Carboniferous-Early Cretaceous? Volcanic plugs in the Balranald region, NSW

Abstract

The NSW government?s New Frontiers exploration initiative program is currently focused on under explored areas of the state, under cover. As part of this program, production of geophysical/geological interpretations for Ana Branch, Pooncarie, Booligal, Balranald, Hay and Deniliquin 1:250 000 map sheet areas, has commenced. The aim is to encourage exploration to frontier areas of NSW by extrapolating the geology beneath covered areas using regional aeromagnetic, gravity, radiometric, Landsat7, seismic and borehole stratigraphy datasets. To date, both the Hay and Balranald 1:250 000 map sheet areas have been completed using Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) data and 1VD TMI data. Outcomes of this work include: ? An improved understanding of the tectonic setting of the area, such as the Stawell Zone extension into NSW; Silurian?Devonian granites that terminate at the Bendigo Zone; and NNW?SSE trending, weakly magnetic, dykes ? An enhanced understanding of the areas mineral potential, pertaining to heavy mineral sands that are magnetically detectable; diatreme-pipe-like magnetic sources with gemstone potential, of a possible Carboniferous?early Cretaceous age; and Orogenic gold, related to Stawell Zone extension.