Birrindudu Basin

Sedimentary: sublithic arenite, quartz arenite, siltstone, shale, conglomerate, stromatolitic chert, limestone, glauconitic sandstone.

Epoch Min:

Mesoproterozoic.

Epoch Max:

Palaeoproterozoic.

Age Min:

1550 Ma.

Age Max:

1780 Ma.

Summary:

Unmetamorphosed and largely undeformed sedimentary succession correlated with McArthur Basin.

Relationship:

Unconformably overlies Palaeoproterozoic Pine Creek Orogen to the north. Unconformably overlain by Palaeozoic Wiso and Daly basins to the east; by Cambrian Ord Basin to southwest; by Neoproterozoic Wolfe Creek Basin to west and Neoproterozoic Victoria Basin to the north; and in places, by Cambrian Kalkarindji Province and patchy sedimentary rocks of basin-margin Mesozoic sandstone. Towards the south is underlain by Palaeoproterozoic metasediments and granites of Tanami Region. In northwest, in faulted contact with Palaeozoic–Mesozoic Bonaparte Basin and Palaeoproterozoic rocks of Halls Creek Orogen.

Thickness:

Up to 10 km.

Economic:

Host diamond deposits at Timber Creek and minor Pb-Ag occurrences. Potential for shale gas.

Metamorphism:

Unmetamorphosed.

Main References:

Dunster JN and Ahmad M, 2013. Chapter 17: Birrindudu Basin: in Ahmad M and Munson TJ (compilers) ‘Geology and Mineral Resources of the Northern Territory’. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Special Publication 5.