Ahmad M and Munson TJ (compilers)

Northern Territory Geological SurveySpecial Publication 5

Chapter 1: Introduction

Geology and mineral resourcesof the Northern Territory

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.

DisclaimerWhile 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.

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Introduction

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION M Ahmad and IR Scrimgeour

Current as of January 2013

The Northern Territory of Australia covers an area of about 1.35 million km2 and comprises ninety 1:250 000-scale topographic mapsheets. First Edition geological mapping of these mapsheets was completed in the early 1970s by the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR), later renamed the Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO) and now known as Geoscience Australia (GA). From 1970 to 1990, BMR and the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) jointly conducted Second Edition mapping of selected regions. Subsequently, NTGS took over the principal role of mapping throughout the Territory and Second Edition mapping of selected regions of the NT is ongoing. Many economically important regions have also been mapped at 1:100 000-scale.

For over a century since the pioneering work of early explorers such as HYL Brown (Figure 1.1), numerous government geologists have contributed towards the current understanding of the geology and mineral resources of the NT. Their observations are detailed in numerous geological maps, reports, explanatory notes, bulletins and records. Apart from these government data, there are a large number of publications and reports from academia 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

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

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 of commodity. The petroleum geology of all basins with hydrocarbon potential is also described.

Chapters 2 and 3 cover Territory-wide topics; they respectively describe the geological framework of the NT and summarise the major commodities. Chapter 4 looks at the oldest known rocks within the NT, which are basement inliers of Archaean age within the Pine Creek Orogen and Tanami Region. Chapters 5–21 describe the NT’s Palaeo- to Mesoproterozoic orogenic provinces and overlying basins. Chapters 22–38 describe the Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic basins and other provinces, including the Neoproterozoic–early Palaeozoic Centralian Superbasin, late early Cambrian Kalkarindji Province, and the orogenic Irindina Province of the Arunta Region. Palaeozoic basins that extend into the Mesozoic (Bonaparte and Pedirka basins) are also included in this group. Chapters 39–42 describe the NT’s Mesozoic and Cenozoic basins.

Each chapter has a date of currency, which records the time at which compilation of each chapter ceased and editing and formatting commenced. This date may vary by as much as two years between chapters. For this reason, there may be some inconsistency between the currency of information between chapters.

Figure 1.1

geological map of the NT in 1898, as well as 14 publications. Image courtesy of State Library of South Australia.

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HISTORY OF GEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

1865–1945: Early investigations

The history of geological investigations in the Northern

of BT Finniss’s surveying party found a few specks of gold at the Finniss River, southwest of Darwin. Gold was also found at Tumbling Waters to the south of Darwin Harbour in 1869 by members of Surveyor General Goyder’s party. In 1863, administration of the Northern Territory was transferred from NSW to South Australia and from 1889, South Australian Government geologists made several investigations of the geology and mineral endowment of the Northern Territory. In 1870, a hole dug for the construction of a telegraph pole at Yam Creek, north of Pine Creek, yielded alluvial gravel containing coarse gold and this led to major gold rush in the Pine Creek area. Prospecting and mining activities increased rapidly and by

tin at Bynoe and Mount Wells, copper at Daly River, and silver-lead-zinc at Mount Evelyn and McArthur River. In

made at about this time, including mica at Harts Range in the 1880s (Joklik 1955), alluvial gold at Arltunga in 1887, and reef gold in the same area shortly thereafter (Hossfeld 1937). Gold was discovered in the Tanami Region in 1900 (Davidson 1905).

the geology of the NT. Other mapping and geological investigations during this early period included those of Tennyson Woods (1864, 1886, 1889), Etheridge (1902, 1904), and Playford (1900, 1904). Between 1889 and 1911, HYL Brown (Figure 1.1), South Australian Chief Government Geologist, made numerous visits to the Territory and produced 14 reports covering the geology of its many mineral provinces. He also produced a series of reconnaissance geological maps of the Northern Territory through the 1890s and early 1900s, including

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

Government Geologist, HA Ellis, examined many mineral

and maps. Although gold was recorded by HYL Brown from

Tennant Creek in 1895, it was not until 1933 that a gold

WG Woolnough, Commonwealth Geological Advisor, carried out an extensive examination of the Tennant Creek

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

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

In 1946, the Commonwealth Government established the Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR). The discovery of uranium at Rum Jungle in 1949 provided much needed

Figure 1.2. Geological map of the Northern Territory of South Australia (Brown and Winnecke 1898), showing rock formations along main tracks and isolated parts of coastline (Image courtesy of National Library of Australia).

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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.

impetus for geological investigations by BMR in this area and from 1950–1953, several separate investigations were conducted on the uranium occurrences. At about the same time, PS Hossfeld compiled a preliminary geological map of the entire Northern Territory (Figure 1.4) and discussed the stratigraphic relationships, lithology and structure (Hossfeld 1953). In 1952, BMR set up a regional

staff whose main aim was to carry out regional geological mapping. Systematic regional mapping of all of the NT commenced in 1953, resulting in the publication of First Edition 1:250 000-scale geological maps and explanatory notes through the 1960s and early 1970s. At the same time, the Resident Geological Section of the Northern Territory Administration (NTA) conducted geological investigations of local relevance. Until 1956, this section was run by geologists on secondment from BMR. However, from 1956 onwards, the NTA employed its own

Alice Springs. In 1956, the number of geological staff was increased to eight and Norman James Mackay was appointed Senior Resident Geologist. The work in those years included the supervision of geologists in Darwin and Alice Springs, the inspection of prospects, some involving

drilling programs, and the location of water bores for various station properties. In 1960, Peter W Crohn (Figure 1.5) was appointed as the BMR Senior Resident Geologist after his return from an Antarctic mission and he was involved in the discovery of the Groote Eylandt manganese deposits. In 1965, Crohn was succeeded by Dick Dodson who led the Darwin Uranium Group and

Woodcutters lead-zinc deposit in 1967, while looking for the extensions of Rum Jungle-style uranium deposits (Wilkinson 1996).

In 1970, the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) was created as a part of the Mines Branch of the NTA and ten geological positions were transferred from BMR to NTGS. Peter Crohn returned to Darwin to head the newly created geological section and Dick Dodson went back to Canberra. During his time Crohn expanded the project scope to include studies of minerals, groundwater, engineering geology, construction materials, geochemistry and geophysics. In 1976, he was appointed Director of Mines, a position he held until 1979. BMR continued to carry out regional investigations, whereas NTGS’s main functions involved mineral deposit

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map of the NT (Figure 1.6) awaited the culmination of First Edition 1:250 000-scale mapping and was compiled by D’Addario et al (1976).

During this period, a number of major world-class mineral discoveries were made (see Commodity Reviews), including uranium at Rum Jungle (1949) and in the East Alligator River Region (1969); zinc-lead-silver at McArthur River; manganese at Groote Eylandt (1960); bauxite at Gove (1949); and gold at Tennant Creek. Oil and gas accumulations were discovered in the Amadeus Basin in the mid-1960s.

1978–1998: NTGS following Self-Government

In 1978, after the NT was granted Self-Government, NTGS became part of the NT Department of Mines and Energy. In 1979, Paul Le Messurier was appointed as the Director of NTGS (Figure 1.7). Under Le Messurier’s leadership, NTGS was reorganised into Regional Mapping, Metalliferous, Geophysics, Engineering Geology, Petroleum Geology, Environmental and Geoscience Information sections. NTGS functions changed from local mine site, groundwater and engineering investigations to regional geological mapping, geophysical surveys, environmental

and metallogenic studies. The Environmental section was involved in the mapping of National Parks and the

in Alice Springs and RBM Thompson was appointed as the

appointed as Assistant Director, Northern Region in 1982 and was followed by CA Mulder in 1987, when Hosking departed NTGS. To meet NTGS’s new responsibilities, staff were increased to a total of 38 professional, technical and

NTGS geologists carried out joint investigations in the Pine Creek Orogen and Arunta Region. Subsequently, NTGS took over the sole responsibility of mapping, commencing

1982, NTGS had a staff of 25 geologists and 24 supporting

In 1978, the Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC) carried out a review of BMR that

major recommendations of this review was that BMR should relinquish responsibility for the completion and revision of the 1:250 000-scale map series throughout Australia. However, it was considered that until the NT developed its own capability, BMR would continue to be

Figure 1.4. Preliminary geological map of the entire Northern Territory compiled by Hossfeld in the early 1950s. Note that because of extensive deformation, high-grade metamorphism and a paucity of geochronological information, the Arunta Region, and Musgrave and Irindina provinces are placed in the Archaean (‘Archaeozoic’). Image courtesy of National Library of Australia.

Figure 1.5. PW (Peter) Crohn, Senior Resident Geologist NT (1960–1965), Chief Government Geologist NT (1969–1978). Peter led the geological investigation at Groote Eylandt

expanded the functions of the NTGS from minesite studies to minerals, groundwater, engineering geology, construction materials, geochemistry and geophysics.

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responsible for mapping at this scale, in cooperation with the NT Government. These recommendations were a turning point in the history of NTGS and by 1981, it had assumed a greatly increased responsibility for geological mapping in the NT, as BMR gradually withdrew from such activities. The number of 1:100 000-scale mapping projects in which NTGS was participating increased from eight in 1979–1980 to eighteen in 1980–1981.

Huckitta and Kulgera areas in 1981 and involved a total of twenty 1:100 000 mapsheets. This led to the commencing of a long-term commitment to airborne geophysical programs that resulted in an average of one 1:250 000 mapsheet being

geological map and explanatory notes (DARWIN1; Pietsch

1 Names of 1:250 000 and 1:100 000 mapsheets are in large and small capital letters respectively, eg BARROW CREEK, DARWIN.

Figure 1.6compiled by D’Addario et al (1976). Scanned image courtesy of National Library of Australia.

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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 Reviewsa number of other gold mines in the PCO; several mines in

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

and gas accumulations were also discovered in the offshore Bonaparte Basin.

1998–present: Modern exploration initiatives

In June 1997, Ross Fardon and Associates Pty Ltd completed a review of NTGS and recommended several changes, including in-house printing of maps and reports, the targeting 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-

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 Government announced a new Bringing Forward Discovery initiative, initially for four years, then extended to seven

Figure 1.7. P (Paul) Le Messurier, Chief Government Geologist and Director of NT Geological Survey (1979–1994). Under Paul’s leadership, NTGS was reorganised into Regional Mapping, Metalliferous, Geophysics, Petroleum Geology, Environmental and Geoscience Information sections. NTGS functions changed from local minesite, groundwater and engineering investigations to regional geological mapping, geophysical surveys and metallogenic studies.

Figure 1.8. CA (Lex) Mulder, Director of NT Geological Survey (1995–1998).

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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.

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.

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 part of the Territory (Figure 1.12), and the NT has nearly complete coverage of 1:250 000-scale fully attributed geological map GIS tiles. Succeeding supervisors of regional mapping programs since the inception of NTGS have been DL Dundas, G DeRoss, BA Pietsch, IR Scrimgeour and

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

Figure 1.9. RD (Dennis) Gee, Chief Government Geologist and Director of NT Geological Survey (1998–2002). In a brief period of four years, Dennis focused NTGS staff to exploration-oriented

on enhancing the mineral potential of the NT, the collection and interpretation of geophysical data, and the development of a range of digital databases.

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

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DF Close. M Ahmad supervised the Metalliferous section from 1981 and became Chief Geoscientist in 2005. CA Mulder supervised the Environmental section from 1982 to 1987. The Geophysical section has had B Simmons, TLF Findhammer and RG Brescianini as supervisors, and the Petroleum Geology section has been headed by P Sinicia, D Pegum

geological maps and data to industry in digital formats. To lead these changes, Tracey Rogers was appointed in 2000 to head the Geoscience Information section of NTGS (now the Geoscience Knowledge Management program). Following a review of NTGS in 2004, the traditional subdivision into Regional Mapping, Metalliferous, Petroleum and Geophysics sections were combined into the Regional Prospectivity group, which undertakes all new geoscience programs in NTGS.

Since 2000, a large number of Territory-wide maps and digital datasets have been produced. There are NT-wide

stitches of geophysical and remotely sensed data, including magnetics (Figure 1.13), radiometrics, elevation, gravity and ASTER2

the NT’s geochemical and geochronological datasets. Many of these datasets were used to compile the 1:2.5 million-scale geological map of the Northern Territory (Figure 1.14) and associated stratigraphic correlations by Ahmad (2000). This digital map is revised, as and when new information becomes available, and three subsequent revisions have been published. The geological map is accompanied by a Regolith Map of the NT (Craig 2006) and a Metallogenic Map of the NT that depicts the distribution of mineral occurrences and deposits (Khan et al 2010).

The exploration initiatives since 1999 have contributed to a major exploration boom in the Northern

a dramatic increase in mineral exploration expenditure in the Northern Territory, from $41.5 million in 2003 to $228.4 million in 2011. The boom has seen a shift in commodity focus for explorers in the Territory, resulting

2 Radiometer.

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

Figure 1.13. Seamless airborne magnetic map of the Northern Territory.

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such as rare earths, phosphate, iron ore, mineral sands and vanadium, along with a major uranium exploration boom from 2007–2010. There has also been an increased focus

previously under-explored provinces such as the Arunta Region. Important discoveries over this period include the Barrow Creek-1 phosphate deposit in the Georgina

Basin, the Mount Peake vanadium magnetite deposit in the Aileron Province, Myrtle zinc deposit in the McArthur Basin and a number of rare earth element discoveries, including Nolans Bore, Stromberg and Charley Creek. A number of mines commenced operations, including several heavy mineral sands mines in the Tiwi Islands, the Bootu Creek manganese mine, and a number of new

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MUSGRAVE OROGENY 1200-1160

PETERMANN OROGENY 570-530

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HEAVITREE, BITTER SPRINGS

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L

L

Migmatitic metapelite,metabasite, gneiss, calc-silicate,marble, quartzite

Amphibolite

LARAPINTA EVENT 480-460

PIONEER, OLYMPIC,PERTATATAKA

Felsic and pelitic gneiss/schist,orthoquartzite,amphibolite,migmatite,calc-silicate

MUSGRAVEBLOCK

b1

Limestone, sandstone

Felsic andmafic gneiss,schist,quartzite

Sandstone,conglomerate,siltstone,shale,coal,diamictite

BIF,carbonaceousshale,siltstone,chert,sandstone,dolerite

WARE GROUP STRANGWAYS COMPLEX

LANDER ROCK FORMATIONKILLI KILLI FORMATION

1N5

2N5

Felsic andmafic gneiss,metavolcanics,metapelite

Greywacke,siltstone,shale,schist,gneiss

Sandstone,siltstone

Greywacke,siltstone,shale

Sandstone,volcaniclasticsandstone

TJAUWATA GROUP

CHEWINGS OROGENY1590-1570

2000

b6

f66d6g

f7

7d7g

g8 b8

b9 d9g9

g5

f5

f4

g4

d4

d5b5

f9

Bimodal volcanics,sandstone,quartzite,conglomerate,red-beds

Schist,slate,siltstone,calc-silicate,amphibolite,quartzite

CENTRALIAN SUPERBASIN

STRANGWAYSEVENT 1730-1700

STAFFORD EVENT1810-1800

YAMBAH EVENT1780-1760

b7

rArA

P1

P2

P3

P4

P5

M6

M6b

M7

M8

M9

D7

D9

D6b

T5f

T5

T4

N4

Y4

Y5

N5f

V6

V7

V8

9L9V

L8

L7

L6b

L6

M10 D10

V10

ARUNTAREGION

AMADEUS, NGALIA, DALY,GEORGINA AND WISO BASINS

C

D

SS

D

P

T

K K

Pn

RUM JUNGLE ANDNANAMBU COMPLEXES

SOUTHNICHOLSON

BASIN

SOUTH NICHOLSONGROUP

2A5

1A5

A6

U8

U9

A10

A10d

HARTS RANGE COMPLEX

BUKALARA SANDSTONE,WESSEL GROUP

TENNANTREGION

AUVERGNE,FITZMAURICE ANDTIJUNNA GROUPS

MADDERNS YARD, YAYAAND IWUPATAKA

COMPLEXES

PARGEE SANDSTONE,TOLMER AND

BIRRINDUDU GROUPSPETERS CREEK VOLCANICS,

WIRE CREEK SANDSTONE

REYNOLDS RANGE GROUP,CADNEY METAMORPHICS

BUSTARD, EDITH RIVERAND EL SHERANA

GROUPS

OORADIDGEE ANDLOWER HATCHESCREEK GROUPS

D6

?1500

?2050

LIEBIG OROGENY1640-1630

TANAMI EVENT 1830

TENNANT EVENT1850-1840

NIMBUWAH EVENT1860-1850

DEAD BULLOCK FORMATION

A7

BARRAMUNDI OROGENY1860-1840

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

NEW SOUTH WALES

TASMANIA

VICTORIA

A U S T R A L I A

NORTHERNTERRITORY

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

RIVE

R

KING

Wildman

River

Rive

r

Dry

Rive

r

SOUTH ALLIGATORRIVER

KATHERINE

RIVE

R

Jim Jim Creek

Murgenella

Cree

k

Napp

erby

Cree

k

CoopersCreek

RIVER

FINKE

RIVER

IngallanC

keer

Elsey

Cree

k

Birdum

Creek

McMinn Creek

Waterhouse

Rive

r

Newcastle Creek

PALMER

RIVER

HANSON

RIVER

ROPER RIVER

King

River

HANSON

CREE

K

LAKEWOODS

Tomkinson Creek

Cattle

Cree

k

Flying Fox

Creek

Goom

adee

rRi

ver

Stra

ngwa

ysRi

ver

Attack Creek

Bootu

Creek

McKinlay Creek

Mainoru

River

Mann

River

HUGH

RIVER

Taylo

rCr

eek

HODG

SON

RIVER

JalboiRiver

Liver

pool

Rive

r

Wycliffe Creek

WILTON

RIVER

TODD

Muller

Creek

Goss

ereviR

ARNOLD

RIVER

Cadell

Rive

r

Atta

ckCr

eek

BLYT

HRI

VER

Lago

onCr

eek

Imim

bar

Cree

k

Tanu

mbirini

Cree

k

Mounta

inCr

eek

GoyderCreek

FINKE

RIVER

Annie

Creek

ELKEDRA RIVER

GLYDE

RIVER

GOYDERRIVER

Woolen River

COX

RIVER

WalkerRiver

HALERIVER

Rose

River

Gulbuwangay River

SANDOVERRIVER

BUNDEY

RIVER

Frew

Rive

r

RIVER

PrenticeLake

Cresswell Creek

LIM

MEN

BIG

HTREVI R

KoolatongRiver

Maidjunga

revi

R

Playford River

MC AR

THUR

RIVER

Rosie

Creek

Boree Creek

Brunette

BattenCreek

Puzzle

Creek

DYLG

ERE

VIR

Illogwa

Creek

Buchanan Creek

Cato

River

The

Flet

cher

PLENTYRIVER

WEA

RYAN

RIVER

RANKEN

RIVER

FOEL

SCHE

RIVER

Fish Hole Creek

ROBINSO

N

RIVE

R

Lorne

Cree

k

HAY

RIVER

Manners

Creek

Gord

on

Creek

James

River

Carrara River

CALVERT

RIVER

Marqua

Creek

Herbert

River

South Nicholso

n

Rive

r

GoldCreek

FIELDRIVER

Milne

River

Bran

chCr

eek

Settle

ment

Creek

Running

Creek

Negri

River

Mistake

Cree

k

Behn

River

KEEP

RIVE

R

Stirling

Creek

Stur

tCree

k

Maud

Creek

Leichhardt

Creek

Bullo

River

MOYLE

RIVER

Snake

Creek

L A K EN E A L E

Hooker

Creek

West B

aines

River BA

INES

RIVE

R

Giles or Wattie

Creek

East B

aines

River

VICTORIA

RIVER

FITZMAURICE RIVER

VICTO

RIA

RIVER

DALY RIVER

Ikymbon River

WIC

KHAM

RIVER

Depot

Cree

k

Tjipripu

River

FishRevi r

L A K EA M A D E U S

BattleCreek

VICTORIA

Gregory Creek

Angalarri

Rive

r

WinneckeCreek

RIVER

Armstr

ong

River

Johnstonre

viR

TownshendCreek

Delamere

DALY

RIVER

Cattle

Cree

k

FLORARIVER

DeeringCreek

Aroo

na

Creek

Mathison

CreekMARY

RIVER

LANDER

RIVER

EAST ALLIGATOR

Allig

ator

Wtse

Cr

Ck

NONGRALAKE

LAKEBUCK

LAKELEWIS

TARRABOOLLAKE

RIVER

ADELAIDE

LAKEMACKAY

JUNCTION BAY

FOG BAY DARWIN MILINGIMBI

TRUANT ISLAND

GOVE

PORT LANGDONPINE CREEKCAPE SCOTT

PORT KEATSKATHERINE URAPUNGA ROPER RIVER

PELLEWMOUNT YOUNGLARRIMAHDELAMEREAUVERGNE

WATERLOODALY WATERS TANUMBIRINI ROBINSON RIVER

WALLHALLOW CALVERT HILLSBEETALOO

HELEN SPRINGS

LIMBUNYA

BIRRINDUDU

TANAMI TANAMI EAST TENNANT CREEK

LANDER RIVER

MOUNT PEAKE BARROW CREEK

ALROY

FREW RIVER

RANKEN

AVON DOWNS

ELKEDRA

TOBERMOREYHUCKITTA

HAY RIVER

ALCOOTA

ALICE SPRINGS

NAPPERBY

HERMANNSBURG

LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY RODINGA

AYERS ROCK KULGERA FINKE

MOUNT THEO

MOUNT DOREENLAKE MACKAY

MOUNT RENNIE

BLOODS RANGE

MOUNT LIEBIG

HALE RIVER

McDILLS

WAVE HILL

BONNEY WELL

BLUE MUD BAYMOUNT EVELYN

BATHURST ISLAND

ARNHEM BAY

MELVILLE ISLAND COBOURG PENINSULA

ALLIGATOR RIVER

WESSEL ISLANDS

CAPE BEATRICE

MOUNT MARUMBA

FERGUSSON RIVER

HODGSON DOWNS

VICTORIA RIVER DOWNS BAUHINIA DOWNS

NEWCASTLE WATERS

BRUNETTE DOWNS MOUNT DRUMMONDWINNECKE CREEK SOUTH LAKE WOODS

GREEN SWAMP WELL

MOUNT SOLITAIRE

SANDOVER RIVER

THE GRANITES

HIGHLAND ROCKS

ILLOGWA CREEK

PETERMANN RANGES

SIMPSON DESERT NORTH

SIMPSON DESERT SOUTH

Younger basins Central Australianplatform cover

North Australianplatform cover Orogenic domains Archaean basement

inliers

MURPHYINLIER

LAWN HILLPLATFORM

ARAFURA BASIN

DALY BASIN

PINE CREEKOROGEN

MONEY SHOALBASIN

DAVENPORTPROVINCE

TENNANT

REGION

CARPENTARIABASIN

ARNHEMINLIER

BONAPARTEBASIN

ORDBASIN

VICTORIA-BIRRINDUDU

BASIN

WISO BASIN

McARTHUR BASIN

CARPENTARIABASIN

DUNMARRABASIN

IRINDINAPROVINCE

NGALIA BASIN

ARUNTA

REGION

WARRAMUNGAPROVINCE

TANAMI

REGION

AMADEUS BASINEROMANGA BASIN

CANNING BASIN

WARUMPI PROVINCE

MURRABA BASIN

PEDIRKA BASIN

SOUTHNICHOLSON

BASIN

GEORGINA BASIN

HALLSCREEK

OROGEN

VICTORIA-BIRRINDUDU

BASIN

AILERON PROVINCE

WOLFE CREEKBASIN

MUSGRAVE PROVINCE

AMADEUS BASIN

AMADEUS BASIN

EROMANGA BASIN

MURRABA BASIN

AILERON PROVINCE

AILERON PROVINCE

AILERON PROVINCE

TOMKINSONCREEK

PROVINCE

Qa

Qa

Qa

M6b

PnK

K

K

Qa

Qa

Qa

Qa

QaQa

Qa

Qa

Qa

Qa Qa Qa

QaQa

Qa

Qa

Qa

Qa

Cz

Cz

Cz

Cz

K

K

K

K

K

K KK

K

K

KK

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

K

g9

g9

P10L 2

P10L 2

P10L 3

P10L 3

P10L 4

P10L 2

P10L 2

P10L 3

P10L 4

P1

P1

P2P3

P2

P3

P3

P3

P4

P3

P4

P4

P4

P4

P4

P4

P4

P5

P5

P5

P5f

P5f

P5f

T5f

T4

T4

T5

T5

T5

T5f

N5f

g5

g5

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

S

S

S

S

S

C

K

U8

U8

U8 U8

U8

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6

M6b

M6b

M6b

M7

M7

M7

M7

M8

M8M8

M8M8

M8

M8

M8

M9

M9

M9

M9

M9

M10

M10

M10

M10

M10

M10

M10

M10

M6

M6

M6

M9

M8

D6

D6

D6

D6b

D7

D7

D9

--C

--C

--C

--C

--C

--C

--C1

--C1

--C1

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C2

--C3

--CO

--C3

--C3

--C2

--C2

--C3

--C2

Cz

--CO

--C3O

--C2--C3

P10L 2

P10L 3

D

g5

g6

--C1b

M6

P5

d4

d4

d4d4

d4

d4

d4

d4

d6 d4

d6

d6 d6

d6

d6

d6

d6

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b--C1b

Ar

Ar

Ar

V6

V6

V6

V7

V8

V9

V9

V9

V9

V9

V10

V10

V10

V10

d4

P4

g6

--C1

P10L 1

d9U8

P10L 3

P10L 4

d9

d9

d9

d9

d9

d9d9

g6

T5

T5

T5

b5

D6

Cz

D6

--C1b

d9

D10

Y4

M10

Y4

f6L7

L6L6b

L8L7

Y4L6Y5

f6

g6

K

Cz

Cz

M10

M9

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

Cz

b8

K

K

Qa

K

P4

f5

P1

Pn

g5

g5

g5

d4

d4

Pn

d4

f4

f4

b2

M6

Qa

--C3

Qa Qa

K

f6

f6

f6

f6

d9

f5

d9

P4

Pn

Pn

M10

d9

b9

L9

f4

g4

M7

M6bPn

T5f

T5f

f4

f4

T5f

d9

g6

g4

g4

g6

g5

O

P10L 1

P10L 1

OO

O

Cz

g6

O g4

Cz

Cz

g5 g5

K

K

CzCz

K

Kg4 K

g5

g5

g5--CO

g5

K

OK

g5

KK

g5

K

g5

g5

g4

g5

g4

g5

--C1

P10L 4 P10L 4

P10L 4

N4d5

M10

f6

Y5

M6

M6

M6

b1

b1

O

O

Cz

--C1b

--C1b

--C1b

g5g5

g5

g5

g5

g5

g5

g5

D

g6

g6

g6

g6

g6

P

1A5

2A5

2A5

2A5

2A5

1N5

1N5

2N5

N5f

b6

b6

2N5

1N5

2N5

2N5N5f

2N5

A6

g6

g6

g6

g6

g6

P10L 2 P10L 1

A102A5

A6

A6d5

d5

d6

A7

A7

A7

d5

N4

A10d

K

g7g7

g7

g7

g9

g9

U9

P10L 1

P10L 3

OS

OP10L 4

P10L 1

f9

f7

b7

d7

d7

P10L 1

P10L 4

P10L 1

Cz

SO

--CP10L 4

g5

f7

T5

g5

g5

g5

g6

1N5

N4Ar

g6

1A5

g6

g8

g6

d5

P10L 1

N4g5

A6

A6

g8 g7

D

--COOP10L 1

g6 g5

g6

A6

g6

g6

g8

P10L 4

1A5g5

1A5

T5

1A5

d5g5

d5

1A5

T5

g6

P10L 4d6

d6

g5

g5

g5

N4

A6

d7

d7

P10L 1

CP10L 1P10L 1

1A5

1A5

g6

g6

2A5

2A5

2A5

1N5

g5

A6

P10L 3

D

P10L 3

d5

d5

OP10L 3

P10L 3

P10L 11A5

SIR EDWARD PELLEW GROUP

MARIAISLAND

GROOTEEYLANDT

GULF

OF

CARPENTARIA

CAPEDON

MELVILLEISLAND

BATHURSTISLAND

TIMOR

SEA VAN DIEMEN GULF

BEAGLE

GULF

JOSEPH

BONAPARTE

GULF

ARAFURA SEA

PERON ISLANDS

WESSEL ISLANDS

A6

STUART

HIGHWAYSTUART

HIGHW

AY

HIGHWAY

HIG

HW

AY

CARPENTARIA

HIGHWAY

ROPER

HIGHWAY

PLENTY

SANDOVER

HIGHWAY

BARKLY

HIGHWAY

TABL

ELAN

DS

YAW

HGI

H

HIGHWAY

BUNTINE

VICTORIA

HIGHW

AY

LASSETER

TANAMI

ARNHEM

HIGHWAY

KAKADU

HIG

HW

AY

HIGHWAY

BUCHANAN

ROAD

KATHERINE

Cooinda

Minjilang

Jabiru

Hermannsburg

Oenpelli

Mataranka

Birdum

Larrimah

Kulgera

Daly Waters

Warruwi

Ti-Tree

Dunmarra

Elliott

ALICE SPRINGS

Barrow Creek

Wauchope

TENNANT CREEK

Maningrida

Wycliffe Well

Finke

Ngukurr

Ramingining

Milingimbi

Galiwinku

Numbulwar

Gapuwiyak

Borroloola

Angurugu

Umbakumba

Yirrkala

Kaltukatjara(Docker River)

Wadeye

Tanami

Palumpa

Peppimenarti

Pularumpi

Lajamanu

NguiuParu

Milikapiti

Yulara

Kalkarindji

Daguragu

Pickertaramoor

Curtin Springs

Yuendumu

Kunparrka(Haasts Bluff)

Papunya

Burrundie

Pine Creek

DARWIN

TimberCreek

CurungAli-

Murenella

Bulman

Nhulunbuy

Alyangula

Milyakburra

BarungaMaranboy

AdelaideRiver

Renner Springs

Newcastle Waters

Rabbit Flat

Top Springs

Hart Range

Areyonga

GEOLOGICAL MAP of the NORTHERN TERRITORY

SCALE 1:2 500 000

SCALE 1 : 10 000 000

GEOLOGICAL REGIONS

SYMBOLS

Geological boundary.........................

Main road..........................................

Secondary road.................................

Albers Equal Area ProjectionCentral Meridian 133°30' EAST

Standard Parallels 13°30' and 23°30' SOUTHGeocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94)

Watercourse......................................

1:250 000 geological map sheet.......

Railway..............................................

SIMPSON DESERT SOUTH

S O U T H A U S T R A L I A

DN

AL

SN

EE

UQ

WE

ST

ER

N

AU

ST

RA

LI

A

132°E

132°E

135°E

135°E

129°E

129°E

138°E

138°E

24°S 24°S

21°S 21°S

18°S 18°S

15°S 15°S

12°S 12°S

26°S 26°S

Oc NORTHERN TERRITORY GOVERNMENT 2006

GEOLOGICAL MAP of the NORTHERN TERRITORY2006 edition

NorthernTerritoryGeologicalSurvey

0 100 200 300 400 500 km

Richard Brescianini, Director, Northern Territory Geological Survey

Central AustralianPlatform Cover

North AustralianPlatform Cover

Archaean BasementInliersOrogenic DomainsYounger basins

50 0 50 100 150 200

WARNING: Colours will fade with prolonged exposure to light

SCALE 1 : 10 000 000

500 km4003000 100 200

High IntensityLow Intensity

TOTAL MAGNETIC INTENSITY

250 km

Compiled: M Ahmad and IR Scrimgeour 2006.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

Geoscience Australia; augmented by preliminary bedrock interpretations in selected areas from high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys. Palaeo-drainages are from information supplied by Natural Resources Division, Department of Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts.

Cartography: IM Burgan.

Produced by the Northern Territory Geological Survey, Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines, Darwin, Australia.Issued under the authority of the Minister for Mines and Energy, the Honourable KONSTANTINE (KON) VATSKALIS, MLA.

This map is available from Minerals and Energy Information Centre, 3rd Floor Centrepoint Building, Darwin. Phone (61) 8 89996443, Fax (61) 8 89995221. Email Geoscience.Info@nt.gov.au.

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.Northern Territory Government Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines

Fault; thrust.......................................

Figure 1.14

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5

Introduction

1:10

and re-opened gold mines in the Pine Creek Orogen and Tanami regions. Onshore petroleum activity has also dramatically increased since 2010, with recognition of the potential of many of the Territory’s basins for large resources of unconventional petroleum, especially shale gas.

ECONOMIC OVERVIEW

The Northern Territory hosts a number of world-class mineral deposits, including manganese at Groote Eylandt, bauxite at Gove, phosphate at Wonarah, uranium in the Alligator Rivers region, base metals at McArthur River, and gold in the Tanami, Tennant Creek and Pine Creek areas. The location of operating mines and major developing projects in November 2012 is shown in Figure 1.15. The total value of the available resources at these major deposits is in the order of $150–200 billion with past production of

2010/11, the NT produced mineral commodities valued at

$3.44 billion. These data highlight both the importance of mineral industry to the Northern Territory economy and the prospectivity of the NT.

However, despite its long mining history and the presence of some 3000 known mineral occurrences, the Northern Territory is comparatively under-explored and has a substantial potential for major mineral discoveries of gold, copper, uranium, lead-zinc, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, nickel, manganese, bauxite, phosphate, potash, diamonds, tin, mineral sands, vanadium, tungsten, coal and several other commodities. Many of the NT’s sedimentary basins, both onshore and offshore, are also very prospective for conventional and unconventional petroleum.

The Palaeo- to Mesoproterozoic orogenic provinces of the Northern Territory have remarkable mineral potential for a variety of commodities and contain almost 80% of the known mineral occurrences. The most mineralised province is the Pine Creek Orogen, from which 16 different metals have historically been mined. Large uranium deposits are located in the vicinity of Archaean granitic complexes, close to the unconformity with overlying Palaeoproterozoic rocks in the Alligator Rivers and Rum

Au, Sn, Ag-Pb, W, Cu, Bi are clustered in the central part of the Pine Creek Orogen. Gold is the major commodity within this group of metals, followed by tin. Stratabound and stratiform polymetallic deposits are associated with carbonaceous sediments in the Pine Creek Orogen, such as the Pb-Zn-Cu-Ni-Co deposits in the Rum Jungle area. In the Warramunga Province, mineralisation is dominated by Cu-Au-Bi deposits, typically associated with magnetite-chlorite bodies. Mineralisation in late Palaeoproterozoic rocks in the Davenport Province is largely of hydrothermal origin and includes quartz-wolfram lodes and gold-bearing quartz reefs. The NT’s most economically important gold province is the Tanami Region. This area contains the world-class Callie deposit and has produced an estimated 8 Moz of gold over the last two decades. Gold, base metals, rare earth elements, ferroalloys and gemstone occurrences are widespread in the Arunta Region, and include a world-

vanadium-magnetite, tungsten-molybdenum and copper deposits. The Murphy Provincefor uranium and base metals deposits and hosts a number of known prospects. The Arnhem and Warumpi provinces and the NT portion of the Musgrave Province have received little attention from explorers and are arguably the most under-explored Proterozoic terranes on the Australian continent.

Overlying late Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic basinal strata are also highly prospective. McArthur Basin sediments host the giant HYC (McArthur River) Pb-Zn-Ag and several other smaller base metals deposits, including enigmatic copper-bearing breccia pipes at Redbank. The basin is a continuation of the world-famous Carpentaria Zinc Belt, which contains substantial shale-hosted stratiform zinc-lead-silver deposits at Mount Isa, Hilton and Century in Queensland, and at McArthur River and Myrtle in the Northern Territory. Uranium and gold deposits are present in the southeast

Figure 1.15. Mines and undeveloped mineral deposits in the NT, as of November 2012.

C

Mesozoic-Cenozoic Palaeo-MesoproterozoicBasins

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Mataranka (Lime)

Cosmo Deeps (Au)

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(Zircon)

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Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5

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Introduction

of the McArthur Basin and black shale intervals within the basin are very prospective for unconventional petroleum. The southern McArthur Basin also contains diamond-bearing kimberlites at the Merlin deposit. The Roper Group, in the upper part of the McArthur Basin succession, hosts iron ore deposits in the Roper River

in the Beetaloo Sub-basin. The Tomkinson Province and Birrindudu Basin successions are time equivalents of the McArthur Basin, but are relatively poorly explored. Both basins contain minor base metals occurrences, and minor oil shows have been reported from the Birrindudu

hydrothermal manganese mineralisation at Bootu Creek.The NT’s Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic basins contain

nearly 400 mineral occurrences, mainly of base metals, phosphate and uranium, and many of these basins are

of uranium are hosted by sedimentary rocks of the Amadeus and Ngalia basins. The Amadeus Basin also has considerable potential for conventional and unconventional

Valley, Mereenie and Surprise. The Georgina Basin is a premier target for phosphate exploration and hosts the world-

The offshore Bonaparte Basin is a world-class petroleum province that contains a number of producing oil and gas

Valley-style zinc-lead-silver deposits. Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic basins that are also prospective for petroleum include the offshore Arafura Basin and the stacked Warburton and Pedirka basins in the southeast of the NT. The Pedirka Basin also contains substantial resources of coal at depth.

The Mesozoic Carpentaria Basin has outstanding potential for manganese. It hosts the giant Groote Eylandt manganese deposits and several under-explored manganese occurrences. The onshore part of the Money Shoal Basin provides much of the construction material (sand, aggregate, dimension stone) for the Darwin region and offshore areas of this basin are very prospective for petroleum. The Eromanga Basin, in the southeastern NT, also has considerable petroleum potential.

The Cenozoic coastline of the Northern Territory

class bauxite deposit at Gove. It also hosts the heavy mineral sands deposits of the Tiwi islands. Inland, in the central and southern parts of the Northern Territory, a number of calcrete- and palaeochannel-style uranium occurrences have been reported.

GEOCHRONOLOGY

One of the most important tools for understanding the geology of the NT is radiometric dating. A large proportion of the NT’s rocks are barren of fossils and are therefore

of NTGS and NTGS-GA geochronology sites in the NT is given in Figure 1.16.

The earliest radiometric age determinations on Northern Territory rocks were made in 1960, when granite and other

rock types from the Pine Creek Orogen were sampled for Rb-Sr, K-Ar, Pb-Pb and U-Pb dating. The results of these early studies were tabulated in Walpole et al (1968). McDougall et al (1965) carried out Rb/Sr and K/Ar dating on sedimentary rocks and granites from the McArthur Basin. In 1972, BMR commenced Rb/Sr geochronological studies to date major tectonic events in the Arunta Region, but most results were not published until early 1980s (Black and Shaw 1995). Black (1977) carried out Rb/Sr geochronology of the granites and sedimentary rocks of the Tennant Region. At the time, it was generally thought that the Rb/Sr system was robust enough to withstand subsequent geological processes, unless melting had taken place.

However, by early 1980, it was realised that both Rb/Sr and K/Ar isotopic systems are easily reset by subsequent tectonothermal events and remain open until lower temperatures are attained, and therefore can record younger ages. Conventional U-Pb zircon geochronology is a most robust technique, but cannot be used for complex zircons containing inherited cores or metamorphic rims. The 40Ar/39Ar technique, an adaptation of the K-Ar geochronological technique, is used for dating K-rich rocks and minerals (via the natural decay of 40K to 40Ar)

A12-115.ai

129°00' 130°30' 132°00' 133°30' 135°00' 138°00'136°30'

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ORDBASIN

REGION

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NGALIA BASIN

AMADEUS BASIN

PEDIRKA BASIN

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MURRABA BASINAILERON PROVINCE

WARRAMUNGAPROVINCE

ARUNTA

REGION

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AILERON PROVINCE

CARPENTARIA BASIN

CANNINGBASIN

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DALY BASIN

MONEY SHOAL BASIN

PINE CREEK OROGEN

EROMANGA BASIN

EROMANGA BASIN

IRINDINAPROVINCE

DAVENPORTPROVINCE

TOMKINSON PROVINCE

ARNHEMPROVINCE

CARPENTARIA BASIN

KALKARINDJI PROVINCE

DALY BASIN

WOLFEBASIN

FITZMAURICEBASIN

PEDIRKA BASIN

Tennant Creek

Yulara

Alice Springs

0 200 km100

Jabiru

Katherine

DARWINNhulunbuy

Borroloola

HALLSCREEK

OROGEN

SOUTHNICHOLSON

BASIN

MURPHYPROVINCE

Mesozoic-Cenozoic

Archaean

Palaeo-Mesoproterozoic basins

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Neoproterozoic-Palaeozoic U-Pb sample

Ar-Ar sample

Figure 1.16. Coverage of Ar-Ar and U-Pb isotopic age determinations in the NT.

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5

Introduction

1:12

through a step-heating process. The method is more precise and accurate than the Rb/Sr method, but has similar resetting problems due to later thermal events.

The development of SHRIMP (Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro Probe) dating in the early 1980s revolutionised geochronology through its ability to rapidly measure the isotopic and elemental abundances in minerals (most commonly U and Pb in zircon) at a micrometre-scale, making it well-suited for the analysis of complex minerals, particularly in metamorphic and igneous rocks. It also has allowed the rapid analysis of the age of detrital zircons from sedimentary rocks. Although limited SHRIMP work was undertaken on behalf of NTGS during the 1990s, it was not until the commencement of the NTGS–GA Geochronology Project under the National Geoscience Accord in 1999

routinely acquired in NTGS projects. Under the NTGS–GA collaboration, GA undertakes SHRIMP geochronology on behalf of NTGS, with the sharing of costs and intellectual property. In addition to the large volume of SHRIMP data generated under this scheme, NTGS has also undertaken Laser Ablation-Induced Coupled Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) geochronology since 2007, particularly for U-Pb analysis of detrital zircons, as well as Lu-Hf isotopic

analysis of zircons to characterise their source. This new geochronological dataset has vastly improved the understanding of the NT’s geological framework, regional correlations and tectonic evolution.

GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS

Airborne magnetic and radiometric surveys

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

NT commenced in 1935 with the setting up by the Commonwealth Government of the Aerial Geological and Geophysical Survey of Northern Australia (AGGSNA). Very early geophysical surveys were carried out in the Pine Creek, Redbank and Tennant Creek areas. Magnetic surveys in the Tennant Creek area were exceptionally successful in outlining the ironstone-hosted gold-copper-bismuth orebodies that are characteristic of this mining district (Rayner 2007). In the early to mid-1950s, BMR purchased a number of aircraft for the purpose of airborne

airborne radiometric surveys were carried out in 1952 over

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HIGH-RESOLUTION AIRBORNE MAGNETIC AND RADIOMETRIC SURVEYS (150 – 500m spacing)

Koolpin1974

Alligator1976

Exploration Initiative Surveys

Sturt2001

Eromanga2001

Barkly2001

Waterloo2001

Wiso2000

West Arnhem2000

Bauhinia2000

Amadeus Central2000

Mary River2000

South Lake Woods1999

Elkedra1999

Bonney Well1999

Amadeus West1999

Buchanan2002

Rum Jungle1999

Gove1991

Rodinga1990

Georgina2002

Simpson2004

Daly1979

Jinduckin1992

Mitchell Ranges1990

Litchfield North1981

Barrow Creek1981

Huckitta1981

Kulgera1981

Kakadu II1982

Huckitta East 1983

Litchfield South1984

Petermann1985

Kulgera West1986

Petermann East1987

Batten Trough1989

Tanami1989

Marumba1989

Kakadu1988

The Granites1988

Ayers Rock1988

Mackay1998

Mount Theo/Highland Rocks1993Port Keats1994

Urapunga1994

Limbunya1995

Mount Peake1995

Victoria River Downs1998

Alcoota/Alice Springs1997

Napperby/Hermannsburg1997

Robinson River1996

Tennant Creek1998

Birrindudu 1997

Milingimbi1992Helen Springs1993

Roper River1993

Groote Eylandt1993

Jervois2004

Tiwi Islands2006

59 Tanumbirini2007

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NAPPERBY

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FERGUSSON

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

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5

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Introduction

the Rum Jungle and Edith River areas of the Pine Creek Orogen (Milligan et al 1994, Wood and McCarthy 1952). Other areas covered by airborne radiometry during the 1950s included Mosquito Creek (Livingstone 1957), Mount Hardy, Nicholson River (Livingstone 1955), Gardiner Range (Muller 1961), Tennant Creek (Spence 1962) and South Alligator Valley (Livingstone 1958). Radiometric

second- and third-order in terms of size and intensity. Most

a mile to two miles by a large DC-3 aircraft at an elevation of about 500 feet (about 150 m). Lighter Cessna and Auster

the initial DC-3 surveys. Both data quality and accuracy has improved since

measurement precision and compensation systems for removing the magnetic effects of survey aircraft. Most of the historic radiometric surveys recorded data using just 4 channels, but radiometric recording of 256 channels of gamma ray data is now a standard. The advent of GPS systems in the 1990s provided much better positioning and the ability to acquire airborne data from much more closely spaced survey lines and lower altitudes than was previously possible. Many of the earlier surveys in the Northern Territory were conducted on a line spacing of 1500 m at altitudes of greater than 150 m, except for some of the smaller and better targeted programs in the Tennant Region, where magnetic surveys were on a line spacing of 160 m. In the sedimentary basins, the line spacing of surveys was usually greater than 3000 m.

less is now standard and most of the early surveys have now been superseded by better-quality closely spaced surveys,

Bonney Well and Jervois surveys, and GA’s Tennant Creek survey, which were all conducted at a spacing of 200 m.

Jungle area, GA has acquired magnetic/radiometric data over a million line km in the Northern Territory. GA’s contribution was fairly regular until 1977 and became

contributions in 1987, 1993 and 1998.

and territories to acquire high-quality airborne regional

CREEK. It covered an area of 17 280 km2 on a line spacing of 500 m, involving a total of 43 042 line km.

From 1981 to 1999, NTGS gradually acquired regional geophysical data at an average rate of coverage of one 1:250 000-scale mapsheet per year. However from 1999, an appreciable acceleration of the airborne program was made

by the NT Government’s three successive exploration initiatives. This has enabled the proportion of the NT covered by modern airborne surveys to rise from 48% in 1998–1999 to more than 90% in 2012 (Figure 1.17).

Numerous geophysical surveys at various scales have

surveys for which it holds digital data.

Gravity surveys

Coverage of high-quality gravity surveys of the NT is shown in Figure 1.18.

In 1960, BMR commenced a helicopter-supported 11 km-spaced regional gravity program for the Australian continent that took 15 years to complete. Until 1998, this was the only

more detailed (4 km line spacing or less) surveys were the 1998 Tennant Creek and 1999 Tanami surveys by Geoscience

improving the gravity coverage of the NT, commencing with the West Arnhem survey (acquired using the airborne GT-1A method) and subsequent helicopter-supported ground gravity

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Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5

Introduction

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over their areas of interest. As of November 2012, 44% of the NT is covered by gravity surveys at a station spacing of 4 km or less, including the entire Tanami and Arunta regions, and large areas of the Amadeus Basin, northern Georgina Basin and southern McArthur Basin (Figure 1.18).

Other geophysical surveys

Numerous electrical geophysical methods, such as electromagnetic (EM) and induced polarisation (IP) surveys have been used for exploration purposes in the NT, but the use of electrical methods in pre-competitive geoscience is a relatively recent development. The only large pre-competitive EM survey acquired to date is the Pine Creek

in 2008–2009 by GA, under their Onshore Energy Security Program. The survey included 29 900 line-kilometres of new data at various line spacings (555 m, 1666 m and 5000 m) covering 74 000 km2, including large areas of the Pine Creek Orogen (excluding Kakadu National Park) and northwestern McArthur Basin (Craig 2011). Numerous regional-scale AEM surveys have also been acquired under the NTGS Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program since 2010, particularly in central Australia, were they have been used in uranium exploration programs.

Multispectral and hyperspectral remotely sensed data are increasingly being used to understand the distribution of key minerals at the surface, particularly to understand alteration systems and regolith geology. In 2012, NTGS and CSIRO released sixteen Territory-wide mineral maps, based on a stitch of ASTER multispectral data. Small-scale airborne hyperspectral surveys have also been acquired in key regions of the NT. Incorporation of hyperspectral data into the third dimension is provided by the NTGS HyLoggerTM, which has been acquiring detailed hyperspectral information on drill core from across the NT since 2010.

A number of deep seismic surveys have been acquired by GA, particularly in the southern half of the NT. Notable deep seismic surveys include the Amadeus Basin (1985), Batten Fault Zone (2002), Tanami (2005) and Georgina–Arunta (2009) seismic traverses. These interpreted seismic lines have contributed greatly to the understanding of the NT’s deep crustal structure and tectonic evolution.

DEFINITIONS AND NOMENCLATURE

(1975), Plumb et al (1981) and the American Geological Institute’s Glossary of Geology (Neuendorf et al 2005). The

A craton is a part of the Earth’s crust that has attained stability and has been little deformed for a prolonged period of time. A sedimentary province (or basin) is an accumulation of sedimentary rocks, with or without volcanics, deposited in a subsiding segment of the Earth’s crust. Its lateral boundaries may be structural, depositional, erosional, or interpreted (in the sub-surface), and its vertical boundary is a regionally extensive unconformity. A platform is an area covered by

usually overlying an orogenic domain (or orogen), which is an area characterised by intense deformation and widespread metamorphism. A geological region large two-dimensional geographical area with a cohesive, in some cases complex, geological assemblage that is

regions, and differs from geological province in that it does not include depth/time dimensions. Geological provinces

geological characteristics and ages, that are separated from

For example, the Tennant Region covers a large geographical area containing a wide spectrum of Proterozoic sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks surrounded by younger Phanerozoic basins. This region is subdivided into three

Davenport and Tomkinson provinces. An inlier is a relatively small geological area surrounded by younger rocks, whereas an outlier is a small geological area surrounded by older rocks.

Mapsheet nomenclature and locality reference

Names of 1:250 000 and 1:100 000 mapsheets are in

KOOLPINYAH. Locations cited in this publication are based on Map Grid of Australia (MGA) coordinates and the Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 (GDA94). The grid zones covered by the Northern Territory are 52 and 53,

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PELLEWLARRIMAHDELAMEREAUVERGNE

WATERLOO DALY WATERS TANUMBIRINI ROBINSON RIVER

WALLHALLOWBEETALOO

HELEN SPRINGS

WAVE HILLLIMBUNYA

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LANDER RIVER

MOUNT PEAKE

ALROY RANKEN

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ALCOOTA

ALICE SPRINGS

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LAKE AMADEUS HENBURY RODINGA

FINKE

MOUNT THEO

MOUNT DOREENLAKE MACKAY

MOUNT RENNIE MOUNT LIEBIG

HALE RIVER

MCDILLS

TANAMI

THE GRANITES

HAY RIVER

TOBERMORY

AYERS ROCK KULGERA

BLOODS RANGE

BLUE MUD BAY

FREW RIVER

ELKEDRA

HUCKITTA

BARROW CREEK

BONNEY WELL

CAPE SCOTT

PORT KEATS

MOUNT YOUNG

FOG BAY DARWIN

PINE CREEK

CALVERT HILLS

TENNANT CREEK

ARNHEM BAY

BATHURSTISLAND

MELVILLEISLAND

COBOURGPENINSULA WESSEL ISLANDS

ALLIGATORRIVER

MOUNTMARUMBA

FERGUSSONRIVER

HODGSONDOWNS

BAUHINIADOWNS

NEWCASTLEWATERS

WINNECKECREEK

SOUTH LAKEWOODS

BRUNETTEDOWNS

MOUNTDRUMMOND

GREEN SWAMPWELL

MOUNTSOLITAIRE

HIGHLANDROCKS

SANDOVERRIVER

ILLOGWACREEK

PETERMANNRANGES

MOUNT EVELYN

VICTORIA RIVERDOWNS

SIMPSON DESERTNORTH

SIMPSON DESERTSOUTH

52L

52K

52J

53L

53K

53JA12-338.ai

8700000mN

8 0000

0mE

7 0000

0mE

6 0000

0mE

5 0000

0mE

4 0000

0mE

3 0000

0mE

2 0000

0mE

8 0000

0mE

7 0000

0mE

6 0000

0mE

5 0000

0mE

8600000mN

8500000mN

8400000mN

8300000mN

8200000mN

8100000mN

7900000mN

7800000mN

7700000mN

7600000mN

7500000mN

7400000mN

7300000mN

7200000mN

8000000mN

Figure 1.19. Northern Territory map zones, 1:250k mapsheet coverage, MGA coordinates (red grid) and latitude/longitude coordinates (black grid).

Geology and mineral resources of the Northern Territory Special publication 5

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Introduction

and L–J, as shown in Figure 1.19. Where possible, grid references are provided as UTM eastings and northings (eg 327668mE 8625341mN) and are theoretically accurate to the nearest metre, although in practice, an uncertainty of up to 100 m or more should be assumed, depending on the vintage of the mapping data. Grid coordinates collected via modern GPS instruments should be accurate to about 5 m.

Stratigraphic nomenclature

The stratigraphic names used in this volume are listed in Geoscience Australia’s Stratigraphic Unit Database (http://www.ga.gov.au/products-services/data-applications/reference-databases/stratigraphic-units.html), which was originally established as the National Register of Stratigraphic Names in 1949. This database is a centralised reference point for all Australian stratigraphic unit information and it provides the primary national standards for geological nomenclature in Australia. Staines (1985) has published a guide to lithostratigraphic nomenclature in Australia on behalf of the Australian Stratigraphy Commission. Most Northern Territory geological units are named in accordance with the International Stratigraphic Guide (Murphy and Salvador 2000). However, there are some cases where informal stratigraphic names have been used and in such cases, the names are not capitalised (eg Inindia beds). Names in single quotes (eg ‘Horn Valley Formation’) have been superceded and are not current.

The naming hierarchy used in this volume for

and metamorphic rocks that preserve stratigraphy), metamorphic rocks and igneous rocks is provided in Table 1.1. Grainsize terminology of clastic rocks follows

the revision of Wright (1992). Igneous rock names follow the nomenclature scheme approved by the International Union of Geological Sciences (Le Maitre et al 1989).

Timescale

The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) 2010 geological timescale is used in this volume. Listed numerical

ages in this timescale are after Gradstein et al (2004) and Ogg et al (2008). Where Australian stage names are used (eg for the Cambrian and Ordovician), they are correlated against the ICS stages.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

thanks to all geologists of government, industry and academia who have advanced the geological understanding of the Northern Territory. It is their painstaking meticulous work that has made this publication possible. Apart from the contributing authors, many other staff of the Northern Territory Geological Survey have made very valuable suggestions and input leading to numerous improvements in the volume.

The seed of this publication was sown during the regime of Dennis Gee at the time of the publication of the 2.5M-scale Geological Map of the Northern Territory in 2001, but actual work on the volume was delayed until late 2005, when then-Director Richard Brescianini recognised the need for such a publication at a time when there was high staff turnover. We are indebted to both Dennis and Richard for pointing us in the right direction.

A great deal of the high-quality, recent U-Pb SHRIMP geochronology data referred to in this volume was collected through the collaborative NTGS-Geoscience Australia (GA) geochronology project since 1999, as part of the National Geoscience Agreement (NGA). GA are acknowledged for

studies of the geology of the NT. A number of colleagues from the state geological

surveys of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, and from the NT Department of Land Resource Management (formerly Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport) have reviewed chapters within this volume and/or have supplied information, images and diagrams. Their valuable contributions to this text are gratefully acknowledged. Many colleagues from the exploration and mining industry have also supplied helpful and constructive comments and information on various sections of the text, as well as a number of images and diagrams.

and mineral resources of the Northern Territory has been greatly enriched by all of the above contributions.

Table 1.1 et al 1993).

Sedimentary rocks, lavas, pyroclastic rocks and metamorphic rocks with preserved stratigraphic layers.

High-grade metamorphic rocks with stratigraphic layers not preserved or not clearly established.

Intrusive igneous rocks and combined intrusive / extrusive igneous bodies.

NO

ME

NC

LA

TU

RE

H

IER

AC

HY

Supergroupeg Woodcutters Supergroup

Supersuiteeg Cullen Supersuite

Groupeg Namoona Group

Complexeg Madderns Yard Metamorphic Complex

Suiteeg Jim Jim Suite, Kalkarindji Suite

Subgroupeg Kombolgie Subgroup

Formationeg Wildman Siltstone

Geographic term + metamorphic termeg Nourlangie Schist

Geographic term + lithological termeg Umbrawarra Leucogranite

Membereg Acacia Gap Quartzite Member

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Introduction

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