Neoproterozoic Glacial Strata of the Centralian Superbasin: New Insight From Subsurface Data in the Southern Georgina Basin, Australia

Abstract:

The Georgina Basin portion of the Centralian Suberbasin locally preserves extensive successions of Neoproterozoic sediments, including some of the thickest Cryogenian glacial deposits in the world. Surficial exposure of these units is poor, however, necessitating description and sampling of subsurface stratigraphic records. We have examined drillcore from boreholes in the southern part of the Georgina Basin that penetrate particularly thick accumulations of glaciogenic strata. One of these cores includes, in stratigraphic succession, ~500 meters of laminated diamictite, an overlying 150 meters of coarse-grained sandstone and conglomerate, and an upper 30 meter interval of carbonate that includes conspicuous pink dolostone. C isotope values of the carbonate interval are approximately -1‰ at its base, rise to values around 0‰ within the pink dolostone, then decline to -1 to -2% at the top of the cored interval. While it is currently unclear whether the carbonate is a Neoproterozoic cap or an unconformably overlying Cambrian unit, correlations based on regional seismic and well data suggest that the thick accumulation of diamictite is a well-preserved record of Neoproterozoic glaciation. We have obtained high-resolution visible and shortwave-infrared reflectance spectroscopy data from these cores with a HyLogger instrument. These data permit detailed mineralogical description of the glacial interval at a scale of ~1 cm and comprise a fully digital stratigraphic record.