Geology of the Kimberley Region, Western Australia: The East Kimberley

GEOLOGY Mining –

• ix, 135 p. illus., diagrs., graphs, maps (part col., part fold.) tables. 25 cm.

  • Bibliography: p. 132-135.
  • #160526 (prev ownership name)
  • Bulletin (Geological Survey of Western Australia) ; 120.
  • Includes loose folded map: Geological map East Kimberley Region, Western Australia, Australia 1967.
  • Geology — Australia — Western Australia
  • The East Kimberley’s geology is dominated by the ancient Halls Creek Orogen, a complex collision zone where the Kimberley and North Australian cratons fused roughly 1.8 billion years ago. This rugged terrain exposes deeply folded metamorphic rocks, massive granitic intrusions, and adjacent sedimentary and volcanic basins. 

    Key Geological Elements

    • The Halls Creek Orogen: A northeast-trending belt of intensely deformed rocks. It is a suture zone marking where ancient tectonic plates collided during the early Proterozoic Eon. [1]
    • Metamorphic & Igneous Belts: The region features high-grade metamorphic rocks like the Tickalara Metamorphics and widespread granites (e.g., Bow River Granite) formed during intense mountain-building (orogeny). 
    • Speewah & Kimberley Groups: Extensive sequences of Palaeoproterozoic sedimentary rocks (largely sandstone) and basalt (Carson Volcanics) that form spectacular, layered escarpments. 
    • The Ord Basin: A younger, overlying Phanerozoic sedimentary basin (composed of limestone, shale, and sandstone) that formed in the Paleozoic era. 

    Economic Significance

    The geological tumult of the East Kimberley created ideal conditions for mineral and gem formation. The region is historically known for gold, base metals (like copper, lead, and zinc near the Koongie Park area), and the presence of world-renowned fancy colored diamonds, notably sourced from the Argyle diamond mine