Fairfield Group Geology in the Canning Basin, Western Australia

Fieldwork data from the Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous Fairfield Group in the Canning Basin. A joint Bureau of Mineral Resources and Western Australian Geological Survey party collected approximately 500 petrographic, palaeontological, and geochemical samples from 30 measured sections during 1972. The data covers a 160 km outcrop belt along the Napier and Oscar Ranges and other areas near Fitzroy Crossing.

Use Cases

• Stratigraphic correlation and mapping based on described lithologies of limestone, shale, sandstone, and marl.
• Analyzing depositional environments and basin evolution from described sequences of Ordovician to Cainozoic sediments.
• Conducting petrological or geochemical studies using the collected sample suite mentioned in the description.
• Resolving formal stratigraphy and unconformity debates referenced in the historical work summary.

Strengths

• Data is based on detailed fieldwork with 30 measured sections and approximately 500 samples.
• Covers a significant geographic area, including a 160 km long outcrop belt.
• Samples were collected for multiple analysis types: petrological, palaeontological, and geochemical.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Primary data files are in PDF and HTML formats, which may require extraction for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Field mapping on 1:80,000 air photographs, with sections measured and samples collected at intervals of 1.5 meters or more.

Time Range

Fieldwork conducted May-August 1972; geological coverage spans Ordovician to Cainozoic periods.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 02:54:27.005410; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Canning Basin, Western Australia, specifically areas near Fitzroy Crossing, the Napier and Oscar Ranges, Horseshoe and Burramundi Ranges, and Red Bluffs.