Cape Range Anticline Stratigraphy and Micropalaeontology in Western Australia

Western Australia's Cape Range structure is an 80-mile-long anticline with 1200 feet of vertical closure and 1200 square miles of closed area. The dataset documents five Tertiary limestone formations, including the Mandu Calcarenite and Tulki Limestone, and estimates underlying sediment thickness up to 18,000 feet. It was published by Geoscience Australia Data.

Use Cases

• Analyze the thickness and composition of the Mandu Calcarenite, Tulki Limestone, and Trealla Limestone formations for regional geological correlation.
• Model the potential for oil drainage on the west and east flanks of the anticline using the structure's vertical closure and closed area metrics.
• Study the micropalaeontology within the Tertiary limestone sequences to infer depositional environments in the Indo-Pacific geosyncline shelf area.
• Assess sediment thickness estimates, including up to 18,000 feet of Permian to Devonian marine sediments, for basin analysis and resource potential.

Strengths

• Documents a major geological structure with quantified dimensions: 80 miles long, 20 miles wide, 1200 feet of vertical closure.
• Provides detailed stratigraphy for five named Tertiary formations with recorded thicknesses (e.g., 265 feet for Mandu Calcarenite).
• Includes estimates for underlying sediment columns, up to 18,000 feet thick, offering context for basin depth.

Limitations

• Data is presented in report formats (HTML, PDF), not as structured, queryable tables or rows.
• Sample data and specific columnar data fields are unavailable, limiting direct computational analysis.
• The temporal coverage and specific data collection methodology are not explicitly detailed.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

null

Time Range

Tertiary period (focus on Miocene and possibly Pliocene formations)

Freshness

null

Geography

Cape Range structure, North-West Cape peninsula, Western Australia, Carnarvon Basin