Deepwater Gippsland Basin Rock Samples from 1998 Research Cruise

In 1998, the R/V Franklin research cruise FR 11/98 recovered 18 dredge hauls of rock and sediment samples from the deepwater Gippsland Basin. The study by Geoscience Australia provides information on lithologies, ages, and paleo-environments, categorizing samples into Late Cretaceous volcanics, volcaniclastics, Neogene calcareous sediments, and Quaternary calcareous oozes. The data helps characterize this little-known basin.

Use Cases

• Classifying rock lithologies based on described categories like basalt, hyaloclastite, and calcareous ooze.
• Analyzing paleo-environmental conditions based on described sedimentary structures and fossil evidence.
• Modeling basin evolution and tectonic history based on the age and spatial distribution of the dredged samples.
• Studying volcanic processes during the Tasman Sea rifting phase based on the recovered volcanic rock types.

Strengths

• Provides direct physical samples from 18 dredge hauls in a poorly understood deepwater basin.
• Includes age estimates for samples spanning from the Late Cretaceous (~90-74 Ma) to the Quaternary-Holocene.
• Categorizes samples into four distinct lithological groups with detailed descriptions of rock types and features.

Limitations

• Row count and specific column-level documentation are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• The volcanic rocks are not directly dated; ages are hypothesized based on geological context.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality and structure require manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Dredge hauls recovered during the R/V Franklin research cruise FR 11/98, sited using seismic reflection profiles and morphological features.

Time Range

Sample ages range from Late Cretaceous (Turonian to Campanian, ~90-74 Ma) to Quaternary-Holocene.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 15:35:54.693791; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Deepwater Gippsland Basin, offshore southeastern Australia, with specific station water depths from 680 m to 3800 m.