Money Shoal Basin

Lithology:

Sedimentary: sandstone, coal, shale, claystone, marls.

Epoch Min:

Eocene.

Epoch Max:

Jurassic.

Age Min:

36 Ma.

Age Max:

205 Ma.

Summary:

A pericratonic basin, extending from the Arnhem Land coastline to West Irian.

Relationship:

Unconformably overlies the Palaeoproterozoic Pine Creek Orogen and Palaeozoic Arafura Basin. The succession thickens gradually from less than 200 m in the east to over 4 km to the west, where it is continuous with sedimentary rocks of the offshore Phanerozoic Bonaparte Basin.

Thickness:

Up to 4 km.

Economic:

Eight petroleum wells have been drilled within the region. Minor oil shows. Minor heavy mineral beach sand deposits probably sourced from Cenozoic sediments. Small occurrences of bauxite, manganese and phosphate.

Metamorphism:

Unmetamorphosed.

Main References:

Ahmad M and Munson TJ, 2013. Chapter 40: Money Shoal Basin: in Ahmad M and Munson TJ (compilers) ‘Geology and Mineral Resources of the Northern Territory’. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Special Publication 5