Proterozoic Microfossils from the Roper Group, Northern Territory

The Roper Group in Northern Territory, Australia, is a shallow water sedimentary sequence with a minimum age of approximately 1300 million years. Shales from the McMinn Formation contain an assemblage of microfossils, including algal cells, filaments, and large acritarchs, preserved in a good state due to low thermal metamorphism. Geochemical studies indicate the organic matter composition is appropriate for oil generation.

Use Cases

• Analyze eukaryotic life indicators based on descriptions of probable life cycles and endospory.
• Study organic matter maturation for hydrocarbon generation based on geochemical and petrographic studies.
• Compare microbiotas from different depositional environments based on the described fluvial, deltaic, and marine settings.
• Investigate preservation quality of microfossils based on the low degree of thermal metamorphism mentioned.

Strengths

• Microfossils are in a particularly good state of preservation due to low thermal metamorphism.
• Geochemical and petrographic studies provide context for organic matter composition and maturation.
• The flora is described as very advanced for its geological age, offering a distinct comparative point.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to data_gov_au, focusing solely on one Australian formation.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Time Range

Proterozoic era, minimum age approximately 1300 million years.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 02:42:25.520475; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Roper Group, Northern Territory, Australia.