQO\H[SRVHGURFNW\SHDQGLWFDQEHGLI¿FXOW ascending stratigraphic order, the Milligans Formation, to distinguish the unit from the sandstone formations above which incorporates the former ‘Waggon Creek Formation’ and below (Dunster et al 2000). The sparse NT exposures as a facies association, Yow Creek Formation, Utting FRQVLVW RI WKLQO\ EHGGHG ¿QHJUDLQHG GRORPLWLF DQG &DOFDUHQLWH.LQJ¿VKHU6KDOH%XUYLOO)RUPDWLRQZKLFK calcareous feldspathic sandstone (Figure 36.14). A marine is laterally equivalent to these last two units, Tanmurra fauna of brachiopods, crinoids, minor corals, molluscs, Formation, Sandbar Sandstone and Sunbird Formation trilobites, blastoids, ostracods, conodonts, echinoids and (Figure 36.12). Of these, the Milligans Formation, sponges is present within the formation (Thomas 1962, including the Waggon Creek facies association, subsurface Roberts 1971) and the conodont fauna indicates a mid- Yow Creek Formation, subsurface Utting Conglomerate, Tournaisian age (Druce 1969). A high-energy shallow water VXEVXUIDFH .LQJ¿VKHU 6KDOH %XUYLOO )RUPDWLRQ DQG environment of deposition has been interpreted for the unit subsurface Tanmurra Formation are found in onshore (Veevers and Roberts 1968, Mory and Beere 1988). areas of the NT (Table 36.1); the other formations occur in Western Australia or offshore (Figure 36.15). The Zimmerman Sandstone group originally included the Point Spring Sandstone at The Zimmerman Sandstone (Veevers and Roberts 1968) its top (Mory and Beere 1988), but this unit has since been outcrops in the central Burt Range in eastern CAMBRIDGE included in the Wadeye Group by Gorter et al (2005). The GULF in Western Australia and is also exposed in several :HDEHU*URXSLVJHQHUDOO\XQFRQIRUPDEOHRQWKH/DQJ¿HOG low hills in a small area in Keep River National Park in Group, although the relationship may be conformable in westernmost AUVERGNE (Whitehead and Fahey 1985). It offshore depocentres (Mory 1991), and is unconformably has not been intersected in the subsurface. The formation overlain by the Wadeye Group. It is Early Carboniferous is conformable on the Septimus Limestone and forms WKHWRSRIWKH/DQJ¿HOG*URXS,WLVXQFRQIRUPDEO\RU disconformably overlain by Kulshill Group rocks that were referred to the Keep Inlet Formation by Mory and Beere (1988) in Western Australia, and to the Border Creek Formation by Whitehead and Fahey (1985) in the NT. The type section is at Mount Zimmerman in Western Australia, where the formation comprises 133 m of brown to white quartz sandstone with interbedded white siltstone in the upper part (Veevers and Roberts 1968). However, the unit thins rapidly away from this area to be only 25 m thick, 4 km to the south of the type section, and it has been completely removed by erosion about 6 km to the north (Mory and Beere 1988). The NT exposures consist of <30 m of friable, medium-grained, slightly calcareous sandstone. Some Figure 36.14. Septimus Limestone (darker rock in lower half of beds are almost entirely quartzose, whereas others contain image) unconformably overlain by Border Creek Formation in quartz, feldspar and lithic grains. The latter were derived northern end of Burt Range Amphitheatre (AUVERGNE, KEEP, 52L from a mixed igneous and metamorphic provenance, which 501900mE 8259100mN, after Whitehead and Fahey 1985: plate 12).
Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory 36:14 Special publication 5
Bonaparte Basin
Group
Woodbine Group Woodbine equivalent Group Island athurst B Group Troughton Group Kinmore Flamingo Group Group Group Wadeye Kulshill Ningbing Groups Langfield Gp equiv Gp Gp equiv Gp Gp equiv Gp Cockatoo A11-265.ai Weaber Tern ? ? ? ? Sst Blacktip Milligans Fm Milligans Elang Fm equivalent Frigate Sh Frigate Woodbine Gp Woodbine Sandpiper Sandpiper Undifferentiated Arco Formation Malita Formation Plover Formation Petrel Sub-basin Petrel Kuriyippi Formation Kuriyippi Wangarlu Formation Wangarlu Bonaparte Formation Penguin, Petrel Penguin, Fishburn Ascalon, Petrel, Tern Petrel, Ascalon, Fossil Head Formation Head Fossil Keep River, Ningbing, Weaber Ningbing, River, Keep Garimala, Weaber Garimala, Creek Waggon Vienta, Waggon Creek Waggon Barnett lower Frigate Sh/Cleia Fm Sh/Cleia Frigate lower Echuca Shoals Formation Shoals Echuca Darwin equivalent Formation Cape LondonderryCape Formation Prion/ Sandpiper Sst Sandpiper Ditji Fm Ditji Quoin Fm Quoin Aquitaine Fm Aquitaine Keyling Fm Keyling Treachery Fm Treachery Hibernia Fm Hibernia Malita Formation lower Cape Londonderry Fm (Osprey Fm equiv) Fm (Osprey Londonderry Cape Fm lower Sunbird Fm Sunbird Undifferentiated Sandbar Sst Sandbar Barossa, Caldita, Barossa, Heron Shoal, Evans Heron Malita/Calder Graben Frigate Sh Frigate Kingfisher Sh Barossa,Evans Shoal,Heron Barossa,Evans Tanmurra Fm Tanmurra Oliver Fm (Oliver Sst Mbr) Yow Creek Fm Creek Yow Utting Calcarenite Utting Turtle Turtle Blacktip Turtle Blacktip Blacktip Turtle Sunrise, Chuditch, Sunrise, Blackwood, Troubadour, Shoals Loxton Barnett,Turtle ? Barnett equivalent upper Frigate Sh Frigate upper Prion FormationPrion Puffin Formation Oliver Formation Oliver Nome Formation Nome Sahul PlatformSahul Plover Formation Challis Formation Challis Cartier Formation Pollard Formation Pollard Osprey Formation Osprey Hibernia Formation Hibernia Johnson Formation Johnson Wangarlu Formation Wangarlu Barracouta Shoal Fm Shoal Barracouta Kelp Deep Kelp Kelp Deep Kelp Troubadour Terrace / Terrace Troubadour Laminaria Fm/Elang Fm Fm/Elang Laminaria lower Frigate Sh/Cleia Fm Sh/Cleia Frigate lower Echuca Shoals Formation Shoals Echuca Hibernia Fm (Grebe Sst Mbr) Sst (Grebe Fm Hibernia Subgroup Sahul Group Fohn Subgroup Mount Goodwin Mount Hyland Bay Hyland Coleraine Coleraine Minotaur Sandpiper Sst Sandpiper Elang Fm Frigate Fm Frigate equivalent Flamingo / Flamingo Sahul Synclines Sahul Wangarlu Formation Wangarlu Ludmilla Rambler Buffalo, Bluff, Buller, Bluff, Buffalo, Jahal, Hingkip, Elang, Krill, Kitan, Kakatua, Laminaria Tasi, Kuda Corallina Tern Fm Pearce Fm Torrens Fm Ascalon Fm Ascalon Flamingo Penguin Fm Penguin Dombey Fm Dombey Mairmull Fm Fishburn Fm Fishburn Cape Hay Fm Hay Cape Fossil Head Fm Head Fossil Elang West Elang Bayu-Undan Elang West Elang Laminara / Laminara Prion FormationPrion Oliver Formation Oliver Plover Formation Flamingo Highs Flamingo Gibson Formation Gibson Fenelon Formation Fenelon Hibernia Formation Hibernia Johnson Formation Johnson Jamieson/Wangarlu Turnstone Formation Turnstone Formation equivalent Formation Woolaston Formation Woolaston Laminaria Fm/Elang Fm Fm/Elang Laminaria Mistral upper Frigate Sh Frigate upper Echuca Shoals Formation Shoals Echuca Oliver Fm (Oliver Sst Mbr) Barracouta Shoal Formation Shoal Barracouta lower Frigate Sh/Cleia Fm Frigate lower Darwin equivalent Formation Hibernia Fm (Grebe Sst Mbr) Sst (Grebe Fm Hibernia Trulek Ascalon hbilk, Vesta hbilk, Rambler Malita Fm ? Eclipse, Montara Eclipse, Prometheus Challis Fm Challis Halcyon, Saratoga Halcyon, Sandpiper Sst Sandpiper Padthaway, Ta Padthaway, SwiftJabiru, Bilyara, Bilyara, Gas prone source rock source prone Gas Oil accumulationOil accumulationGas accumulation gas and Oil show Oil discovery gas and Oil and gas prone source rock source prone gas and Oil rock source Possible Gas discovery and oil show discoveryGas oil and Defiant, Defiant, Nome Fm Nome ? Skua Maple Challis Pengana Montara Fm Tahbilk Puffin Fm upper Vulcan Fm Vulcan upper Katandra, Tenacious Katandra, Birch, PuffinBirch, Pollard Fm Pollard lower VulcanFm Nome Formation Nome Plover Formation Osprey Formation Osprey Maret, Oliver, Skua Oliver, Maret, Cash Audacious, East Swan East Audacious, Pituri Skua Delamere, Keeling, Paqualin, Swan Great Auk, Great Swan Cassini, Challis, Talbot Challis, Cassini, Echuca Shoals Formation Shoals Echuca lower Jamieson Formation Jamieson lower upper Jamieson Formation Jamieson upper lower VulcanFm Carbonate Marl Sandstone Silty sandstone Mudstone and siltstone rocks Volcanic lower Goodwyn Sgp Goodwyn Vulcan Fm fferentiated Prion Fm Oliver Fm Oliver Osprey Fm Osprey Benalla Fm Benalla Hibernia Fm Hibernia Johnson Fm Johnson Jamieson Fm Jamieson Undifferentiated Undi Ashmore Volcanics Brown Gannet Lst Gannet Brown Echuca Shoals Fm Shoals Echuca Ashmore Volcanics Ashmore Barracouta Shoal Fm Shoal Barracouta Ashmore PlatformAshmore Sub-basin Vulcan Londonderry High
Cartier Fm
Hibernia Fm (Grebe Sst Mbr) Sst (Grebe Fm Hibernia
Undifferentiated Mt Undifferentiated Mt
Group Group
Woodbine Group Woodbine p equivalent p Grou Island rst Bathu Group Troughton Group Sahul
Kinmore Swan Groups Induan Albian Hettangian Aptian Roadian Wordian Norian Visean Anisian Carnian Givetian Ladinian Asselian Bajocian Frasnian Toarcian Aalenian Gzhelian Turonian Rhaetian Callovian Tithonian Santonian Bathonian Oxfordian Artinskian Coniacian Olenekian Berriasian Kungurian Barremian Bashkirian Capitanian Moscovian Sakmarian Famennian Campanian Hauterivian Sinemurian Valanginian Tournaisian Kasimovian Changhsingian Cenomanian Maastrichtian Serpukhovian Kimmeridgian Pliensbachian Wuchiapingian y Late Late Late Late Earl Early Early Holocene Middle Middle Middle Pliocene Epoch Stage Eocene Pleistocene
Miocene Lopingian Cisuralian Oligocene
Guadalupian Paleocene Mississippian
Pennsylvanian
leogene Pa Cretaceous Permian Carboniferous Devonian Neogene
Jurassic nary Triassic iod Quater- Per- 90 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 190 290 390 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 180 200 210 220 230 280 300 310 320 330 340 170 240 250 260 270 350 360 370 380 Age (Ma) Figure 36.15 *HQHUDOLVHG 'HYRQLDQ±&HQR]RLF VWUDWLJUDSKLF VXFFHVVLRQ RI WKHRIIVKRUH%RQDSDUWH%DVLQ VOLJKWO\PRGL¿HGDIWHU *HRVFLHQFH$XVWUDOLD ¿JXUH LQFOXGLQJUHYLVLRQVWRWKH3HWUHO6XEEDVLQE\*RUWHU DQG*RUWHUet al (2005, 2008, 2009). Cambrian–Carboniferous stratigraphic successions of onshore sub-basins are not included (see Figures 36.4, 36.5, 36.12). Geological timescale after Gradstein et al DQG2JJet al $EEUHYLDWLRQV HTXLY HTXLYDOHQW )P )RUPDWLRQ 0W 0RXQW /VW /LPHVWRQH 0EU 0HPEHU 6JS 6XEJURXS 6K 6KDOH 6VW 6DQGVWRQH Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Geology and mineral 5 publication Special
36:15 Bonaparte Basin
(Mississippian: latest Tournaisian to early Serpukhovian) in .XOVKLOO 3257.($76 DQGLQ:HDEHUDQGSRVVLEO\ age (Mory and Beere 1988, Gorter et al 2005). .HHS5LYHU $89(5*1( EXWWKHVHLQWHUVHFWLRQVZHUH QRWGHVFULEHG7KLVXQLWDQGWKH.LQJ¿VKHU6KDOHDUH Milligans Formation lateral equivalents of the coarse clastic-dominated Burvill The Milligans Formation (Caye 1968, Gorter et al 2005) Formation developed near the margins of the Petrel Sub- LVODWHVW7RXUQDLVLDQWRHDUO\9LVHDQLQDJH *RUWHUet al EDVLQ,QWKHW\SHDUHDLQ8WWLQJ*DSLQ:HVWHUQ$XVWUDOLD DQG RFFXUV WKURXJKRXW WKH &DPEULGJH 7URXJK the formation consists of fossiliferous sandy limestone .HHS,QOHW6XEEDVLQDQGRQVKRUHSDUWVRIWKH3HWUHO6XE (wackestone and packstone), calcareous sandstone and basin. The recessive unit outcrops poorly in northwestern PLQRU ¿QH WR PHGLXPJUDLQHG VDQGVWRQH 9HHYHUV $89(5*1( 'XQVWHUet al 2000), but is only known from and Roberts 1968, Mory and Beere 1988). It is richly the subsurface in onshore areas further to the north. In fossiliferous and contains conodonts, foraminiferans, the NT, thick sections of Milligans Formation have been ostracodes, brachiopods, corals, echinoids, trilobites and penetrated (Gorter et al LQGULOOKROHV.HHS5LYHU shark remains, described in various publications as listed DQG:HDEHU $89(5*1( DQG.XOVKLOO 3257 in Gorter et al 7KHVH LQGLFDWH D PHGLDO 9LVHDQ .($76 /HH DQG *XQQ UHFRJQLVHG XSSHU DQG age. Mory and Beere (1988) interpreted the formation as lower intervals within the Milligans Formation, separated a low-energy marine deposit, whereas Gorter et al (2005) E\DPDMRUVHTXHQFHERXQGDU\ WKHXSSHULQWHUYDOKDV argued for a more energetic low-stand environment from VXEVHTXHQWO\EHHQDVVLJQHGWRWKH