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Geochronology

NTGS has an active SHRIMP and laser ICPMS geochronology program supporting NTGS regional geoscientific investigations and mapping programs across the Territory.

SHRIMP

NTGS and the Australian Federal Government's Geoscience Australia act cooperatively to undertake U-Pb geochronological dating of samples from the Territory under the National Geoscience Agreement.

Geoscience Australia conduct geochronological analyses on zircon and monazite separates from samples collected in NTGS field projects using a Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) and provide interpretations of these data.

Multi-Collector Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (MC-LA-ICPMS)

NTGS together with the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne undertake Lu-Hf multi-collector laser ablation ICPMS geochronology of samples from the Territory.

Zircon is the major reservoir of Hf in most crustal rocks. Zircon Hf isotopic data is collected to constrain the timing and nature of continental crust growth in order to better understand processes important to the geological evolution of the NT.

Publications

Carson CJ, Hollis JA, Glass LM, Close DF, Whelan JA, Wygralak A, 2010. Summary of results. Joint NTGS-GA geochronology project: East Arunta, Pine Creek and Murphy Inlier regions. July 2007 – June 2009. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2010-004.

Hollis JA, Beyer EE, Whelan JA, Kemp AIS, Scherstén A, and Greig A, 2010. Summary of results. NTGS laser U-Pb and Hf geochronology project: Pine Creek Orogen, Murphy Inlier, McArthur Basin and Arunta Region, July 2007 – June 2008. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2010-001.

Hollis JA, Carson CJ and Glass LM, 2009. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronological evidence for Neoarchean basement in western Arnhem Land, northern Australia. Precambrian Research 174, 364–380.

CJ Carson, J Claoué-Long, RA Stern, DF Close, IR Scrimgeour and LM Glass, 2009. Summary of results. Joint NTGS-GA geochronology project: Arunta and Pine Creek regions, July 2006 – May 2007. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2009-001.

Carson CJ, Worden K, Scrimgeour IR and Stern RA, 2008. The Palaeoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the Litchfield Province, western Pine Creek Orogen, northern Australia: insight from SHRIMP U-Pb zircon and in-situ monazite geochronology. Precambrian Research 166, 145–167.

Worden KE, Carson CJ, Scrimgeour IR, Lally JH and Doyle N, 2008. A revised Palaeoproterozoic chronostratigraphy for the central Pine Creek Orogen, northern Australia: Evidence from SHRIMP U-Pb zircon geochronology, Precambrian Research 166, 122–144.

Worden KE, Carson CJ, Close DF, Donnellan N and Scrimgeour IR, 2008. Summary of results. Joint NTGSGA geochronology: Tanami Region, Arunta Region, Pine Creek Orogen and Halls Creek Orogen correlatives, January 2005 – March 2007. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2008-003.

Worden KE, Claoué-Long JC and Scrimgeour IR, 2006. Summary of results. Joint NTGS-GA geochronology project: Pine Creek Orogen, Tanami Region, Arunta Region and Amadeus Basin, July – December 2004. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2006-006.

Worden KE, Claoué-Long JC, Scrimgeour IR and Doyle N, 2006. Summary of results. Joint NTGS-GA geochronology project: Pine Creek Orogen and Arunta Region, January – June 2004. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2006-005.

Cross A, Claoué-Long JC, Scrimgeour IR, Ahmad M and Kruse PD, 2005. Summary of results. Joint NTGS-GA geochronology project: Rum Jungle, basement to southern Georgina Basin and eastern Arunta Region 2001 – 2003. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Record 2005-006.

Last Updated: 14 March 2012