Carboniferous Glacial Rocks From the Werrie Basin, New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

Research Article| January 01, 1965 Carboniferous Glacial Rocks From the Werrie Basin, New South Wales, Australia JOHN T WHETTEN JOHN T WHETTEN Dept. Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information JOHN T WHETTEN Dept. Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 21 May 1964 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1965, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1965) 76 (1): 43–56. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[43:CGRFTW]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 21 May 1964 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation JOHN T WHETTEN; Carboniferous Glacial Rocks From the Werrie Basin, New South Wales, Australia. GSA Bulletin 1965;; 76 (1): 43–56. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1965)76[43:CGRFTW]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Glacial and probably fluvioglacial rocks are present in the Currabubula Formation, an 8500-foot unit of Carboniferous age (Westphalian) exposed in the Werrie Basin of the New England geosyncline, New South Wales, Australia. Approximately 70 per cent of the formation is conglomerate and coarse conglomeratic sandstone, approximately 10 per cent is mudstone and fine sandstone, and approximately 20 per cent is tuff. The Rosedale Member, about 60 feet thick at the type locality, occurs in the middle of the Currabubula Formation and consists largely of varved mudstone with abundant ice-rafted pebbles. The best evidence for Carboniferous glaciation in eastern Australia is from the Rosedale Member and similar units exposed in other areas of northeastern New South Wales.The most common rock types in the Currabubula Formation are poorly sorted pebble conglomerates and lithic wackes composed largely of mineral grains and lithic fragments from flows and tuffs. Nearly all such rocks are stratified to some degree, and were probably deposited by streams, perhaps as glacial outwash. Rhyolitic and andesitic tuffs were deposited subaerially, in shallow lakes, and as ignimbrites.The Currabubula Formation was probably deposited near a mountain range undergoing glaciation. Much of the clastic material is volcanic, and includes pyroclastic fragments similar in composition to the contemporaneously deposited tuffs. This suggests that the clastic sediments were locally derived, and supports the idea that glaciation was restricted to the alpine variety. It is not necessary to infer either widespread Carboniferous climatic cooling or a relationship with the more widely occurring Permian glacial rocks in other parts of Australia. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.