Tasmanian Shelf and Bass Strait Superficial Sediment Samples

Three hundred and sixty-five surface and near-surface seabed samples from the Tasmanian continental shelf and parts of Bass Strait provide a regional lithofacies assessment. The dataset, sourced from the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in April 2026, includes analyses of sediment composition, heavy minerals, and geochemistry, such as tin and phosphate content.

Use Cases

• Map regional lithofacies variations based on the described quartz-rich sands, muddy sediments, and bryozoan sands.
• Analyze sediment provenance and offshore transport patterns based on heavy mineral suites and hinterland relationships.
• Assess potential mineral resources based on the presence of cassiterite grains and recorded tin concentrations.
• Study Holocene and Pleistocene sediment reworking and depositional history described for different shelf areas.

Strengths

• Based on 365 surface and near-surface seabed samples.
• Includes specific geochemical analyses, such as a maximum recorded tin value of 10 ppm Sn.
• Describes four main suites of heavy minerals and detailed sediment types across the region.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Sample station density is described as low in parts of the shelf, particularly off northwestern Tasmania.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Analysis of seabed samples collected from the Tasmanian shelf and Bass Strait.

Time Range

Likely reflects modern and relict sediments from the Holocene and Pleistocene.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 16:38:33.160966; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Tasmanian continental shelf and parts of eastern and western Bass Strait.