Marine Geology Survey of the Northwest Australian Continental Shelf, 1967-1968

The Bureau of Mineral Resources Bulletin presents results from a geological reconnaissance of the northwest Australian continental shelf. Data was gathered during two 3-month cruises in late 1967 and 1968, supplemented by seismic profiles, echograms, and hydrographic soundings. The survey covers a 1200 km region from Barrow Island to beyond Scott Reef, aiming to map sediment distribution and elucidate late Cainozoic geological history.

Use Cases

• Mapping sea-bed sediment distribution based on notations from Admiralty Charts.
• Analyzing the offshore structural framework based on subsidized petroleum exploration work.
• Studying late Cainozoic geological history based on surface morphology and shallow structures.
• Investigating potential for phosphate deposits based on ocean water chemistry and circulation patterns.

Strengths

• Survey covers a 1200 km region of the continental shelf.
• Integrates data from multiple sources including seismic profiles, echograms, and hydrographic soundings.
• Results are based on two dedicated 3-month research cruises.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The structural framework description does not include results obtained after 1971.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR), Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Geological reconnaissance cruises, shallow seismic reflection profiles, echograms, and compiled hydrographic soundings.

Time Range

1967-1968, with some data sources from before 1971.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-04 23:19:15.677696; freshness should be verified

Geography

Northwest Australian continental shelf, from Barrow Island to beyond Scott Reef.