Buddycurrawa Volcanics: Late Paleoproterozoic Geochronology and Alteration Data

New geochronology data establish the extrusion age of the Buddycurrawa Volcanics between approximately 1662 and 1631 million years ago. Carson et al. (2020) published this research through Geoscience Australia's Exploring for the Future program, analyzing volcanic rocks and alteration minerals from the South Nicholson region, Northern Territory. The data includes SHRIMP U-Pb zircon and laser Rb-Sr dating results that constrain volcanic activity and subsequent fluid flow events.

Use Cases

• Correlate regional volcanic stratigraphy based on precise late Paleoproterozoic age constraints.
• Model shallow-marine hydrothermal systems based on evidence of 'white smoker' siliceous pipes.
• Investigate regional fluid flow and alteration events using Rb-Sr dates on secondary microcline (ca. 1612–1323 Ma).
• Assess base metal mineral potential linked to dated volcanic and hydrothermal features.

Strengths

• Provides precise maximum (ca. 1662 Ma) and minimum (ca. 1631 Ma) extrusion ages for a previously poorly constrained volcanic unit.
• Includes multiple dating methods (SHRIMP U-Pb zircon, in situ laser Rb-Sr on glauconite and microcline) applied to different rock components.
• Links volcanic stratigraphy to regional mineral systems through analysis of hydrothermal pipes and pervasive potassic alteration.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is presented in a PDF format, which may require extraction for computational analysis.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, Carson et al. (2020).

Collection Method

Field mapping, geochemical analysis, and geochronological dating (SHRIMP U-Pb, laser Rb-Sr).

Time Range

Late Paleoproterozoic (ca. 1662–1323 Ma).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 25 17:03:22.569261; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Benmara region, northwestern Mount Drummond 1:250 000 map sheet, Northern Territory, Australia.