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Drexel, J.F.; Preiss, W.V.; Parker, A.J. (Editors). 1993. Bull 054 Geology of South Australia. Volume 1: The Precambrian. Departmental Publication – Bulletin. Government of South Australia. https://pid.sarig.sa.gov.au/document/2018d037831 (Digital version with minor corrections published in 2012)
Description
The Precambrian geological record of South Australia spans a period from late Archaean (~2700 Ma) to the end of
the Neoproterozoic (540 Ma). Major Precambrian geological provinces are the Gawler Craton in the centre of the State, Musgrave Block and part of the Officer Basin in the northwest, Coompana Block in the southwest, Curnamona Craton including the Willyama Inliers in the northeast, Adelaide Geosyncline in the eastern third of the State, and basement inliers in the latter. (Geology of South Australia: The Precambrian| Abstract p. vi)
Parts, chapters and sections
Preface p. iii
Abstract . p. vi
- Purpose and scope p. 1
- Economic overview p. 1
- Geological mapping of South Australia – historical overview p. 2
- Geological principles used in the text p. 3
- Geological time scale p. 3
- Geochronology p. 3
- Sequence stratigraphy p. .5
- Sequence and sequence set p. 6
- Sequence stratigraphic notation p. 6
- Discussion p. 6
- Nomenclature of mapping units p. 6
- Tectonic province nomenclature p. 6
- Structural nomenclature p. 7
- Introduction p. 9
- Separation of Australia from Gondwana p. 9
- Deep crustal structure p. 9
- Early to Middle Precambrian tectonic provinces p. 10
- Gawler Craton p. 13
- Willyama, Mount Painter and Mount Babbage Inliers, and the Curnamona Craton p. 17
- Basement inliers of the southern Adelaide Geosyncline p. 18
- Arunta Block p. 18
- Musgrave Block p. 18
- Neoproterozoic to Early Palaeozoic provinces p. 19
- Tasman Fold Belt System p. 19
- Adelaide Geosyncline p. 20
- Peake and Denison Inliers p. 21
- Officer Basin p. 21
- Cambrian (and Cambro-Ordovician) basins p. 21
- Delamerian Fold Belt p. 23
- Phanerozoic basins p. 24
- Introduction p. 33
- Sleaford Complex p. 33
- Carnot Gneisses p. 33
- Wangary Gneiss p. 36
- Dutton Suite p. 38
- Gneissic basement to the Palaeoproterozoic Hutchison Group p. 38
- Mulgathing Complex p. 38
- Christie Gneiss p. 38
- Kenella Gneiss p. 42
- Hopeful Hill Basalt p. 42
- South Lake Gabbro p. 42
- Lake Harris Komatiite p. 43
- Blackfellow Hill Pyroxenite . p. 43
- Aristarchus Peridotite . p. 43
- Mobella Tonalite and associated syntectonic granitoids p. 43
- Unnamed calc-alkaline volcanics . p. 44
- Glenloth Granite p. 45
- Unassigned Precambrian meta-igneous rocks p. 45
- Sleafordian Orogeny p. 46
- Structure p. 46
- Mulgathing Complex . p. 46
- Sleaford Complex p. 47
- Metamorphism p. 47
- Structure p. 46
- Regional correlation p. 48
Chapter 4. Palaeoproterozoic p. 51
- Cleve and Moonta Subdomains p. 51
- Miltalie Gneiss p. 52
- Hutchison Group p. 54
- Warrow Quartzite p. 54
- Middleback Subgroup p. 54
- Middleback Subgroup mineralisation p. .61
- Upper Hutchison Group p. 61
- Myola Volcanics and Broadview Schist p. 62
- Moonta Porphyry and Doora Schist p. 63
- McGregor Volcanics and Moonabie Formation p. 66
- Wandearah Metasiltstone and Willamulka Volcanics p. 67
- Nuyts and Wilgena Subdomains . p. 68
- Wilgena Hill Jaspilite p. 68
- Tarcoola Formation p. 68
- Nuyts Volcanics p. 69
- Christie Subdomain p. 70
- Nawa Subdomain p. 70
- Kimban Orogeny p. 71
- Deformation and metamorphism p. 71
- Mylonites p. 73
- Magmatism—Lincoln Complex p. 74
- Wartakan Deformation p. 81
- St Peter Suite magmatism p. 81
- Stratigraphy p. 82
- Composite gneiss suite p. .83
- Quartzofeldspathic gneiss suite p. 84
- Calcsilicate suite p. 84
- Bimba Formation p. 86
- Carbonaceous pelite suite p. 86
- Amphibolites p. 88
- Olarian Orogeny p. 88
- Structure p. 88
- 𝜪D1 event p. 89
- 𝜪D2 event p. 89
- 𝜪D3 event p. 90
- Metamorphism p. 90
- Granitoids and other intrusives p. 91
- Dolerite dykes p. 93
- Stratigraphy p. 93
- Migmatite (suite 1) p. 94
- Augen-textured gneiss (suite 2) p. 95
- Layered gneiss (suite 3) p. 95
- Metasediment (suite 4) p. 96
- Quartzite (suite 5) p. 96
- Metavolcanic-granitic suite (suite 6) . p. 97
- Depositional environment p. 97
- Metasediments near Parabarana Hill p. 98
- Correlation with the Willyama Inliers p. 98
- Metamorphic and deformational history p. 99
- Granitoid intrusives p. 100
- Stratigraphy p. 100
- Unnamed garnet schist (𝛠L d1) p. 10
- Tidnamurkuna Volcanics p. 100
- Unnamed quartz schist (𝛠L d2) p. 101
- Baltucoodna Quartzite . p. 101
- Unnamed miscellaneous metamorphics (𝛠L d3) p. 101
- Intrusives p. 101
- Wirriecurrie Granite p. 101
- Basic dykes p. 102
- Deformation and metamorphism p. 102
- Tectonic framework p. 102
- Houghton Inlier p. 103
- Warren Inlier p. 104
- Myponga Inlier p. 104
Chapter 5 Mesoproterozoic
- Gawler Range Volcanics p. 107
- Nomenclature and classification p. 107
- Stratigraphy p. 109
- Lower Gawler Range Volcanics p. 109
- Southern Gawler Ranges p. 109
- Lake Everard p. 111
- Kokatha p. 111
- Tarcoola-Kingoonya p. 113
- Myall Creek, Roopena and Cultana p. 113
- Stuart Shelf region p. 114
- Upper Gawler Range Volcanics p. 115
- Intrusive dykes and plugs p. 117
- Geochronology p. 117
- Geochemistry p. 119
- Origin of the Gawler Range Volcanics p. 120
- Sediments associated with the Gawler Range Volcanics p. 124
- Corunna Conglomerate p. 124
- Labyrinth Formation p. 126
- Hiltaba Suite p. 127
- Mineralisation associated with the GRV and Hiltaba Suite granitoids p. 132
- Olympic Dam deposit p. 132
- Exploration and mine development p. 132
- Geological setting p. 132
- Host breccias p. 132
- Other lithologies p. 134
- Structure p. 135
- Mineralisation p. 135
- Genesis p. 137
- Acropolis and Wirrda Well prospects p. 138
- Earea Dam Goldfield p. 138
- Glenloth Goldfield p. 138
- Tarcoola Goldfield p. 138
- Olympic Dam deposit p. 132
- Spilsby Suite p. 139
- Cariewerloo Basin p. 139
- Pandurra Formation p. 142
- Cariewerloo Basin p. 139
- Itiledoo Basin p. 142
- Blue Range Beds p. 142
- Epicratonic igneous rocks and sediments p. 142
- Gairdner Dyke Swarm p. 142
- Beda Volcanics p. 144
- Backy Point Formation p. 144
- Geochronology p. 146
- Geochemistry p. 147
- Geology of the Curnamona Craton p. 147
- Geology of the Mount Painter and Mount Babbage Inliers p. 149
- Volcanic and sedimentary rocks p. 151
- Intrusive suites p. 154
- Geochronology p. 154
- Volcanics p. 155
- Intrusive suites p. 155
- Geochemistry and mineralisation p. 156
- Mulga Park Subdomain p. 158
- Fregon Subdomain p. 158
- Birksgate Complex p. 160
- Intrusives of the Musgrave Block p. 160
- Giles Complex p. 162
- Emplacement relationships p. 162
- Geochronology p. 162
- Crystallisation pressures and temperatures p. 162
- Kulgera Suite p. 162
- Basic dyke swarms p. 163
- Giles Complex p. 162
- Orogenic events of the Fregon Subdomain p. 165
- Possible pre-Musgravian Orogeny events p. 165
- Musgravian Orogeny p. 165
- Faulting p. 166
- Economic geology p. 167
Chapter 6. Neoproterozic p. 171
- Tectonic setting p. 171
- Stratigraphy and sedimentation p. .172
- Callanna Group p. 172
- Arkaroola Subgroup (sequence set I) p. 172
- Curdimurka Subgroup (sequence set II) p. 175
- Diapirs of the Flinders Ranges and deformation of the Callanna Group p. 177
- Callanna Group p. 172
- Burra Group p. 177
- Emeroo Subgroup and River Wakefield Subgroup (sequence set Ill) p. 177
- Mundallio Subgroup and Undalya Quartzite (sequence set IV) p. 179
- Upper Burra Group (sequence set V) p. 181
- Belair Subgroup (sequence set VI) p. 183
- Umberatana Group p. 183
- Sturtian glaciation and the Yudnamutana Subgroup (sequence set VII) p. 183
- Interglacial sequences: Farina and Willochra Subgroups (sequence sets VIII and IX) p. 186
- Marinoan glaciation and the Yerelina Subgroup (sequence set X) p. 189
- Wilpena Group p. 192
- Lower Wilpena Group (sequence set Xl) p. 192
- Upper Wilpena Group and the Pound Subgroup (sequence set XII) . p. 194
- Precambrian fossils of the Adelaide Geosyncline p. 197
- Adelaidean stratigraphy and sedimentation p. 197
- Lindsay map area p. 197
- Everard map area p. 198
- Unnamed basal clastics p. 198
- Chambers Bluff Tillite p. 198
- Tapley Hill Formation equivalent p. 199
- Wantapella Volcanics p. 199
- Unnamed gritty quartzite p. 200
- Rodda beds p. 200
- Birksgate map area p. 201
- Officer Basin drillholes p. 201
Acknowledgements p. 204
References p. 205
Index p. 226
About the editors and authors
Wolfgang Preiss is a well known South Australian geologist associated with many academic publications, notably: Bull 053 The Adelaide Geosyncline: late Proterozoic stratigraphy, sedimentation, palaeontology, and tectonics.
An Internet search revealed only that J. F. Drexel and A. J. Parker were geologists who were formerly affiliated with the South Australian Department of Mines and Energy and the Geological Survey of South Australia. Their names are associated with a large number of academic publications.
Authors who contributed to Volume I, under the coordination of John Parker, are Tony Belperio, Mark Benbow, Hugh Blissett, Colin Conor, Barry Cooper, Wayne Cowley, Robert Creaser, Ken Cross, Sue Daly, Mark Fanning, Don Flint, Richard Flint, Colin Gatehouse, David Gravestock, Keith Johns, Graham Krieg, Bob Major, John Parker, Wolfgang Preiss, Leigh Rankin and Graham Teale. (Acknowledgements | p. 204)
Where to borrow
A WorldCat search indicates that there are print copies in Australian academic libraries. See: WorldCat | Bull 054 Geology of South Australia. Volume 1: The Precambrian. A search through Libraries SA reveals that there are no print copies in this library network.
Where to obtain
This publication is only available by downloading a digital version at: SARIG Catalogue | Bull 054 Geology of South Australia. Volume 1: The Precambrian.
References
- ResearchGate 2026, A.J. Parker’s research while affiliated with Geological Survey of South Australia and other places, viewed on 14 March, 2026, https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/AJ-Parker-2037731603. This search yields a list of publications associated with A.J. Parker.
- Worldcat 2026, The Geology of South Australia (Volume 1), viewed on 13 March, 2026, https://search.worldcat.org/title/30439436. This page provides information about a WorldCat entry for The Geology of South Australia: Volume 1 The Precambrian.