Geological Survey of the Sau River Region, Western New Guinea, 1959

An 800-square-mile area in the Western Highlands of New Guinea was mapped during a reconnaissance geological survey in 1959. The data describes a complex geological structure where Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks are faulted against an Eocene to Pliocene sequence, with folding and major faults. The youngest features are Pleistocene volcanics and alluvial deposits, and a large basic pluton is identified as a source of gold, platinum, and minor copper mineralization.

Use Cases

• Map regional geological structures based on described faulting and folding patterns.
• Identify potential mineral exploration targets based on described gold, platinum, and copper mineralization.
• Study the stratigraphic sequence based on described Jurassic to Pliocene marine sediments and volcanics.
• Analyze the tectonic history of the region based on the described northwest-trending structural axes.

Strengths

• Covers a defined area of approximately 800 square miles.
• Describes specific geological features including rock types, faults, folds, and a mineralized pluton.
• Provides a temporal context with the survey year (1959) and described geological time ranges.

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 temporal bias from the 1959 survey date.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Reconnaissance geological survey

Time Range

Survey conducted in 1959; data describes geological formations from Jurassic to Pleistocene.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 03:38:19.650598; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Sau River and environs, Western Highlands of New Guinea (approximately 800 square miles).