Drilling, Coring and Geophysical Logging for Calibration ...

Drilling, Coring and Geophysical Logging for Calibration of Airborne Electromagnetic Survey in the Lower Macquarie Valley, New South Wales, Australia

October 2008

Contributors: Jim Kellett, Ian Mullen, Dean Mansfield, John Spring and Martin Frost

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© Commonwealth of Australia 2008

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney General’s Department, Robert Garran Offices, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 or posted at http://www.ag.gov.au/cca.

The Australian Government acting through the Bureau of Rural Sciences has exercised due care and skill in the preparation and compilation of the information and data set out in this publication. Notwithstanding, the Bureau of Rural Sciences, its employees and advisers disclaim all liability, including liability for negligence, for any loss, damage, injury, expense or cost incurred by any person as a result of accessing, using or relying upon any of the information or data set out in this publication to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Postal address: Bureau of Rural Sciences GPO Box 858 Canberra, ACT 2601

Ph: 1800 020 157 Fax: 02 6272 2330 Email: [email protected] Internet: http://www.brs.gov.au

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Executive Summary

This report describes the lithological and bulk conductivity characteristics of 24 drill-holes drilled in the lower Macquarie River Valley to calibrate the airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey flown in early 2007.

Sixteen of the drill-holes were put down using mud rotary and were drilled to about 100 m to finish in relatively unweathered rock. Each hole was completed as a groundwater monitoring bore and gamma and induction conductivity logs were run in the cased holes. Eight of the drill-holes were fully cored to about 60 m depth and the cores were sampled on site for moisture content, bulk density and pore fluid chemistry. Six of the cored holes were completed as groundwater monitoring bores.

In agreement with the trends established in the pre-flight logging program, the conductivity logs from the post-flight drilling and logging program show that the Cainozoic sediments of the Macquarie River floodplain increase in conductivity steadily from south to north. The Cainozoic sediments in the south typically showed single conductivity highs of less than 500 mS/m. In the northern part of the survey area, the conductivity logs change their form to a ‘blockier’ pattern, with multiple conductivity highs reaching 1 200 mS/m.

Conductivity in the underlying Cretaceous saprolite is at least as high as in the Cainozoic material, and generally shows a trend of increasing downward from the bleached zone at the top of the saprolite to the multi-coloured clays towards its base. Conductivity of the unweathered Cretaceous rock is variable, but the highest values, in excess of 1 500 mS/m, are attained in the Rolling Downs Group in the north.

The drilling and logging program described in this report also investigated some significant anomalies identified by the AEM survey. These include:

- some areas within the AEM survey area that had formerly been mapped as Jurassic age Great Artesian Basin intake beds (Pilliga Sandstone) have been re-interpreted by this study as younger, Cretaceous Drildool and Keelindi Beds

- redefining the areas of the major Cainozoic aquifer units within the survey area, the ‘Southern Palaeovalley’ and the ‘Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel’

- identifying previously unknown, highly resistive, curvilinear bands of sub-cropping Hervey Group Sandstone cross-cutting the ‘Southern Palaeovalley’.

- mapping a highly conductive, highly saline layer of saprolite underlying the Macquarie Marshes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the collaboration and interest in the AEM project afforded by David Duncan and Pat Hulme, Sustainable Soils Management, Warren. We are also indebted to our hydrogeologist colleagues in the Department of Natural Resources, Dubbo Regional Office, for their co-operation.

Initially we aimed to drill all of the post-flight drill-holes on road reserves, but this was not possible for some of the drilling targets. We are grateful to the following landholders for providing access onto their properties to drill some of the holes:

• Brett Heckendorf (‘Merrinong’) – LMQ11/1 and LMQ11/2

• Alex Ramsay (‘Elengerah’) – LMQ13

• Auscott Warren (‘Ingelara’) – LMQ15 and LMQ15A

• Twynam Agricultural Group (‘Buttabone’) – LMQ16

• Macquarie Marshes Environmental Trust (‘Burrima’) – LMQ21

• Clyde Agriculture (‘Oxley’) – LMQ27

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Contents

Executive Summary .......................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iv Contents ............................................................................................................................. v Figures ............................................................................................................................... vi Tables .............................................................................................................................. viii 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Validation (LMQ) Drill-Holes..................................................................................... 2 1.3 NSW Department of Water and Energy (DWE) Bores ............................................. 3 1.4 Previous Investigations ............................................................................................ 3

2 Interpretation of LMQ Drill-Holes ............................................................................... 12 3 Interpretation of deep (> 50 m) DWE Bores............................................................. 109 4 Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 111 Appendix 1: Lithologic and Stratigraphic Logs of LMQ Drill-Holes ......................... 113 Appendix 2: Geophysical Logs (Gamma and Induction Conductivity) in the NSW Groundwater Bores ....................................................................................................... 198 References ..................................................................................................................... 223

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Figures

Figure 1: Location of Validation (LMQ) Drill-holes. .............................................................. 7 Figure 2: Location of logged DWE groundwater monitoring bores in the post-flight logging program. .............................................................................................................................. 8 Figure 3: UDR650 top drive rig setting up to core at site LMQ21. ...................................... 9 Figure 4: Location of Validation (LMQ) Drill-holes, superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch) ................................................... 10 Figure 5: Location of Validation (LMQ) Drill-holes, superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch) ................................................... 11 Figure 6: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC log for LMQ01. ............................ 13 Figure 7: Drill-hole LMQ01 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ......................................................................................... 15 Figure 8: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC log for LMQ02. ............................ 17 Figure 9: Drill-hole LMQ02 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ......................................................................................... 19 Figure 10: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC log for LMQ03. .......................... 21 Figure 11: Drill-hole LMQ03 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Traces of undifferentiated Jurassic (J) and Pilliga Sandstone (Jps) mapped by Sherwin (1997) shown. ........................................................ 23 Figure 12: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC log for LMQ04. ........................... 25 Figure 13: Drill-hole LMQ04 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 27 Figure 14: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ05. ........................ 29 Figure 15: Drill-hole LMQ05 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 31 Figure 16: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs of LMQ06. ......................... 33 Figure 17: Drill-hole LMQ06 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Drill-hole sited on curvilinear resistive feature. ........... 35 Figure 18: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ07. ........................ 37 Figure 19: Drill-holes LMQ07 and LMQ07A superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Drill-holes sited on curvilinear resistive feature. ................................................................................................................ 39 Figure 20: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ08. ......................... 41 Figure 21: Drill-hole LMQ08 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Trace of ridge of Hervey Group Sandstone (after Sherwin, 1997) shown. The breach in the ridge underlies the Backwater Cowal. ............. 43 Figure 22: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ09. ........................ 45 Figure 23: Drill-hole LMQ09 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). LMQ09 intersects the Pleistocene Palaeochannel (the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel) .................................................................................... 47 Figure 24: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ10 ......................... 49 Figure 25: Drill-hole LMQ10 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). LMQ10 intersects the southern bifurcation of the Pleistocene Palaeochannel (the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel). ............................... 51 Figure 26: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ11. ........................ 53

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Figure 27: Drill-hole LMQ11 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). The conductive tongue of material extending from Bundemar to Trangie is saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds. ................................... 55 Figure 28: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ12. ........................ 57 Figure 29: Drill-hole LMQ12 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). The conductive tongue of material extending from Bundemar to Trangie is saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds. ................................... 59 Figure 30: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ13. ........................ 61 Figure 31: Drill-hole LMQ13 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 63 Figure 32: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ14. ........................ 65 Figure 33: Drill-hole LMQ14 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 67 Figure 34: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ15 ......................... 69 Figure 35: Drill-hole LMQ15 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 71 Figure 36: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ15A ........................ 73 Figure 37: Drill-hole LMQ15A superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 75 Figure 38: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ16 .......................... 77 Figure 39: Drill-hole LMQ16 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 40–60 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 79 Figure 40: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ17 ......................... 81 Figure 41: Drill-hole LMQ17 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 40–60 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 83 Figure 42: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ18 ......................... 85 Figure 43: Drill-hole LMQ18 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 40–60 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). The dendritic pattern is interpreted as being generated from the ancestral Marthaguy Creek drainage system. ..................................................... 87 Figure 44: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ21 ......................... 89 Figure 45: Drill-hole LMQ21 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 91 Figure 46: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ22 ......................... 93 Figure 47: Drill-hole LMQ22 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 95 Figure 48: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ23 ......................... 97 Figure 49: Drill-hole LMQ23 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ..................................................................................... 99 Figure 50: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ26 ....................... 101 Figure 51: Drill-hole LMQ26 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ................................................................................... 103 Figure 52: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ27 ....................... 105 Figure 53: Drill-hole LMQ27 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 40–60 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). ................................................................................... 107 Figure 54: Flight line 20990 with LMQ23 superimposed, showing the irregular wave-like form of the high conductivity layer through the northern Macquarie Marshes ................. 108

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Tables

Table 1: Summary of Validation (LMQ) Drill-hole locations and targets .............................. 4

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1 Introduction

1.1 Background The Australian Government Community Stream Sampling and Salinity Mapping (CSSSM) project in the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) is a $20 million program spanning three years (2005-06 to 2007-08), funded by the Australian government.

The aim of the program is to provide communities within the MDB with the means to identify areas within their catchments that are at risk from salinity. The program will help prioritise investments for salinity management in the MDB by providing comprehensive, comparable data on sources of salt over the whole basin.

One of the major investments under this program is an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey of an area of the lower Macquarie River Valley from Narromine to the Macquarie Marshes. Prior to designing the airborne survey, consultation with the Central West Catchment Management Authority and NSW Government representatives developed a number of land and water management issues that the survey should be designed to address. These issues are:

(a) Where is the salt stored in the landscape, and what are the salinity relationships in the lower Macquarie River catchment?

(b) What are the structural controls within the survey area that govern the occurrence and transmission of groundwater?

(c) What is the occurrence of the different aquifer systems and degree of salinity across the survey area?

(d) Is it possible for the AEM to map and better define different soil types to inform land management practices?

(e) What are the structural or geographic controls that influence the size and location of the Macquarie Marshes?

In order to optimize the design of the airborne survey so that it would resolve these land and water management issues, it was first necessary to develop a series of simple hydrogeological models to describe the salinity and groundwater / surface-water processes in the catchment. To refine these models and populate them with the necessary data prior to designing the survey, the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) undertook a pre-flight drilling and geophysical logging program during June and July 2006 (Kellett et al., 2006). The information collected during this program was used to select the TEMPEST system for the AEM survey, and optimise the design of the airborne survey line pattern to maximise the likelihood of detection of subsurface features.

The AEM survey was flown from December 2006 to March 2007. Time domain electromagnetic data were collected by the Fugro Airborne Surveys TEMPEST survey at a line spacing of 300 m (southern and central blocks and northern strip at Carinda) and 600 m (northern block south of Carinda). Six fingers were added to the western side original AEM flight area to detect any palaeochannel systems which may be hydraulically connected to the Macquarie Marshes. Line spacing in the fingers ranged from 600 m to 900 m. Flight lines south of Trangie were oriented north-south to maximise the likelihood of detection of the Southern Palaeovalley (Kellett et al., 2006) and flight lines north of Trangie, and in all six western fingers, were oriented east-west.

A constrained inversion model of the AEM data was produced by Geoscience Australia (Brodie, 2007) during May and June 2007. This model was based on induction conductivity logs collected during the pre-flight geophysical logging program. Drilling targets were selected on the bases of anomalous features detected by the first inversion of the AEM data, and also to sample the range of conductivity values across all landscape

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positions, hydrogeological provinces and anticipated vertical conductivity characteristics of the geological section.

1.2 Validation (LMQ) Drill-Holes Seventeen mud rotary, one air hammer and eight cored drill-holes were put down in the lower Macquarie River valley between June and October 2007. The locations of each of the LMQ drill-holes are shown in Figure 1 and summarised in Table 1. The locations of pre-existing NSW Department of Water and Energy (DWE) bores are shown in Figure 2. Down-hole induction conductivity logs were run in each hole to bottom, and these data formed part of the information base used to re-calibrate the lower Macquarie AEM survey. The holes were drilled by The Impax Group (Dubbo) using a UDR650 top drive rig (Figure 3). All sites were returned as close as possible to their original state at the cessation of drilling.

The locations of each of the LMQ drill-holes relative to the expected bulk conductivity characteristics expected from the initial inversion of the AEM data is shown in Figures 4 and 5. In common with the pre-flight drilling program, palynological samples were taken in un-oxidised material in the LMQ drill-holes, from both mud rotary cuttings and sections of drill core. The results of these analyses are reported in Macphail, 2008a (PFD drill-holes) and Macphail, 2008b (LMQ drill-holes). This work has been particularly useful in distinguishing the three Early Cretaceous formations (Keelindi Beds, Drildool Beds and Rolling Downs Group) throughout the flight area (Kellett 2008a).

1.2.1 Mud Rotary Drill-holes The objective of the mud rotary drill-holes was to drill each hole to relatively unweathered rock, whether resistive or conductive, nominally to about 100 m depth.

For each drill-hole, samples were taken from the fluming at every 1 metre interval and the integrity of the samples in the mud holes was guaranteed by circulating the drilling mud in the hole every metre until it had been completely flushed. Where practicable, the electrical conductivity (EC) of the drilling mud return was monitored approximately every 6 metres (the length of each drill stem) or at major lithological changes. The EC of the drilling mud provides a qualitative indication of the formation salinity but it is not a closed system because fresh hydrated mud and water are continually being added to the mud pit. The mud EC plot may therefore underestimate the changes in formation salinity.

All drill-holes except for the air hammer hole (LMQ07A) were equipped with 80 mm class 18 PVC blank casing to allow geophysical logging to be carried out several times over the next couple of years. Slotted casing was inserted adjacent to significant aquifers, and gravel packed and back-washed. Bentonite seals were placed above and below the gravel pack. Each of the holes were fitted with steel protectors and completed as monitoring bores. The bores were cleaned by airlifting, and groundwater EC, airlift rate and standing water level were recorded at each site. Lithologic logs of the seventeen mud rotary drill-holes and one air blade hole are shown in Appendix 1, as are groundwater EC, airlift rate and standing water level for the monitoring bores. Location maps, down-hole geophysical logs (gamma and induction conductivity), and mud EC plots are shown in Figures 6 to 53.

1.2.2 Cored Holes The cores were drilled either to 60 m depth, or to relatively unweathered rock, whichever was the lesser. Mud EC was measured every metre in the cored holes. The cores were split along the vertical axes and photographed. One half of the cores were packed into core boxes and transported to the core repository of the Dubbo Department of Water and Environment (DWE) in Dubbo. The remaining half of the cores was sampled for gravimetric moisture content, bulk density and pore fluid chemistry. These parameters are required to convert AEM bulk conductivity (бb) to salt load. Sampling frequency was approximately every 0.5 m for the first 10 m, then every 1 m to the bottom of the hole.

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Where water bearing sands of three metres or more in thickness were intersected in the cores, slotted casing was inserted and the holes completed as monitoring bores. LMQ01 and LMQ03 had minimal or no sand and were completed with blank casing only.

Lithologic logs of the eight cored holes are shown in Appendix 1, as are groundwater EC, airlift rate and standing water level for the monitoring bores. Down-hole geophysical logs (gamma and induction conductivity), and mud EC plots are shown in Figures 6 to 53.

1.3 NSW Department of Water and Energy (DWE) Bores DWE monitors groundwater levels and chemistry in a network of about 40 bores in an area designated as Groundwater Management Area 008 (NSW GWMA 008), which lies south of the Macquarie River between Narromine and Warren (Figure 2). Twenty-five of these bores were geophysically logged in the pre-flight program (Kellett et al., 2006) and a further 8 bores were logged as part of the post-flight validation program.

DWE has multiple monitoring bores in the survey area. Most are shallow (<30m), however there are some deeper monitoring bores north of Warren, particularly in the Macquarie Marshes. Fourteen of these shallow bores and the two deep bores in the Marshes (GW036950 and GW036969) were geophysically logged as part of the post-flight validation program. Locations of all the DWE monitoring bores logged in the post-flight validation program are shown in Figure 2. The gamma and induction conductivity logs for the NSW DWE bores are shown in Appendix 2.

1.4 Previous Investigations The reader is referred to Kellett et al. (2006) for a summary of the regional hydrogeological framework of the lower Macquarie River valley. This report also summarised the drilling and logging program undertaken by BRS prior to flying the AEM survey. That report also summarised significant findings from several prior hydrogeological investigations.

Key findings from the pre-flight drilling and logging program were:

• The conductivity logs show that the Cainozoic sediments of the Macquarie River floodplain steadily increase in bulk conductivity (бb) from south to north. The Cainozoic sediments in the south typically have single conductivity highs of less than 400 mS/m. In the northern part of the survey area, the conductivity logs change to a ‘blockier’ pattern, with multiple conductivity highs exceeding 1 000 mS/m. These ranges have been revised upwards (500 mS/m in the south and 1 200 mS/m in the north) based on the results of the LMQ drilling program.

• Conductivity in the underlying Cretaceous saprolite is at least as high as in the overlying Cainozoic material, and generally shows a trend of increasing downward from the bleached zone at the top of the saprolite to the multi-coloured clays towards its base. Conductivity of the unweathered Cretaceous rock is variable, but the highest values, in excess of 1 000 mS/m, are attained in the Rolling Downs Group in the north.

• The Cainozoic sediments and Palaeozoic basement of the Southern Palaeovalley have much lower conductivities than the equivalent materials on the Macquarie River floodplain, especially in drill site PFD04 near Narromine, where (бb) is consistently less than 50 mS/m throughout the Cainozoic sediments (apart from one clay band where it rises to 120 mS/m). Saprolite developed on the Cretaceous rocks beneath the Southern Palaeovalley is more conductive than the weathered Palaeozoic rock, but is significantly less conductive than saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group further north.

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Table 1: Summary of Validation (LMQ) Drill-hole locations and targets

Drill-hole name and Location Easting Northing Target Date Drilled Drilling Method

Drilled Depth (m)

LMQ01 Burroway Road

621900 6450273 Moderately conductive saprolite developed on Keelindi Beds (Formerly mapped as Pilliga Sandstone)

20 August 2007–

24 August 2007

Core 56.8

LMQ02 Myall Camp (Raeburn Lane)

602376 6413446 Gilgai and highly conductive Cainozoic sediments 27 June 2007–

03 July 2007

Mud rotary 108.0

LMQ03 ‘Linbah’, Narromine – Dandaloo Road

584085 6436318 Moderately conductive saprolite developed on Drildool and Keelindi Beds (Formerly mapped as Pilliga Sandstone)

25 July 2007–

02 August 2007

Core 60.0

LMQ04 ‘Meringo’, Enmore Road

566698 6450159 Low to moderately conductive Cainozoic sediments overlying moderately conductive saprolite on Drildool Beds

16 July 2007–

17 July 2007

Mud rotary 80.0

LMQ05 Ceres Siding Road (near Anglebone Road)

609880 6439411 Resistive basement material (granite?) below 80 m 19 June 2007–

22 June 2007

Mud rotary 100.0

LMQ06 Dandaloo – Trangie Road

565008 6433034 Western-most curvilinear resistive feature 10 July 2007–

11 July 2007

Mud rotary/Air hammer

37.0

LMQ07 ‘Waterloo’ (west)

578675 6413198 Moderately low conductivity Cainozoic sediments and low conductivity saprolite on Keelindi Beds in south of flight area

05 July 2007–

10 July 2007

Mud rotary 100.0

LMQ07A ‘Waterloo’ (east – approx 500 m SE of LMQ07)

579072 6413013 Curvilinear resistive feature 10 August 2007 Air hammer 45.0

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Table 1: Summary of Validation (LMQ) Drill-hole locations and targets (continued)


Drilled Depth (m)

LMQ08 ‘Yarran Farm’, Backwater Road

601494 6434702 To ascertain whether resistive pod mapped by the AEM in 20-30 m depth slice, and in all subsequent depth slices, is Hervey Group Sandstone

22 July 2007–

25 July 2007

Mud rotary 32.0

LMQ09 Mitchell Highway and Montgomery Road intersection

580766 6466780 Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 1 17 July 2007–

22 July 2007

Mud rotary 96.0

LMQ10 ‘Fairfield Grange’, Boro – Bogan Road

566202 6456292 Southern bifurcation of Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel

12 July 2007–

13 July 2007

Mud rotary 90.0

LMQ11/1 Tenandra Channel, ‘Merrinong’ (near Euloon Cowal)

611574 6470662 To monitor leakage from Tenandra Channel in sandy sediments, and to measure head difference between perched water in Cainozoic sediments and regional pressure surface in Cretaceous sandstone aquifers

07 August 2007–

09 August 2007

Mud rotary 16.0

LMQ11/2 Tenandra Channel, ‘Merrinong’ (near Euloon Cowal)

611571 6470661 Resistive Cainozoic sediments along the southern part of the Tenandra Channel and underlying moderately conductive saprolite on Drildool Beds

07 August 2007–

09 August 2007

Mud rotary 114.0

LMQ12 ‘Bundemar’, Trangie – Collie Road

614079 6480913 High conductivity material in saprolite on Drildool Beds

12 September 2007–19 September 2007

Core 50.6

LMQ13 ‘Elengerah’, Gin Gin – Warren Road

590565 6477928 Low to slightly elevated conductivity profile in Cainozoic sediments in retired irrigation area

13 August 2007–

15 August 2007

Mud rotary 96.0

LMQ14 Canonba Road

565541 6500140 Low conductivity material in Cainozoic sediments overlying conductive saprolite

16 October 2007–

19 October 2007

Core 58.5

LMQ15 ‘Ingelara’ (Auscott Warren)

556675 6496651 Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 2. LMQ15 is located toward the NE edge of the channel feature

16 August 2007–

17 August 2007

Mud rotary 72.0

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Table 1: Summary of Validation (LMQ) Drill-hole locations and targets (continued)


Drilled Depth (m)

LMQ15A ‘Ingelara’ (Auscott Warren)

555373 6495306 Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 2(a). LMQ15A is located at the centre of the channel feature.

17 August 2007–

18 August 2007

Mud rotary 66.0

LMQ16 ‘Buttabone’ (Twynam)

558662 6528700 Low conductivity Cainozoic sediments overlying conductive saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group in a belt west of Mt Harris – Mt Foster

10 October 2007–

15 October 2007

Core 71.5

LMQ17 Merryanbone’ (Canonba Road)

542901 6520805 Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 3 3 September 2007–

4 September 2007

Mud rotary 96.0

LMQ17 Merryanbone’ (Canonba Road)

542901 6520805 Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 3 3 September 2007–

4 September 2007

Mud rotary 96.0

LMQ18 ‘Bealbah’, Warren – Quambone Road

582780 6533944 Marthaguy Ancestral Stream 1 20 October 2007–

24 October 2007

Core 60.5

LMQ21 ‘Burrima’ (Macquarie Marshes Environmental Trust)

549053 6604774 Conductive Cainozoic sediments and saprolite in the Northern Macquarie Marshes

24 September 2007–9 October 2007

Core 65.5

LMQ22 Marthaguy Creek (Gibson’s Way)

575565 6580759 Marthaguy Ancestral Stream 2 7 September 2007–

8 September 2007

Mud rotary 96.0

LMQ23 ‘Cutbushes’ (Sandy Camp Road)

566328 6607814 Arcuate highly conductive band at the top of the saprolite east of the Northern Macquarie Marshes

20 September 2007– 23 September 2007

Core 49.6

LMQ26 ‘Blue Light’ (Warren – Carinda Road)

547355 6617798 Arcuate highly conductive band at the top of the saprolite west of the Northern Macquarie Marshes. (This site is the western equivalent of LMQ23).

9 September 2007– 10 September 2007

Mud rotary 90.0

LMQ27 Gum Cowal (‘Oxley Station’ – Clyde Agriculture)

571260 6566159 Low to moderate conductivity finger beneath Gum Cowal.

5 September 2007–

6 September 2007

Mud rotary 77.0

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Figure 1: Location of Validation (LMQ) Drill-holes. The location of NSW Groundwater Management Area 008 is also shown.

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Figure 2: Location of logged DWE groundwater monitoring bores in the post-flight logging program. The location of NSW Groundwater Management Area 008 is also shown.

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Figure 3: UDR650 top drive rig setting up to core at site LMQ21.

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Figure 4: Location of Validation (LMQ) Drill-holes, superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch)

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Figure 5: Location of Validation (LMQ) Drill-holes, superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch)

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2 Interpretation of LMQ Drill-Holes

LMQ01 The cored drill-hole LMQ01 lies 4 km southeast of the locality of Burroway in the southeast of the flight area. The landscape is gently sloping from east to west and is comprised of a thin veneer of Cainozoic sediments, residual soils and silcretes overlying Mesozoic rocks of the Great Artesian Basin intake beds. Sherwin (1997) mapped the substrate at LMQ01 as Pilliga Sandstone, a quartz sandstone which was expected to present a resistive signature, as should its dominantly quartz sand weathering products. However, the first inversion of the AEM indicates bulk conductivity values of 400 mS/m in the 15 to 30 m depth slices in the saprolite (Figure 7).

The LMQ01 core revealed a shallow Cainozoic sequence of 1.6 m of loam and clay overlying silcrete to 2.3 m depth. The saprolite developed on the Mesozoic rock extends from 2.3 m to 40 m. The top part of the saprolite (from 2.3 m to 7.7 m) is red and white fine to medium sandstone. This material is extremely weathered with several loose sand bands, but it also contains some hard silicified bands. The induction conductivity log (Figure 6) indicates the бb through this part of the section is relatively constant and low (100 mS/m).

The underlying rock between 7.7 m and 11.2 m is white and yellow mudstone. The conductivity log through the mudstone monotonically increases downward, from 100 mS/m to 450 mS/m. The underlying rock, between 11.2 m and 22.4 m, is pale yellow to white fine sandstone. The rock has almost zero primary porosity due to clay infilling of the pores during weathering. Composition of the sandstone varies from quartzose to arkosic. The conductivity log (Figure 6) shows that bulk conductivity oscillates about a mean of 370 mS/m (range 300 mS/m to 430 mS/m).

A shale and mudstone band lies between 22.4 and 24.0 m. The conductivity log shows a spike rising to 460 mS/m in this material. The remainder of the saprolite to 40 m depth is mostly fine arkosic sandstone. The conductivity log records a mean bulk conductivity of about 320 mS/m (range 280 mS/m to 350 mS/m), with the lowest value of 280 mS/m being attained in a loose fine gravel band between 38.4 and 38.8 m.

The unweathered rock below 40 m is carbonaceous mudstone with minor fine sandstone inter-beds. Abundant fossil leaves occur in the interval from 48.3 to 48.8 m. The conductivity log indicates a mean bulk conductivity of 470 mS/m (range 420 mS/m to 550 mS/m) through the unweathered rock, which is the most conductive part of the drill-hole.

Most conductivity logs in the pre-flight drilling program (Kellett et al. 2006) showed бb being maximised towards the base of the saprolite developed on the Mesozoic substrate and generally slowly declining thereafter through the unweathered rock. The opposite trend occurs at LMQ01, where an upward shift of 150 mS/m is shown in the conductivity log (Figure 6), from saprolite to unweathered rock. This upward shift is due to the change in lithology from dominantly sandstone above to carbonaceous mudstone below.

Macphail (2008b) assesses microflora from 40.5 m and 52.5 m as belonging to the R. australiensis spore – pollen Zone, and therefore the Mesozoic rock at LMQ01 is assigned to the Keelindi Beds.

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Figure 6: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC log for LMQ01.

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Figure 7: Drill-hole LMQ01 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Traces of undifferentiated Jurassic (J) and Pilliga Sandstone (Jps) mapped by Sherwin (1997) shown.

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LMQ02 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ02 lies in an extensive area of gilgai (smectite clays) in the far south of the flight area. The AEM first inversion indicates bulk conductivities in the gilgai of 400 mS/m to 500 mS/m in the top 10 metres. According to the AEM, this is underlain by conductive (500 mS/m to 700 mS/m) clay to a depth of around 60 m, and by less conductive (~250 mS/m) material between 60 m and 100 m.

Drilling confirmed the substrate is composed of highly plastic clay to a depth of 60 m. This clay was very difficult to drill because it continually formed mud rings which blocked the annulus (the area between the drill stem and the casing). The conductivity log (Figure 8) revealed the mean бb of the top 60 m of clay is about 500 mS/m (range 250 mS/m to 600 mS/m). Sandy clay and clay-bound gravel was intersected between 60 m and 88 m (note the coarsening downward trend in the gamma log of LMQ02 in Figure 8). Mean бb in this interval was measured in the log as about 450 mS/m (range 300 mS/m to 650 mS/m).

Drilling intersected fine quartz gravel from 88 m to the base of the Cainozoic sediments at 105 m. The induction conductivity log records a mean бb of approximately 450 mS/m (range 400 mS/m to 550 mS/m) in the gravel. The high conductivity may in part be explained by the high groundwater salinity (EC = 16 000 µS/cm) in the gravel aquifer.

The Cainozoic gravel is directly underlain by fresh diorite. No weathering profile has been preserved on the diorite because it was eroded by the high energy depositional environment of the gravel. The diorite was drilled for a depth of 3 m, but it was not possible to insert blank casing into the basement rock because the gravel collapsed at 103.5 m. Thus the bulk conductivity of the diorite was not able to be measured.

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Figure 9: Drill-hole LMQ02 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch).

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LMQ03 The cored hole LMQ03 is situated 32 km west of Narromine on the Dandaloo Road (Figure 11). This site had previously been mapped by Sherwin (1997) as undifferentiated Jurassic (mainly quartz sandstone) sub-crop. However, the first inversion of the AEM indicates bulk conductivities commonly in the range of 400–500 mS/m in all depth slices between 5 m and 40 m—declining to 350 mS/m in the 40 to 60 m depth slice. For the same reasons that apply at LMQ01, saprolite at LMQ03 would be expected to be resistive if the substrate has been correctly mapped as Jurassic quartz sandstone.

Drilling revealed a thin (1.6 m) veneer of Cainozoic clay and sand overlying saprolite developed on the Mesozoic rock to a depth of 40.7 m. The top part of the saprolite, from 1.6 to 9.6 m, is an extremely weathered mottled white and purple claystone with some sandstone inter-beds. The saprolite in this interval has large numbers of ironstone bands and veins. The conductivity log shows a monotonic increase downward from 120 mS/m at 4 m depth to 350 mS/m at 9.6 m. The value of бb throughout the remainder of the saprolite to 40.7 m depth is strongly dependent on lithology (Figure 10). In the sandstone beds, conductivity ranges from 350 mS/m in unconsolidated quartz sand (completely weathered sandstone) in the interval 38.45 to 39.60 m, to 520 mS/m in clayey fine sandstone in the interval 24.8 to 27.6 m. In contrast, conductivity in weathered mudstone and claystone beds is reasonably constant at 800 mS/m (13.1 to 13.5 m and 14.4 to 15.5 m) to 850 mS/m (28.9 to 36.9 m). Of palaeo-environmental interest are rounded ice-rafted cobbles which occur in the interval 17.25 to 17.5 m.

The conductivity log shows unweathered mudstone is less conductive than its weathered equivalent – around 670 mS/m in the interval 42.6 to 51.4 m. Conductivity of the unweathered sandstone is approximately 500 mS/m in the interval 52.5 to 58.1 m.

The boundary between the Drildool and Keelindi Beds is chosen at 39.6 m at the base of an unconsolidated sand and gravel bed. The gamma log (Figure 10) indicates a very gradual coarsening upward trend in the interval interpreted as Drildool Beds. Macphail (2008b) identifies microflora from 35.5 m as F. wonthaggiensis spore-pollen Zone and therefore this section is assigned to the Drildool Beds. Macphail (2208b) also assigned samples from 40.9 m and 58.3 m as R. australiensis Zone (Keelindi Beds), in agreement with the field stratigraphic interpretation.

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Figure 11: Drill-hole LMQ03 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Traces of undifferentiated Jurassic (J) and Pilliga Sandstone (Jps) mapped by Sherwin (1997) shown.

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LMQ04 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ04 lies 25 km southwest of Trangie (Figure 13) and was designed to sample moderately conductive (indicated by the first inversion of the AEM) Cainozoic sediments in a domain representative of the southwest of the flight area. Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments are comprised of dominantly clay to 40 m, with a basal sand aquifer from 40 to 42.5 m. The induction conductivity log (Figure 12) measures conductivities varying from 250 mS/m in clayey fine sand at 22 m, to 470 mS/m in clay at 25 m and in the interval 33 to 37 m. The basal sand aquifer has a surprisingly high conductivity, rising from 330 mS/m at 40 m to 600 mS/m at 42.5 m, a consequence of the high salinity of the groundwater (EC = 13 720 µS/cm).

The underlying Mesozoic rock and saprolite is interpreted as Drildool Beds, and this is confirmed by a palynological sample at 79 to 80 m being assigned as R. wonthaggiensis Zone by Macphail (2008b). The first inversion of the AEM predicted бb in the saprolite on the Drildool Beds to be about 500 mS/m. The conductivity log indicates values slightly higher than this with a range of 520 m–750 mS/m and a mean of around 640 mS/m. Conductivity in the underlying unweathered rock of the Drildool Beds declines from 650 mS/m at 61 m to 350 mS/m at 75 m. This material consists of inter-bedded siltstone and fine sandstone—the gamma log (Figure 12) shows the interval from 61 m to the bottom of the hole at 76 m is coarsening downward (i.e. the proportion of sandstone to siltstone increases with depth).

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LMQ05 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ05 is situated 10 km northwest of Narromine (Figure 15) and its purpose was to intercept resistive basement material indicated by the AEM to lie below 80 m depth. The first inversion of the AEM indicated that бb drops below 50 mS/m at 80 m, and it was thought that this may represent granite extending from the Sappa Bulga Range underlying the Mesozoic rocks. About 10 km west of LMQ05, the AEM mapped a curvilinear separation of low to moderately conductive rock in the west, from resistive material in the east. Pre-drilling interpretation was that this feature was the boundary between the Obley Granite in the east and Ordovician metasediments in the west.

Drilling revealed a surprisingly thin (18 m) sequence of lowly conductive (100 mS/m < бb < 150 mS/m) Cainozoic sediments. The conductivity log indicates бb increases steadily from 180 mS/m at 18 m, to 480 mS/m at 30 m (Figure 14). The material in this interval is shale completely weathered to clay (saprolite), with plasticity increasing downward. Conductivity in the completely weathered sandstone between 34 and 41 m drops abruptly to 100 mS/m. This interval experienced minor mud loss, indicating the presence of an aquifer—the screened section between 38 and 41 m produced fresh groundwater (EC = 1 090 µS/cm). The unweathered Drildool Beds, interpreted to lie between 47 and 73.5 m, consists of inter-bedded siltstone and fine sandstone with a range in бb of 200 mS/m to 450 mS/m. Cuttings samples from the interval 64 to 66 m were assigned as F. wonthaggiensis spore-pollen Zone (Drildool Beds) by Macphail (2008b).

Conductivity drops from 350 mS/m at 73.5 m to slightly less than 100 mS/m in the unweathered Mesozoic rock at 88 m depth. This rock is mostly very tight shale, and was very hard to drill necessitating changing from the blade bit to a roller cone. Below 88 m, the rock is carbonaceous fine sandstone with a low conductivity (бb < 100 mS/m). The hole finished at 100 m without intersecting granite; therefore it appears the ‘resistive basement’ is actually Keelindi Beds. Macphail (2008b) assigned a sample taken from 83–84 m as M. florida Zone, which if in situ would place this interval as (Late Jurassic) Pilliga Sandstone. However, Macphail (2008b) considered that the microflora in the Keelindi Beds had been reworked from nearby outcropping Pilliga Sandstone.

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Figure 14: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ05.

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LMQ06 The combined mud rotary and air hammer drill-hole LMQ06 lies in the far southwest of the flight area, 7.5 km northeast of Dandaloo, on the Dandaloo – Trangie Road. The hole was sited directly over the western-most curvilinear resistive feature detected by the first inversion of the AEM in the 20 to 30 m depth slice — and in all subsequent depth slices. These features are not very wide (≤ 1 km) and consistently exhibit бb values < 50 mS/m (Figure 17).

Drilling revealed 23 m of Cainozoic clay overlying (Devonian) Hervey Group Sandstone with 4 m of saprolite. The sandstone below 27 m was extremely hard and silicified, and impossible to penetrate by rotary drilling (blade or roller bit) so it was necessary to drill by air hammer. The resistive feature is a shallow buried ridge of Hervey Group Sandstone, similar in morphology to the locally prominent exposed ridge of Hervey Group Sandstone 15 km southwest of Narromine, and may well represent the western limb of the buried Tullamore Syncline. Since the structure cuts across the Southern Palaeovalley, it impedes groundwater flow from east to west and may well have defeated the westerly drainage of the Pliocene Macquarie River. The fact that the Cainozoic sediments thin significantly over the buried ridge—and also that this Cainozoic material contains no sand—implies the buried ridge would impede westerly groundwater through-flow in the Southern Palaeovalley.

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Figure 16: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs of LMQ06.

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Figure 17: Drill-hole LMQ06 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Drill-hole sited on curvilinear resistive feature.

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LMNQ07 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ07, near the Bogan River in the far south of the flight area, targets moderately conductive Cainozoic sediments overlying low conductivity saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds, in turn overlying unweathered Keelindi Beds. The Cainozoic sediments consist of 36 m of clay overlying a basal gravel aquifer (from 36 to 42 m). The induction conductivity log (Figure 14) shows a step-wise increase from 200 mS/m close to ground surface, to 350 mS/m in the Cainozoic clay at 36 m. which was unexpected Conductivity drops abruptly to 130 mS/m in the gravel aquifer, since the groundwater is saline (EC = 13 930 µS/cm ).

Completely weathered rock of the Drildool Beds is 26 m thick (from 42 to 71 m) and gradually increases in conductivity downward (from 250 mS/m to 500 mS/m). Conductivity in the unweathered Keelindi Beds below 68 m drops from 500 mS/m, to 200 mS/m at 77 m in inter-bedded siltstone and fine sandstone. The assignment of this rock to Keelindi Beds is supported by three samples indentified by Macphail (2008b) as R. australiensis Zone at 68–70 m, 78–80 m and 96–97 m. The casing was blocked between 77 m and 94 m so it was not possible to log this interval.

LMQ07A The air-hammer drill-hole LMQ07A is approximately 400 m east of LMQ07. It was located to target a curvilinear resistive feature (Figure 13) similar to, but less distinct than the buried ridge at LMQ06. Drilling revealed Cainozoic clay to 34 m depth overlying dry sand and gravel to 45 m. The sand was dry and caved in such that it was impossible to drill beyond 45 m, therefore the nature of the curvilinear resistive feature at this location is unresolved. The resistive material indicated by the AEM from 34 to 45 m is dry sand and gravel, however based on the results of drilling at LMQ06, the resistive deeper material is expected to be Hervey Group Sandstone. No log is provided for LMQ07A.

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Figure 19: Drill-holes LMQ07 and LMQ07A superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Drill-holes sited on curvilinear resistive feature.

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LMQ08 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ08 is on the Backwater Road 15 km west of Narromine. The AEM (Figure 21) maps a resistive pod at 20 m depth lying 2 km NNW of the locally prominent exposed ridge of Hervey Group Sandstone southwest of Narromine. The resistive signature of both the outcrop material and the buried pod is the same (бb < 50 mS/m), This infers that the pod is a subsurface continuation of the ridge which is partially breached by the Southern Palaeovalley in the saddle joining them (Figure 21).

Drilling revealed 18 m of Cainozoic sediments with a basal sand aquifer in the interval 10–18 m. This sand yielded fresh groundwater (EC = 775 µS/cm). The induction conductivity log (Figure 20) indicates that бb ranges from 100 to 200 mS/m through the Cainozoic sequence. The underlying material is saprolite developed on Hervey Group Sandstone. Conductivity of the saprolite drops from 200 mS/m at 18 m to 100 mS/m at 26 m. There is 8 m of saprolite developed on the Hervey Group Sandstone at the LMQ08 site, double that formed at LMQ06. Fresh Hervey Group Sandstone has a very low conductivity (50 mS/m) and was very hard to drill, necessitating replacing the blade bit with a roller cone below 27 m.

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Figure 21: Drill-hole LMQ08 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 20–30 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). Trace of ridge of Hervey Group Sandstone (after Sherwin, 1997) shown. The breach in the ridge underlies the Backwater Cowal.

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LMQ09 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ09 lies on the Mitchell Highway about halfway between Trangie and Nevertire. The drilling target was a low conductivity strip at about 20 m depth and about 2 km wide underlying the Mitchell Highway. According to the first inversion of the AEM, бb gradually increases along the strip from 100 mS/m near Trangie, to 200 mS/m down-gradient at Nevertire (Figure 23). The thickness of the low conductivity strip is between 30–40 m, and it is interpreted to be a Pleistocene palaeochannel of the Macquarie River (the ‘Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel’).

Drilling revealed a dominantly clay sequence to 17 m, thence gravel and sand with a few clay bands down to the base of the Cainozoic at 72 m. Cohesion less sand and gravel in the interval 24–54 m required a stiff bentonite mud mix to keep the hole open. The induction conductivity log shows бb ≤ 100 mS/m through the upper part of the aquifer from 20 m to 45 m (Figure 22), with the slotted section (41-47 m) of the bore producing fresh groundwater (EC = 790 µS/cm). Below 45 m, the value of бb rises to 400 mS/m in the sand beds and up to 550 mS/m in two clay bands. This suggests that the aquifer has salinity stratification with the more saline groundwater below 45 m.

There is virtually no saprolite preserved on top of the underlying Mesozoic rock—inferred to have been removed by erosion during incision of the Pleistocene palaeochannel. Macphail (2008b) provisionally assigned cuttings samples in the interval 85-86 m to the R. australiensis Zone (Keelindi Beds), but with a very low confidence rating. Macphail noted the microflora included unusually diverse populations of Aequitriadites spp., Dictyotosporites and Retitriletes spp., but lacked the key species Ruffordiaspora australiensis. Based on the palynology, the Mesozoic assemblage at LMQ09 is tentatively assigned to the Drildool Beds.

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Figure 23: Drill-hole LMQ09 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). LMQ09 intersects the Pleistocene Palaeochannel (the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel)

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LMQ10 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ10 lies 6.5 km north of LMQ04. The drilling target was a low conductivity structure detected by the AEM which appears to be a southern bifurcation of the Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel. This structure starts just west of Trangie and runs broadly in an east – west direction. The first inversion of the AEM depicts the low conductivity strip as about 2 km wide (about the same as the main channel drilled at LMQ09) and it first becomes evident in the 30–40 m depth slice (Figure 25). The AEM indicates a value of бb at 30 m depth of 150 mS/m, gradually increasing to 250 mS/m at the base of the targeted low conductivity structure at about 60 m depth.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments to be 63 m thick, and comprised of inter-bedded sand and clay. There is significantly less sand at this site compared with the Cainozoic sediments at LMQ09, which is to be expected in a lower energy distributary of the main channel. However, the basal gravel and sand aquifer from 58 m to 63 m produced at least 6 L/sec during airlifting, and it is expected that it would have produced more with a larger air compressor.

The induction conductivity log (Figure 24) shows бb varies between 50 mS/m and 100 mS/m in both unsaturated and saturated sand beds throughout the Cainozoic sequence. Groundwater from the slotted section (58–62 m) of the basal aquifer is slightly brackish (EC = 1 310 µS/cm). The log shows the Cainozoic clays typically have a conductivity value of about 300 mS/m.

Conductivity in saprolite developed on the Mesozoic rock increases from 350 mS/m at 63 m to 500 mS/m at 80 m as clay mineralogy changes from dominantly kaolinite to dominantly smectite downward. Macphail (2008b) was not able to assign a spore-pollen Zone to a sample from the 88–90 m interval due to the very low numbers of species present. It is provisionally assigned to the Drildool Beds because of lithological and conductivity similarities to the confirmed Drildool Beds at the nearby drill-hole LMQ04.

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Figure 24: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ10

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Figure 25: Drill-hole LMQ10 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). LMQ10 intersects the southern bifurcation of the Pleistocene Palaeochannel (the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel).

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LMQ11 Site LMQ11 is 7.5 km northeast of Gin Gin on the Tenandra Channel, the longest man-made channel in the lower Macquarie valley. The target for this site was resistive Cainozoic sediments overlying highly conductive saprolite on the Drildool Beds. A large tongue of this conductive saprolite is evident in the Bundemar–Gin Gin area, extending southwest to Trangie and including the Gin Gin Hills (Figure 27). Mud rotary drilling revealed 15 m of sandy Cainozoic sediments; this material has a bulk conductivity of about 100 mS/m (Figure 26). Groundwater intercepted by slots from 9 m to 15 m in the basal sand-gravel aquifer is fresh (EC = 505 µS/cm). Two bores were drilled at this site—LMQ11/1 is shallow (16 m) to investigate potential leakage from the Tenandra Channel, and bore LMQ11/2 is deep (114 m) to investigate regional groundwater levels in the Keelindi Beds.

Saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds shows the typical trend of increasing downward (from 270 mS/m at 15 m to 700 mS/m at 40 m). It is inferred that the top part of the saprolite was eroded during deposition of the basal Cainozoic aquifer, based on the absence of white kaolinitic clay (pipeclay) normally present at the top of the weathering profile. Conductivity of the unweathered Drildool Beds ranges between 250 mS/m and 750 mS/m.

The contact between the Drildool and Keelindi Beds is interpreted to be at 78 m. This is based on changes in rock texture (siltstone grading to sandstone), colour (grey changing to bluish grey) and the rock below 78 m is noticeably harder and silicified. Inter-bedded siltstone and fine sandstone in the interval 78–92 m has a value of бb that lies mostly within the range 350–400 mS/m. The coarse sandstone in the interval 92–107 m has a highly variable conductivity – бb is 100 mS/m in tight rock from 92 m to 100 m, however this rises sharply to 450–650 mS/m where the rock is highly fractured in the interval 100–107 m. The slotted section 99–105 m yielded at least 10 L/sec of slightly brackish groundwater (EC = 1 070 µS/cm) from the fractured sandstone.

Macphail (2008b) assigns samples from 41 to 42 m and 62-64 m to R. australiensis Zone (Keelindi Beds) but with very low confidence rating. If this section of the hole is indeed Keelindi Beds, it is very difficult to reconcile LMQ11 stratigraphically with the nearby drill-holes LMQ12 (12 km NE) and PFD01 (12 km SW), the upper parts of which have been identified as F. wonthaggiensis Zone (Drildool Beds) in Macphail (2008a) and Macphail (2008b). All three drill-holes lie on the tongue of highly conductive saprolite in the Bundemar – Trangie area, and it may well be that the material in the upper part of LMQ11 is reworked, and is actually Drildool Beds. Macphail (2008b) confirms the deeper sample taken from LMQ11 (112–114 m) is R. australiensis Zone, in agreement with the field stratigraphic interpretation.

The Tenandra Channel was known to have leaked previously in this area and has been clay-lined and plastic-lined over several kilometres. The leakiness is caused by the sandy texture of the Cainozoic sediments below 2 m. Future channel leakages, if any, may be detected by fluctuations in standing water level in a shallow monitoring bore (LMQ11/1) specifically installed for this purpose. At the time of drilling the head difference between bores LMQ11/1 and LMQ11/2 was 3.67 m positive downward.

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Figure 27: Drill-hole LMQ11 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). The conductive tongue of material extending from Bundemar to Trangie is saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds.

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LMQ12

The cored drill-hole LMQ12 is located at Bundemar on the Trangie – Collie Road (Figure 29). The drilling target was a belt of anomalously highly conductive material in saprolite on the Drildool Beds. The first inversion of the AEM indicated that values of bulk conductivity range from 600 mS/m to in excess of 800 mS/m in the saprolite from 5 m to about 40 m depth.

The core shows the Cainozoic sediments are comprised of 5.1 m of drab-coloured clay and sand. The induction conductivity log (Figure 28) shows бb generally increases downward from 300 mS/m to 400 mS/m in the thin Cainozoic veneer. The underlying saprolite on the Drildool Beds is 38 m thick and weathering has been so intense that many sandstone beds have completely decomposed to sand with no trace of lithification preserved. The loose sand required a bentonite mud mix to keep the drill-hole open, and even so, complete loss of circulation occurred in sand from 24 to 26 m. The saprolite is also highly conductive, particularly the section from 20 to 27 m, where бb reaches 1 000 mS/m. This material is interstratified sand (completely weathered sandstone) and clay (completely weathered shale).

The casing is slotted from 36 to 42 m in a sand (completely weathered sandstone) interval which experienced moderate circulation losses during drilling. The groundwater is saline (EC = 15 500 µS/cm) but there is a pronounced drop in conductivity to 500 mS/m in the saturated zone of the saprolite. Unweathered (saturated) shale and sandstone of the Drildool Beds below 43 m has a mean bulk conductivity of 670 mS/m (Figure 29). Macphail (2008b) assigns samples from 34.6 to 34.7 m and 47.2 to 47.3 m to the F. wonthaggiensis Zone (Drildool Beds).

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Figure 29: Drill-hole LMQ12 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch). The conductive tongue of material extending from Bundemar to Trangie is saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds.

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LMQ13 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ13 is located 15 km northwest of Gin Gin. The drilling target was the low to slightly conductive profile detected by the AEM in a retired irrigation area. The first inversion of the AEM indicated conductivity increasing downward from 100 mS/m near ground surface to 250 mS/m at the base of the Cainozoic sediments at 27 m.

Drilling revealed 10 m of clay overlying a coarsening downward succession of sand and gravel to the base of the Cainozoic sediments at 27 m. The basal aquifer between 18 m and 27 m is a medium to coarse lithic gravel. Conductivity in the Cainozoic clay decreases downward, from 450 mS/m to 300 mS/m at 10 m depth. Conductivity in the basal Cainozoic gravel aquifer is uniformly low (80 mS/m) and its groundwater is almost fresh (EC = 845 µS/cm).

There is only 8 m of saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds at this site, the top part of the original weathering profile (pipeclay) most likely to have been eroded by deposition of the basal Cainozoic gravel sediments. Bulk conductivity of the saprolite stump is about 400 mS/m (Figure 30). Conductivity of the unweathered rock declines very gradually from 450 mS/m immediately below the saprolite to 150 mS/m at 87 m. Macphail (2008b) assigns samples from 35–36 m and 83–84 m to the F. wonthaggiensis Zone (Drildool Beds).

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LMQ14 The cored drill-hole LMQ14 lies on Canonba Road, 15 km northwest of Warren (Figure 33). The purpose of the drill-hole was to sample low conductivity material in Cainozoic sediments overlying conductive saprolite developed on the Rolling Downs Group representative of the middle part of the flight area.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments are 22.4 m thick with a basal sand aquifer 2.7 m thick. The values of бb for the inter-bedded Cainozoic sand and clay in the unsaturated zone (the top 15 m) ranges generally between 50 mS/m and 100 mS/m (Figure 32). There is step-wise shift in бb in the capillary zone (approximately 14–15 m) from 150 mS/m to 300 mS/m. Saturated Cainozoic clay exhibits a bulk conductivity of 350 mS/m and the basal sand aquifer has a бb value of 250 mS/m (groundwater produced from slots between 19 m and 22 m has an EC of 3 600 µS/cm).

The saprolite in the Rolling Downs Group extends from 22.4 to 53.5 m. It shows the typical assemblage of kaolinite at the top grading downward to smectite clay bands. Bulk conductivity shows a monotonic downward increase from 300 mS/m at 26 m, to 850 mS/m at 39 m. Conductivity through the remainder of the saprolite is approximately constant at 700 mS/m. Macphail (2008b) analysed samples from 42.0 to 42.2 m and 59.3 to 58.4 m, and found that both yielded strongly humified plant detritus only, and was thus unable to assign them to a spore-pollen Zone.

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LMQ15 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ15 lies 13 km west of LMQ14 and 42 km northwest of LMQ09. It targets the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel down-gradient of LMQ09. The first inversion of the AEM indicates a low conductivity linear feature interpreted as channel sands in the 30–40 m and 40–60 m slices. LMQ15 is located toward the northeast edge of the interpreted channel. Drilling revealed 42.5 m of Cainozoic sediments with a basal sand – gravel aquifer from 36 m to 42.5 m. Within the Cainozoic sequence, бb increases downward from 100 mS/m at the top, to 400 mS/m at 25 m depth (Figure 34). This material is mainly clay with minor sand bands. The Cainozoic sediments below 25 m are mainly sand and бb drops to between 200 and 300 mS/m. The basal aquifer produces groundwater with an EC value of 4 930 µS/cm.

The saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group is only 8.5 m thick, with the top part of the original weathering profile (pipeclay) most likely to have been removed by erosion during deposition of the Cainozoic sand and gravel. The saprolite stump has a variable conductivity, of between 500 mS/m and 650 mS/m. Conductivity in the unweathered Rolling Downs Group rock gradually decreases downward from 600 mS/m to 450 mS/m at 64 m depth. The contact between the Rolling Downs Group and Drildool Beds is interpreted to be at 64 m where the rock changes from dominantly shale above to inter-bedded sandstone and siltstone below. Conductivity in a 6 metre section (64 - 70 m) of the Drildool Beds is 300–350 mS/m.

Macphail (2008b) assigned a sample from 51 to 52 m as C. hughesii Zone (Rolling Downs Group) and a sample from 71 to 72 m as F. wonthaggiensis Zone (Drildool Beds), supporting the field stratigraphic interpretation. Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample at 65 to 66 m to the C. hughesii Zone (Rolling Downs Group), and notes the presence of recycled taxa such as (Tithonian) R. watherooensis.

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LMQ15A The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ15A is about 1.5 km southwest of LMQ15, and is located at the centre of the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel. Drilling revealed 53 m of Cainozoic sediments (compared with 43.5 m at LMQ15) with a basal sand–gravel aquifer in the interval from 43.5 to 53 m. However, the basal aquifer contains a clay band between 47.5 m and 50 m, which was unexpected because this site occurs in the highest energy environment of the palaeochannel. The induction conductivity log (Figure 36) shows бb is about 200 mS/m from ground surface down to 13 m, in material consisting of 7 m of clay overlying clayey sand. The value of бb then rises sharply to 460 mS/m over the next 2 metres (13–15 m) in sand and gravel—which may represent perched water.

The value of бb ranges from 280 mS/m to 450 mS/m over the remainder of the Cainozoic sequence, apart from a short sharp rise to 550 mS/m in the bottom metre of the basal aquifer. The casing is slotted between 50 and 53 m, and the groundwater is more saline than that of LMQ15 (EC = 7 520 µS/cm compared with 4 930 µS/cm in LMQ15). The airlift rate at LMQ15A was 4 L/sec, an order of magnitude higher than that in LMQ15.

Like LMQ15, this site has only a stump of saprolite preserved from 53 to 60 m. Conductivity increases downward from 500 mS/m at the top of the saprolite to 700 mS/m at 60 m. Conductivity of the unweathered (60–65 m) Rolling Downs Group rock oscillates around 600 mS/m. Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from the bottom of the hole (65–66 m) to the C. hughesii Zone, consistent with the sampled interval being Rolling Downs Group.

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Figure 36: Gamma, induction conductivity and mud EC logs for LMQ15A

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Figure 37: Drill-hole LMQ15A superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 30–40 m depth slice (0–0.5 S/m stretch).

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LMQ16 The cored drill hole LMQ16 lies 7.5 km west of Marebone Weir on the lower Macquarie River. The first inversion of the AEM detected low conductivity Cainozoic sediments overlying lowly to moderately conductive saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group in a belt west of Mt Harris–Mt Foster. LMQ16 was designed to measure the conductivity characteristics of this material.

Drilling revealed 36.3 m of Cainozoic sediments overlying very thick saprolite developed on the Rolling Downs Group. As shown on the gamma log (Figure 38), the Cainozoic sediments consist of inter-bedded sand and clay. The gamma log shows dry sand bands from 6.9 to 9.2 m, and saturated sand beds at 13.0 to 14.6 m and 19.4 to 24.0 m. A basal sand–gravel aquifer occurs in the interval from 32.0 to 36.3 m, producing groundwater with an EC value of 3 700 µS/cm. Conductivity of the Cainozoic sand beds ranges from 150 mS/m to 200 mS/m, and up to 400 mS/m in the clay bands.

The bottom of the saprolite was not encountered, in LMQ16, signifying that the unweathered rock of the Rolling Downs Group lies deeper than the maximum depth drilled (71.2 m). Weathering has been intense down to about 52 m, with no trace remaining of any rock fabric. In this interval, mudstone and shale have been completely weathered to clay, and the sandstone band between 40.7 and 43.4 m has been completely weathered to loose saturated sand. Bulk conductivity shows a general trend of increasing downward, apart from an inflexion in the loose sand (40.7–43.4 m) where бb = 150 mS/m. Elsewhere the weathered claystone – mudstone sequence, бb grades downward from 200 mS/m to 400 mS/m at 60 m (the bottom 10 m of the hole was could not be logged).

Macphail (2008b) analysed a sample from 68.8 to 68.9 m and found it yielded strongly humified plant detritus only, and was thus unable to assign them to a spore-pollen Zone. However it is reasonable to infer that the rock underlying the Cainozoic sediments at LMQ16 is Rolling Downs Group since samples at 56 m and 90.5 m from drill hole PFD06, located 12 km NE of LMQ16, were assigned to C. hughesii Zone (Macphail, 2008a).

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LMQ17 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ17 was the most northern hole put down on the Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel, however the AEM indicates the palaeochannel is a continuous feature from Trangie to Billybingbone on Marra Creek. Low conductivity sediments comprising the palaeochannel at LMQ17 are interpreted from the AEM 30–40 m and 40–60 m slices.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments are 60 m thick and overlie saprolite developed on the Rolling Downs Group. The low conductivity materials detected by the AEM are saturated sand beds in the intervals 27 to 32 m and 36 to 39 m, as well as in the basal sand – gravel aquifer from 55 to 60 m. All of the sand beds contain clay bands and are not as well sorted as sands further to the south in the palaeochannel. The induction conductivity log (Figure 40) shows бb is 150–200 mS/m in the sand beds and 250–400 mS/m in the Cainozoic clay. Groundwater in the basal aquifer has an EC value of 3 530 µS/cm, significantly less saline than groundwater in the up-gradient bores LMQ15 and LMQ15A. This appears to indicate a freshening of the groundwater, probably by leakage from Duck Creek which is kept full by diversions.

The saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group shows a steady downward increase in conductivity in the section down to 83 m where the rock is completely weathered to clay. In this interval бb increases from 400 mS/m at 60 m, to 750 mS/m at 83 m. Conductivity drops to 450 mS/m at the base of the saprolite at 92 m.

Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from the bottom of the hole (95–96 m) to the C. hughesii Zone, consistent with the sampled interval being Rolling Downs Group.

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LMQ18 The cored drill-hole LMQ18 lies 10 km south of Gradgery on the Warren – Quambone Road. The AEM maps a weak dendritic pattern of slightly less conductive material (sand/silt incised into clay) with a conductivity of 300–400 mS/m in the 30 to 40 m depth slice. The surrounding material has a bulk conductivity of approximately 100 to 200 mS/m higher. This dendritic pattern is interpreted as being the ancestral Marthaguy Creek drainage system, probably of the same age as the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel (Pleistocene). The dendritic pattern is perpetuated and enhanced through the top 20 m of underlying saprolite (40 to 60 m depth slice—Figure 43).

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments are 36.7 m thick. The gamma log for LMQ18 (Figure 42) shows the Cainozoic sequence coarsens downward to about 18 m depth, below which it is dominantly sand with some inter-bedded clay. The conductivity log shows бb is 300–400 mS/m in the Cainozoic sediments down to 18 m, thence бb generally increases downward from 200 mS/m (at 18 m) to 400 mS/m (at 36.7 m) through the dominantly sandy lower part of the Cainozoic. Groundwater from the basal aquifer (23.5–36.7 m) has an EC value of 11 500 µS/cm.

The bottom of the saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group was not reached by the end of the hole at 60.5 m. The conductivity log shows that the saprolite from 36.7 m to 48.8 m (the loggable limit of the hole) has a reasonably constant бb value of 400 mS/m. The surrounding saprolite has a conductivity of 500–600 mS/m. Thus the AEM propagates and enhances the dendritic pattern of the ancestral (Cainozoic) Marthaguy Creek palaeochannel into the top 20 m of saprolite. This probably represents leakage from the basal Cainozoic aquifer down into the saprolite and leaching of salt along preferred pathways in the saprolite.

Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from 34.3 to 34.4 m as C. hughesii Zone (Rolling Downs Group) but with a very low confidence rating due to the fact that the sample yielded long-ranging Cretaceous pollen only in a sparse matrix of humified to well-preserved plant detritus. A sample from 60.2 to 60.3 m was reported by Macphail (2008b) as indeterminate for identical reasons. However there is no doubt the rock in the bottom 26 m of LMQ18 is Rolling Downs Group since samples at 56 m and 90.5 m from drill-hole PFD06, located 16 km WNW of LMQ18, were assigned to C. hughesii Zone (Macphail, 2008a).

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Figure 43: Drill-hole LMQ18 superimposed on the first inversion of the AEM data, 40–60 m depth slice (0–1.2 S/m stretch). The dendritic pattern is interpreted as being generated from the ancestral Marthaguy Creek drainage system.

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LMQ21 The cored drill-hole LMQ21 was drilled on the western side of the Northern Macquarie Marshes. The AEM first inversion indicated moderately to highly conductive Cainozoic sediments and saprolite beneath the Northern Marshes in all depth slices between 5 and 60 m.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments to be 25 m thick. The sediments are composed of hydromorphic clay to 4.88 m depth overlying drab coloured and mottled clay with sand beds to 22.5 m. This point marks an abrupt change to red lithic gravel (the basal Cainozoic aquifer). The conductivity log shows бb fluctuates between 350 mS/m and 450 mS/m down to 8 m depth, after which бb increases monotonically from 400 mS/m to 850 mS/m from 8 m to 16 m. Conductivity then oscillates between 600 mS/m and 850 mS/m in the interval 16 m to 22.5 m, at the top of the red gravel. Bulk conductivity drops steadily from 800 mS/m to 400 mS/m through the basal gravel aquifer. Groundwater from the slotted section of casing between 10 m and 16 m is saline (EC = 26 900 µS/cm).

The saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group persists until 60.6 m. The top 20 m is intensely weathered, being kaolinitic and strongly impregnated with dark red ironstone bands and aggregations. Conductivity in the saprolite is 400–450 mS/m from 25 m to 35 m, and thence increases monotonically downward to 1 000 mS/m at 45 m depth.

A secondary objective of this drill-hole was to try to relate the evolution of the Marshes to the depositional environment exhibited by the Cainozoic sediments, and therefore to establish when the marshes may have formed. Watkins & Meakin (1996) and Hulme (2003) recognised four Quaternary formations in the Darling Riverine Basin:

• Trangie Formation (Late Pliocene to Late Pleistocene)

• Carrabear Formation (Late Pleistocene)

• Bugwah Formation (Late Pleistocene to Holocene)

• Marra Creek Formation (Holocene)

The Quaternary stratigraphy of the LMQ21 core is provisionally interpreted as:

• 22.5–25.0 m Trangie Formation (red lithic gravel)

• 14.5–22.5 m Carrabear Formation (mottled grey and brown clay and sand)

• 4.88–14.5 m Bugwah Formation (mottled grey, reddish brown and yellowish brown clay with clay-bound gravel bands)

• 0–4.88 m Marra Creek Formation (black, olive grey and bluish grey hydromorphic clay).

Note the interpreted boundary between the Carrabear and Bugwah Formations also coincides with a baseline shift in the gamma log (Figure 45), and a shift in the conductivity log. This indicates that the provenance for the Marra Creek and Bugwah Formations was different to that of the Carrabear and Trangie Formations.

It has been inferred in this study that the Northern Macquarie Marshes are a Holocene feature (i.e. developed during deposition of the Marra Creek Formation), as the depositional environment of the other three Quaternary formations is far too high energy for swamps to develop.

A sample from 17.1 to 17.2 m was taken from material interpreted as the Carrabear Formation for palynological examination, but Macphail (2008b) reported the sample as barren. Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from 60.2 to 60.3 m to the C. hughesii Zone, consistent with the sampled interval being Rolling Downs Group. As supporting evidence, Macphail (2008b) also reports the presence of marine dinoflagellates in this sample, and assigns it to the (Late Aptian) O. operculata Dinocyst Zone, and interprets the depositional environment as marine.

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LMQ22 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ22 lies on Gibson’s Way, 7.5 km northwest of Quambone. As with LMQ18 located 48 km to the south, this site intersects the dendritic pattern mapped by the AEM in the 30 to 40 m and 40 to 60 m depth slices is similarly interpreted as the ancestral Marthaguy Creek drainage system.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments to be 43 m thick. As with LMQ18, the Cainozoic sequence is a stacked sequence of clay and sand with a basal sand/gravel aquifer from 35 m to 43 m, but the top 20 m in the LMQ22 drill-hole are coarser-grained sediments than those at LMQ18. Groundwater in the basal aquifer (slotted section 34 to 40 m) is saline with an EC value of 22 800 µS/cm, double the salinity of groundwater at LMQ18.

The induction conductivity log (Figure 46) shows бb increasing steadily downward from 300 mS/m to 1 000 mS/m in the top 20 m of the Cainozoic sediments. Thereafter бb oscillates between 1 000 mS/m and 400 mS/m, but with a general downward trend to 400 mS/m at the base of the Cainozoic sediments. The saprolite developed on the Rolling Downs Group has an initial bulge in conductivity of 800 mS/m between 43 m and 55 m, but then бb declines to an approximately constant value of 400 mS/m between 55 m and 76 m. It is this part of the conductivity profile which imparts the dendritic pattern of lower conductivity in the deeper part of the AEM. The saprolite at this site is quite different to any of the other drill-holes. The bleached kaolinitic zone has been eroded and the underlying shale is unusually fissile and heavily impregnated with ironstone.

There is second conductivity bulge in the saprolite, in weathered siltstone between 76 m and 94 m, where бb reaches 1 300 mS/m. Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from the bottom of the hole (95–96 m) as C. hughesii spore-pollen Zone, consistent with the deeper sampled interval being Rolling Downs Group. Macphail (2008b) also notes the presence of acritarchs and Botrycoccus in the sample, and interprets the depositional environment as paralic.

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LMQ23 The cored drill-hole LMQ23 lies 22 km south of Carinda on the Sandy Camp Road. The drilling target was an arcuate highly conductive band detected by the AEM at about the top of the saprolite on the eastern side of the Northern Macquarie Marshes. The first inversion of the AEM mapped these highly conductive features on both sides of the Northern Marshes and they were initially interpreted as a dissected weathering surface whose upper surface lies 10 m to 20 m below ground surface.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments are 11.6 m thick. The top 6.6 m is composed entirely of highly plastic clay, underlain by clayey fine to medium sand (6.6–10.15 m) on the basal medium to coarse sand aquifer (10.15–11.6 m). The conductivity log shows бb ranges between 600 mS/m and 750 mS/m in the clay. A bulge at the base of the Cainozoic sediments starts at about 8 m and reaches a maximum conductivity of 1 200 mS/m at a depth of 10.6 m in the basal aquifer. Groundwater in the basal aquifer is saline (EC = 27 600 µS/cm). Thus it appears the top of the highly conductive feature mapped by the AEM is actually the capillary zone and thin saturated zone of the basal Cainozoic sediments.

The conductivity log (Figure 48) has a double bulge. The upper bulge (бb ≤ 1 200 mS/m) occurs in the basal Cainozoic aquifer described above, and the deeper (and larger) bulge (бb ≤ 1 500 mS/m) occurs in the lower part of the saprolite between 25 m and 40 m. The log shows бb monotonically increasing downward in the saprolite from 500 mS/m to 1 500 mS/m at 25 m depth. The saprolite in this interval is kaolinitic mudstone with an arkosic sandstone band from 18.6 m to 21.6 m. Note that in this instance the change in lithology has no effect on the conductivity. The conductivity logs shows бb plateaus at 1 500 mS/m between 25 m and 30 m, before forming a slight trough where бb = 1 250 mS/m in arkosic sandstone between 31.2 m and 32.4 m. Thereafter бb gradually falls from 1 400 mS/m at 33 m to 1 200 mS/m at 42 m depth. Material in this interval is all saprolite/weathered mudstone with sandstone inter-beds.

AEM east-west sections through the Northern Marshes depict the high conductivity layer targeted in LMQ23 as having an irregular wave - like form. The wave is about 25 m thick, with an amplitude of 20–40 m and wave length of 2 to 8 km. Figure 54 shows an AEM flight line (20 990) with LMQ23 superimposed. The AEM cannot detect the zone of low conductivity at the top of the saprolite that separates the two conductivity bulges observed in LMQ23. Therefore the AEM treats the two conductivity bulges as one. It is a conclusion of this study, that at site LMQ23, the high conductivity wave-like layer mapped by the AEM consists of both the basal Cainozoic aquifer and the lower part of the saprolite.

Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from 46.4–46.5 m as C. hughesii spore-pollen Zone, consistent with the sampled interval being Rolling Downs Group. Macphail (2008b) also notes the presence of acritarchs and marine dinoflagellates in the sample, and assigns it to the (Aptian) M. australis Dinocyst Zone; the depositional environment is interpreted as marine.

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LMQ26 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ26 lies on the Warren – Carinda Road, 20 km northwest of LMQ23 and on the western side of the Northern Marshes. The drilling target was similar to that of LMQ23 on the eastern side of the Northern Marshes, namely an irregular wave-like band of high conductivity material, the top of which is mapped by the AEM as occurring at about 45 m depth. Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments to be 15 m thick, with the top 5 m composed of clay overlying sand with clay-bands. This sand (slotted section 7–13 m) yielded highly saline groundwater (EC = 44 600 µS/cm). The conductivity log (Figure 50) shows two separate bulges in the profile, similar to that of LMQ23. Conductivity in the Cainozoic sediments increases downward from 100 mS/m near ground surface, to 900 mS/m at 13 m depth in the basal aquifer. This upper high conductivity bulge was not detected by the AEM.

Conductivity in the Rolling Downs Group saprolite (comprised of shale completely weathered to mottled clay) increases from 700 mS/m at 15 m to 1 000 mS/m at 29 m. Thereafter, the conductivity log shows a trough between 29 and 48 m in which бb declines to a (local) minimum of 300 mS/m at 35 m. The interval between 29 and 48 m is kaolinitic clay containing ferruginous fine sandstone bands. Therefore this conductivity trough is generated by a change in lithology, and it is not detected by the AEM because its presence is masked by overlying conductive material. The remainder of the saprolite to 67.5 m depth is grey and yellow clay with a maximum бb value of 1 400 mS/m. The deeper conductivity bulge is clearly mapped by the AEM.

The underlying unweathered siltstone of the Rolling Downs Group shows a gradual decline in conductivity to 800 mS/m at 80 m depth.

It is a conclusion of this study that the irregular wave-like features of high conductivity material underlying the Northern Marshes are dominantly the lower section of the saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group, although in the case of LMQ23, the high conductivity of the basal Cainozoic aquifer is lumped together with the saprolite. The lower conductivity trough which generally occurs in the deeply weathered, kaolinitic pipeclay in the top half of the saprolite is not detected by the AEM because it is masked by overlying and underlying high conductivity material.

Macphail (2008b) assigns a sample from 89–90 m as C. hughesii spore-pollen Zone, consistent with the sampled interval being Rolling Downs Group. Macphail (2008b) also notes the presence of acritarchs in the sample, and interprets the depositional environment as lagoonal.

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LMQ27 The mud rotary drill-hole LMQ27 lies on the Gum Cowal, 18 km southwest of Quambone. The AEM depicts a low conductivity finger (бb ~ 150 mS/m) from ground surface to about 20 m depth, thence бb steadily increasing downward to 500 mS/m at 40 m depth. The initial interpretation was that the low conductivity finger may represent a shallow aquifer containing fresh groundwater.

Drilling revealed the Cainozoic sediments to be 40 m thick, comprised of a stacked sequence of clay and sand. Coarse sand – fine gravel beds occur between 13 m and 23 m, and between 35 m and 38 m, with the remainder of the Cainozoic material being clay or clayey sand. The conductivity log (Figure 52) shows бb lies within the range 100 to 200 mS/m in the upper sands. As these sands are saturated (they lie below the potentiometric surface of the basal aquifer), their low conductivity most likely indicates the aquifer contains fresh groundwater, as originally interpreted. The low conductivity finger continues for 6 km northward along Gum Cowal until its confluence with Terrigal Creek.

From 23 to 40 m (the base of the Cainozoic sediments is at 40 m), the conductivity log shows бb steadily increases downward from 200 mS/m to 700 mS/m. The slotted section (35–38 m) of the lower aquifer produced saline groundwater (EC = 19 300 µS/cm), which is also reflected in the high бb value of 600 mS/m.

Saprolite developed on the Rolling Downs Group shows the familiar trend of бb being minimised (550 mS/m) in the upper highly leached kaolinitic clay (pipeclay), and maximised (1 200 mS/m) in the lower, smectite-rich part of the weathering profile. Once rock fabric becomes evident in the weathering profile (saprock) below 69 m, conductivity drops to 700 mS/m.

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Figure 54: Flight line 20990 with LMQ23 superimposed, showing the irregular wave-like form of the high conductivity layer through the northern Macquarie Marshes

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3 Interpretation of deep (> 50 m) DWE Bores

The DWE bore GW030200 lies 20 km east of LMQ04. The values of бb for the Cainozoic sediments in GW030200 is on average 200 mS/m (ranging from 100 to 300 mS/m). This is considerably lower than the equivalent material in LMQ04 (which has a mean of 400 mS/m, and a range of 250 to 500 mS/m). Conductivity in the saprolite in GW030200 shows the familiar pattern of steadily increasing downward from 200 mS/m at 32 m to 450 mS/m at the base of the saprolite at 72 m. Both the gamma and induction conductivity logs for GW030200 show major shifts at 149 m—the gamma log displaying a coarsening upward pattern from the bottom of the hole (205 m) to 149 m, and the conductivity log showing a pronounced downward baseline shift from 400 mS/m to 200 mS/m below 149 m. The material below 149 m is inferred by this study as most likely to be Pilliga Sandstone. If this is the case, the base of the Drildool Beds would probably coincide with the base of the saprolite at 72 m, with the remainder of the rock between 72 m and 149 m being Keelindi Beds.

Bore GW036534 is located 8 km southeast of Narromine and lies on a tributary of the Southern Palaeovalley, close to where it is thought that the palaeochannel is recharged by bed underflow leakage from the Macquarie River (Keshwan, 1995). The gamma log shows the deeper aquifer lies between 51 m and 94 m, and this interval also coincides with a general downward shift in the conductivity log from 300 mS/m above to 200 mS/m below. Since the conductivity is highest in the upper part of the sequence, there is no evidence of recharge by stream leakage at this site.

Bore GW036950 is located 12 km SW of LMQ23 and 8 km SE of LMQ21, in the Macquarie Nature Reserve of the Northern Marshes. The Cainozoic sediments in all three drill holes (LMQ23, LMQ21 and GW036950) are conductive, reaching 850 mS/m in LMQ21, 900 mS/m in GW036950 and 1 200 mS/m in LMQ23. However borehole GW036950 intersected significantly less Cainozoic sand than LMQ21 and LMQ23. The saprolite in GW036950 shows identical trends to that in LMQ21 and LMQ23—conductivity increases steadily downward from 500 mS/m (top of saprolite) to 1 150 mS/m at 48 m depth at the base of the bleached kaolinitic clay (pipeclay) zone. Conductivity in unweathered Rolling Downs Group below 73 m in GW036950 is approximately 1 250 mS/m.

Bore GW036964 at Trangie, is located 16.5 km NW of LMQ09, and lies on the northern edge of the Trangie–Nevertire Palaeochannel as defined by the AEM. The gamma log for GW036964 depicts sand and gravel at 16 to 19 m and 37 to 48 m, with a thick intervening clay layer. In contrast, LMQ09, located in the middle of the palaeochannel, intersected sand and gravel from 17 m to 72 m. Significantly, бb is 100 mS/m in the sand/gravel aquifer between 37 m and 48 m in GW036964, and 100 mS/m in the upper (partially saturated) section of the aquifer in LMQ09 between 17 m and 44 m, suggesting a connection between the two units. However LMQ09 also has a second, deeper aquifer unit of much higher conductivity ( ~ 500 mS/m) which is missing from GW036964. The saprolite in GW036964 is similarly thin (4 m) to that in LMQ09. Conductivity in unweathered Drildool Beds in GW036964 is about 500 mS/m (cf. 300–400 mS/m in LMQ09).

Bore GW036965 is located 19 km WNW of LMQ10. Both sites have similar thicknesses of Cainozoic sediments—62.5 m at LMQ10 and 67 m at GW03965. Based on the gamma log, the Cainozoic sediments in the bottom half of the sequence is sandier at GW036965 than at LMQ10. Both GW036965 and LMQ10 intersected a basal sand-gravel aquifer (from 59 to 67 m in GW036965 compared to 58 to 62.5 m in LMQ10) with a low bulk conductivity of 100 mS/m. Of interest is the low conductivity (100 mS/m) of the unweathered sandstone bedrock material (below 87 m) in GW036965, much lower than material interpreted as unweathered Drildool Beds in LMQ10. It is possible—but not determined from this study—that the material below 87 m at GW036965 may be (Ordovician) Girilambone Group sandstone.

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Bore GW036969, in the Macquarie Nature Reserve, is located 6 km east-south-east of LMQ21. This bore has no lithologic log in the DNR Groundwater Database, however because of marked similarities in the gamma and conductivity logs of LMQ21 and GW036969, this study infers the following stratigraphic interpretation for GW036969. Based on the double bulge conductivity profile, thickness of the Cainozoic sediments is 28 m (at the inflexion at the base of the first conductivity bulge – similar to what is observed with LMQ21). Also like LMQ21, the gamma log indicates the Cainozoic sediments at GW036969 are dominantly clay with some sand inter-beds (at 10–11 m, 16–17.5 m and 25–28 m). The saprolite at GW036969 shows a conductivity pattern commonly observed in this study. Values of бb increase steadily downward through the top half of the material (from 350 mS/m at 28 m to 1 150 mS/m at 52 m), and then remain approximately constant or slowly decline until unweathered Rolling Downs Group rock is reached.

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4 Conclusions

• Conductivity logs from the post-flight program show that the Cainozoic sediments of the Macquarie River floodplain increase in conductivity steadily from south to north. This is supported by similar observations in the pre-flight logging program (Kellett et al., 2006).The Cainozoic sediments in the south of the AEM survey area typically have single conductivity highs of less than 500 mS/m. In the northern part of the survey area, the conductivity logs change their form to blocky, with multiple conductivity highs reaching 1 200 mS/m.

• Conductivity in the underlying Cretaceous saprolite is at least as high as in the Cainozoic material, and generally shows a trend of increasing downward from the bleached zone at the top of the saprolite to the multi-coloured clays which occur towards its base. Conductivity of the unweathered Cretaceous rock is variable, but the highest values—in excess of 1 500 mS/m—are attained in the Rolling Downs Group in the northern part of the survey area.

• The drill-hole LMQ01 at Burroway intersected 55 m of Keelindi Beds with a weathered profile 38 m thick. Previously this area had been mapped as Pilliga Sandstone of the Great Artesian Basin intake beds (Sherwin, 1997), which was expected to show a resistive AEM signature. However, the AEM indicated moderately high бb values in the saprolite and underlying rock. Similarly, the substrate at a large outlier of weathered Mesozoic rock at ‘Linbah’ (near the Backwater Cowal) had previously been mapped as undifferentiated Jurassic sandstone (Sherwin, 1997), but was also depicted by the AEM as moderately conductive. Drill-hole LMQ03 at ‘Linbah’ showed the Mesozoic sequence in this area is composed of 38 m of weathered Drildool Beds overlying Keelindi Beds to at least 60 m depth.

• The drill-hole LMQ02 was located to investigate an anomalous highly conductive area of gilgai in the far south of the flight area. Drilling confirmed the substrate in this area is composed of highly plastic clay (бb ~ 500 mS/m) to a depth of 60 m. A basal gravel aquifer overlying fresh Ordovician diorite was intersected between 88 m and 105 m.

• The AEM indicated a swathe of resistive (бb < 50 mS/m) material extending from the Sappa Bulga Range to 10 km NW of Narromine at about 80 m depth. It was originally thought this resistive material might be granite basement, but palynological analyses of cuttings from drill-hole LMQ05 indicated the resistive material is Keelindi Beds.

• The AEM detected two curvilinear resistive features transverse to the Southern Palaeovalley in the far southwest of the flight area. The most westerly of these features was the drilling target for LMQ06, which intersected 23 m of Cainozoic clay overlying (Devonian) Hervey Group Sandstone. The fact that the Cainozoic sediments thin significantly over the buried ridge, and also because this material contains no sand, implies the buried ridge would impede westerly groundwater through-flow in the Southern Palaeovalley.

• The AEM mapped a resistive pod at 20 m depth lying 2 km north-northwest of the locally prominent exposed ridge of Hervey Group Sandstone 15 km southwest of Narromine. The drill-hole LMQ08 targeted the pod and intersected 18 m of Cainozoic sediments overlying (resistive) Hervey Group Sandstone, showing that the pod is a subsurface continuation of the ridge and is partially breached by the Southern Palaeovalley.

• The AEM maps a low conductivity strip at about 20 m depth and about 2 km wide between Trangie and Nevertire, interpreted as the Pleistocene palaeochannel of the Macquarie River. Drilling of LMQ09, located about halfway between Trangie

112

and Nevertire, confirmed the presence of fluvial Cainozoic sediments from 17 m to 72 m. The palaeochannel was tracked for another 65 km to the NW by drill-holes LMQ15 and LMQ17. These two holes intersected up to 60 m of Cainozoic sediments, but grain-size of the sediments diminished with distance along the palaeochannel and groundwater salinity increased down-gradient.

• A tongue of anomalously highly conductive (бb ≤ 1 000 mS/m) material down to 40 m depth, interpreted to be saprolite developed on the Drildool Beds, was indicated by the AEM to extend from Bundemar to Trangie, including the Gig Gin Hills. This was the target for drill-hole LMQ12 and the high conductivity material was found to be intensely weathered saprolite containing saline groundwater.

• In the north-eastern part of the flight area, the AEM mapped a dendritic pattern of sand/silt incised into clay which could be interpreted as being the ancestral drainage system of Marthaguy Creek. This pattern extends from about 30 m to 60 m depth. Drill-holes LMQ18 and LMQ22 targeted this feature and found that the Cainozoic sediments consist of a stacked sequence of clay and sand about 40 m thick, and is underlain by about 20 m of leached saprolite. The leaching appears to have been caused by leakage from the basal Cainozoic aquifer down into the saprolite and leaching of salt along preferred dendritic pathways in the saprolite of the Rolling Downs Group.

• The AEM maps an arcuate highly conductive band approximately coincident with the top of the saprolite on the eastern and western sides of the Northern Marshes. In section, this material is about 25 m thick and has an irregular wave-like form with an amplitude of 20 - 40 m and wavelength which varies from 2 km to 8 km. This feature was the target of drill-holes LMQ23 (eastern side) and LMQ26 (western side). The high conductivity material was found to be dominantly the saprolite underlying the bleached zone. However, at LMQ23 it also includes material from the basal Cainozoic aquifer.

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Appendix 1: Lithologic and Stratigraphic Logs of LMQ Drill-Holes

All coordinates are given as Easting, Northing, Zone 55 of the Map Grid of Australia 1999 (MGA99). Datum: GDA94.

LMQ01 Burroway Road Coordinates: 0621900, 6450273

Target Moderately conductive saprolite developed on Keelindi Beds (Formerly mapped as Pilliga Sandstone, the AEM indicates bulk conductivity (бb) of 300 – 400 mS/m in all depth slices between 10 m and 40 m. Saprolite on the Pilliga Sandstone should be sandy with very little clay, and hence of low conductivity)

Date Drilled: 20/8/07 – 24/8/07

Drilling Method: Core (100 mm) using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer).

From To Lithology

0 0.2 Core loss (reddish brown SANDY LOAM)

0.2 0.4 Red (2.5YR 4/8) medium SAND

0.4 1.0 Red (2.5YR 4/8) SANDY LOAM, saturated

1.0 1.3 Mottled reddish brown (5YR 5/4) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, blocky rough-faced peds

1.3 1.55 Olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) CLAY, friable, low plasticity, strong manganese staining

1.55 1.87 Pale yellow (5Y 8/4) SILCRETE, hard and fractured, heavily manganese stained; bands of red sandy clay 1.68 – 1.73 m.

1.87 2.25 Light grey (2.5Y 7/1) SILCRETE, fractures with red clay seams 1.88-2.0 m. Abundant black manganese coatings on fracture faces

2.25 2.8 White (2.5Y 8/2) silicified fine SANDSTONE, hard and fractured with abundant goethite and red clay cutans on fracture faces

2.8 3.25 Light grey (5Y 7/2) fine quartzose SANDSTONE, porous with hard siliceous bands; root invasion and yellow clay cutans on fracture faces

3.25 3.7 Pinkish grey (7.5YR 7/2) fine quartzose SANDSTONE, porous, invaded by drilling mud

3.7 4.05 Light reddish brown (5YR 6/4) fine to medium quartzose SAND, unconsolidated with minor thin hard siliceous bands; clayey sand band 3.82-3.88 m

4.05 4.2 Core loss (SANDSTONE)

4.2 4.48 Red (10R 5/8) fine to medium SANDSTONE, porous, invaded by drilling fluid; scattered grains of coarse quartz (up to 2 mm); bands of loose sand; carbonised tree roots 4.4 – 4.48 m

4.48 4.65 Mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) fine SANDSTONE, low porosity due to clay infilling of pores

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From To Lithology

4.65 5.2 Red (2.5YR 4/8) fine to medium SANDSTONE, porous with soft loose sand bands; yellow soft sandstone band 4.95 – 5.03 m, white kaolinitic clay bands 5.1 – 5.2 m

5.2 5.7 Yellow (5Y 8/8) soft coarse SANDSTONE, low porosity due to almost complete clay infilling of pores; band of coarse red sand 5.44 – 5.55 m

5.7 6.8 White (5Y 8/2) medium to coarse SANDSTONE, slightly porous but most voids infilled with clay; some loose sand bands, brown iron staining on bedding planes and fractures; 80 mm rounded cobble at 6.65 m

6.8 7.55 White (5Y 8/2) coarse SANDSTONE, soft, kaolinitic; fine gravel band 6.93 – 6.97 m, low porosity but contains some loose sand bands

7.55 7.7 White (5Y 8/2) medium SANDSTONE, soft, extremely weathered (kaolinised), very low porosity

7.7 8.52 White (5Y 8/2) kaolinitic CLAY, sand grains disseminated throughout and in bands; brown halos up to 30 mm; soft, fossil tree roots

8.52 8.7 Mottled brown and white SANDY MUDSTONE, soft

8.7 8.8 Core loss (MUDSTONE)

8.8 9.8 Banded brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and white (5Y 8/2) MUDSTONE, reddish brown ferruginous zone 9.75 – 9.8 m

9.8 10.2 Light brown (7.5YR 6/4) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, very low porosity due to clay infilling of pores; vertical fracture with dark red ferruginous lining

10.2 10.8 White (5Y 8/2) CLAYSTONE, varved fine sandstone bands 10.2 – 10.45 m with vertical fracture (dark red ferruginous coating)

10.8 10.92 Yellow (10YR 8/6) MUDSTONE, moderately fractured with dark red ferruginous staining on some joint faces

10.92 11.15 White (5Y 8/2) MUDSTONE gradually coarsening downward to white fine SANDSTONE

11.15 11.9 Yellow (2.5Y 8/8) clayey fine SANDSTONE grading downward to speckled reddish brown and white clayey fine sandstone, sporadic white mottled zones throughout, soft

11.9 13.3 White (5Y 8/1) clayey fine SANDSTONE, pores completely filled with kaolinite; dusky red (10R 3/3) sesquioxide bands and mottles throughout; some joint faces with slickensides; core loss 12.6 – 12.8 m; red (2.5YR 4/8) arkosic fine sandstone bands 12.8 – 13.3 m

13.3 13.65 Red (2.5YR 4/8) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, pores completely clay-filled

13.65 13.8 Mottled red and white medium SANDSTONE; quartz grains up to 2 mm scattered throughout, pores completely clay-filled

13.8 14.74 White (5Y 8/2) medium to coarse SANDSTONE, pores completely filled with kaolinite; many pebble bands and some cobbles (rounded and elongated, up to 60 mm on long axis)

14.74 15.6 White (5Y 8/2) fine SANDSTONE, pores completely filled with kaolinite; bands of yellow (10YR 7/8) fine sandstone 14.95 – 15.06 m & 15.28 – 15.37 m

15.6 16.8 Pale yellow (5Y 7/4) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, massive, micaceous,

115

From To Lithology all pores filled with kaolinite

16.8 18.87 Speckled pale yellow and white arkosic fine SANDSTONE, massive, micaceous, all pores filled with kaolinite

18.87 20.74 White (7.5YR 8/1) fine quartzose SANDSTONE, all pores filled with kaolinite

20.74 21.43 Speckled white and pale brown completely weathered arkosic fine SANDSTONE, all feldspars altered to clay, all pores filled with kaolinite, massive

21.43 22.18 Pale yellow (2.5Y 7/4) arkosic fine SANDSTONE with white speckles of kaolinite throughout, completely weathered, all pores filled with kaolinite, faintly laminated

22.18 22.29 Light greenish grey (5G 7/1) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, slightly porous

22.29 22.4 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) arkosic fine to medium SANDSTONE, completely weathered, slightly porous, some bands of loose sand

22.4 23.25 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) with some pale grey bands, laminated SHALE, some thin beds of very fine sandstone; one large vertical fracture with sesquioxide staining, goethite linings on some bedding planes

23.25 24.0 Light grey (7.5YR 7/1) MUDSTONE, massive at top grading downward to very finely laminated at base, goethite coatings on some bedding planes

24.0 25.43 Pale brown (10YR 6/3) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, slightly porous (about 80% of voids clay-filled)

25.43 28.5 Light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) arkosic medium SANDSTONE, some bands of loose sand; mica on some bedding planes in the interval 26.8 – 27.8 m

28.5 29.8 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, slightly porous, finely laminated with thin (< 2 mm) shale bands; irregular iron hydroxide staining on bedding planes, soft; light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) colour bands 28.8 – 28.85 & 29.04 – 29.56 m, rock becoming firmer

29.8 32.6 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, porosity increasing downward as degree of secondary pore filling diminishes, some loose sand bands; light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) colour band 29.83 – 29.89 m, light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) hard siliceous band 31.0 – 31.35 m, some low angle cross bedding 31.3 – 31.5 m

32.6 32.9 Brown (10YR 5/3) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, slightly porous, firm

32.9 36.03 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, slightly porous, firm; low angle cross bedding 34.33 – 34.53 m, loose sand bands 35.1 – 35.33 & 35.37 – 35.57 m

36.03 36.78 Speckled black and pale grey medium carbonaceous SAND, very weakly cemented and porous

36.78 37.7 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) fine SANDSTONE, pebble bands and discrete pebbles (≤ 5 mm) disseminated throughout; all pebbles oriented with long axis parallel to bedding. Weathered lithic cobble (20 mm) at 37.5 m

116

From To Lithology

37.7 37.8 Speckled black and pale grey medium to coarse carbonaceous SANDSTONE, weakly lithified with loose sand bands, some pebbles (≤ 10 mm)

37.8 38.09 Speckled pale grey and black fine to medium carbonaceous SANDSTONE, fining downwards, soft with loose sand bands, porous, finely laminated

38.09 38.43 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) fine arkosic SANDSTONE with thin black carbonaceous clay bands, firm with some loose bands, medium porosity

38.43 38.81 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine GRAVEL, mostly 5 – 6 mm, quartzose, sub-rounded, about half of the grains have iron hydroxide coatings, soft and loose; speckles of kaolinitic clay filling some pores but overall high porosity

38.81 39.24 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) fine arkosic SANDSTONE, firm with low porosity, brownish yellow mudstone bands 38.88 – 38.93 & 39.02 – 39.13 m, some black carbonaceous bands, fossil wood laths (≤ 5 mm) on bedding plane partings

39.24 39.68 Light greyish brown and purple-grey arkosic fine to medium SANDSTONE, porous, white clay linings on some bedding planes

39.68 39.78 Banded and mottled pale grey and brown fine to medium SANDSTONE, medium porosity

39.78 39.9 Dark grey (5Y 4/1) CLAYSTONE, slickensides on joint planes

39.9 40.03 Mottled grey (5Y 5/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAYSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture

40.03 40.8 Dark grey (N 4/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE grading downward to very fine SANDSTONE, abundant fossil root channels and fossil leaves on bedding planes, fissile yellowish brown shale band 40.72 – 40.73 m

40.8 42.95 Dark grey (N 4/1) carbonaceous SILTSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture, jointed with iron hydroxide and clay linings on all joint faces, abundant well preserved fossil leaves, slickensides on some joint faces

42.95 43.8 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) carbonaceous fine SANDSTONE with mudstone bands, abundant leaf fossils, finely laminated

43.8 45.8 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture, well developed high angle joints with slickensides and sulphide mineral coatings 43.8 – 44.0 & 44.6 – 44.8 m; black carbonaceous siltstone band 45.18 – 45.4 m, mud invasion in highly fractured zone 45.0 – 45.8 m

45.8 48.12 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) SANDY MUDSTONE, generally massive except for fractured zones at 45.8 – 46.13 m and 46.47 – 46.60 m (the latter being high angle with well developed slickensides); sand content gradually increasing downward, single fracture in-filled with calcite at 47.53 m

48.12 48.8 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) dirty fine SANDSTONE; carbonaceous in the interval 48.12 – 48.4 m with leaf fossils and coal seam 48.26 – 48.27 m; abundant leaf fossils 48.6 – 48.8 m

48.8 50.1 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal

117

From To Lithology fracture apart from fractured zone 49.6 – 49.8 m

50.1 52.8 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) finely laminated MUDSTONE, some thin carbonaceous bands, high angle joint with slickensides and white clay coating 51.93 – 52.03 m

52.8 54.8 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, high angle joints with slickensides 52.88 – 52.96 m and 53.25 – 53.33 m, coal seam 52.96 – 53.06 m, sandy interval 53.4 – 53.5 m

54.8 55.8 Dark grey (N 4/1) carbonaceous SILTSTONE, minor cross-bedded fine sand bands and leaf fossils

55.8 56.8 Dark grey (N 4/1) finely laminated MUDSTONE, fractured and soft in the interval 56.6 – 56.8 m

Interpreted Stratigraphy

From To Stratigraphy

0 2.25 Cainozoic sediments

2.25 56.8+ Keelindi Beds (weathered profile 2.25 – 40.03 m)

Completion Details

From To Material

0 56.8 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC with local river gravel in annulus

Core recovery

From To Recovery (m) Loss (m) % return

0 2.8 2.6 0.2 93

2.8 4.4 1.25 0.35 78

4.4 6.8 2.4 0 100

6.8 8.8 1.9 0.1 95

8.8 10.8 2 0 100

10.8 12.8 1.8 0.2 90

12.8 14.8 2 0 100

14.8 16.8 2 0 100

16.8 18.8 2 0 100

18.8 20.8 1.95 0.05 98

20.8 22.8 2 0 100

22.8 24.8 2 0 100

24.8 26.8 2 0 100

26.8 28.8 2 0 100

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28.8 30.8 2 0 100

30.8 32.8 2 0 100

32.8 34.8 2 0 100

34.8 36.8 2 0 100

36.8 38.8 2 0 100

38.8 40.8 2 0 100

40.8 42.8 2 0 100

42.8 44.8 2 0 100

44.8 46.8 2 0 100

46.8 48.8 2 0 100

48.8 50.8 2 0 100

50.8 52.8 2 0 100

52.8 54.8 2 0 100

54.8 56.8 2 0 100

Notes

1. Palynology samples 36.5-36.56, 40.4-40.5, 52.5 & 54.12 m

119

LMQ02 MYALL CAMP (Raeburn Lane)

Coordinates: 0602376, 6413446

Target Gilgai and highly conductive Cainozoic sediments (The AEM indicates bulk conductivities of 400 – 500 mS/m in the top 10 metres (gilgai) and 500 – 700 mS/m in Cainozoic clay between 10 m and 60 m depth)

Date Drilled: 27/6/07 – 3/7/07

Drilling Method:

Mud rotary using Baroid Quik – Mud (polymer). Blade bit.

From To Lithology

0 1 Brown SILTY LOAM

1 2 Dense brown CLAY, high plasticity

2 3 Reddish brown CLAY, high plasticity

3 4 Yellowish brown CLAY, med-high plasticity

4 5 Mottled yellowish brown and reddish brown SANDY CLAY, high plasticity

5 6 Mottled pale grey and brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

6 8 Pale grey fine SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity, minor fine sand bands 6 -7 m.

8 12 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium-high plasticity

12 13 Pale grey SILTY CLAY (medium plasticity) with reddish brown ferruginised sandy clay bands

13 14 Mottled pale grey and reddish brown CLAY, medium plasticity

14 24 Mottled yellowish brown and grey dense CLAY, high plasticity. Boots up in hole. Manganese staining 17-24 m

24 42 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey sticky CLAY, high plasticity, boots up in hole

42 60 Mottled yellowish brown, pale grey and reddish brown sticky CLAY, very high plasticity, boots up in hole

60 63 Pale pinkish grey fine GRAVELY CLAY, medium plasticity

63 64 Pale pinkish grey clayey fine GRAVEL

64 68 Grey CLAY with minor coarse sand bands, medium plasticity

68 84 Grey CLAY with yellowish brown and minor reddish brown mottles, minor coarse sand bands, medium-high plasticity

84 88 Pale Brownish grey CLAYBOUND coarse sand – fine GRAVEL

88 105 Fine quartzose GRAVEL, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted, minor lithic fragments

105 108 Greenish grey DIORITE, fresh, hard drilling

EOH

120



0 105 Cainozoic sediments

105 108+ Ordovician diorite

Completion Details

From To Material

0 94.5 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC with local river gravel in annulus

94.5 100.5 Slotted 80 mm class 18 PVC with gravel pack (bentonite seal 0.5 m thick above and below slots)

100.5 103.5 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC sump with gravel pack and cement plug. 5 centralisers

Notes

1. Constructed as monitoring bore.

2. Gravel collapsed at 103.5 m, therefore not possible to measure бb of the diorite.

3. No samples suitable for palynology.

4. No weathered profile preserved on the diorite.

5. Airlift rate 0.2 L/sec but bore needs further development (water turbid).

6. EC = 15 950 µS/cm

7. SWL = 57.56 m below ground surface (6/11/07)

121

LMQ03 ‘Linbah’, Narromine – Dandaloo Road

Coordinates: 584085, 6436318

Target Moderately conductive saprolite developed on Drildool and Keelindi Beds (Formerly mapped as Pilliga Sandstone, the AEM indicates бb of 400 – 500 mS/m in all depth slices between 5 m and 40 m. Saprolite on the Pilliga Sandstone should be sandy with very little clay, and hence of low conductivity)

Date Drilled: 25/7/07 – 2/8/07

Drilling Method: Core (100 mm) using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer)

From To Lithology

0 0.17 Dark brown LOAM with roots and organic material

0.17 0.75 Reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) SILTY CLAY, loose, saturated by invaded drilling water

0.75 1.32 Yellowish red (5YR 5/8) dense CLAYEY SAND (sub-solum), massive and slightly porous, stone layer at 1.1 m, carbonised tree root 1.24 – 1.27 m

1.32 1.6 Mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAYEY coarse SAND; abundant calcrete nodules, minor sesquioxide nodules and coatings on planes

1.6 2.0 Core loss (cuttings returns indicate material is mottled white and red kaolinised coarse sandstone representing the top of the saprolite)

2.0 3.1 White completely weathered coarse SANDSTONE, massive and fractured, abundant red and purple sesquioxide coatings on joint faces, coarse gravel layer 2.23 – 2.7 m

3.1 3.58 Mottled reddish brown, purple and white completely weathered medium SANDSTONE, strong veining filled with sesquioxides, fractured with iron/manganese coatings

3.58 4.86 Mottled white, yellowish brown and reddish brown kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, sand grains randomly distributed throughout, very strong purple and red sesquioxide staining and coatings on joint planes, some weak siliceous bands

4.86 6.2 White (5Y 8/1) kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, soft, veins of yellowish brown clay, fractured red and purple ironstone bands 4.90 – 5.00, 5.19 – 5.27, & 5.81 – 5.94 m

6.2 6.62 Mottled purple and yellowish brown CONGLOMERATE, weakly cemented, gravel framework grains rounded, pale grey clay veins; soft 6.2 – 6.4 m, hard for the remainder, mostly extremely weathered

6.62 7.2 Light grey (10YR 7/1) CLAYSTONE, fractured, red and purple ironstone band 6.97 – 7.08 m

7.2 7.98 Reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) and purple (5RP 4/8) cemented ferruginous fine SANDSTONE (ironstone), white clay veins, perched water in fractures

7.98 8.28 Light grey (10YR 7/1) CLAYSTONE

8.28 8.38 Dark red (10R 3/6) IRONSTONE, fractured

122

From To Lithology

8.38 8.58 Light grey (2.5Y 7/1) CLAYSTONE, yellowish brown and dark red ironstone bands

8.58 9.58 White (5Y 8/1) CLAYSTONE, blocky, dark red ironstone (cemented clayey fine sand) aggregates 9.01 – 9.11 & 9.25 – 9.4 m

9.58 10.58 Light grey (N 7/1) clayey SANDSTONE, friable; dark red (2.5YR 3/6) fractured ferruginous fine sandstone bands and aggregates 9.58 – 9.64 & 10.45 – 10.58 m

10.58 11.42 Red (10R 4/8) clayey fine SANDSTONE, soft, faintly laminated, minor pale grey clay bands

11.42 11.55 Pale yellowish grey (5Y 7/3) CLAYEY fine SAND, dark brown hard siliceous aggregates

11.55 11.58 Red (10R 4/8) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, massive, fractured

11.58 11.64 Dark brown (7.5YR 4/2) fine SANDSTONE, hard siliceous bands, fractured

11.64 11.88 Light brown (7.5YR 6/4) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, intensely weathered, closely fractured with red clay and ironstone coatings on joint faces

11.88 12.32 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture; bands of weathered arkosic fine sandstone ≤ 20 mm

12.32 12.95 Light grey (N 7/1) SILTSTONE; yellowish brown mudstone aggregates throughout

12.95 13.06 Light brown (7.5YR 6/4) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, soft

13.06 13.16 Yellowish brown MUDSTONE (10YR 5/8), massive, fractured

13.16 13.50 Light grey (N 7/1) MUDSTONE, blocky and fractured

13.50 13.73 Very pale brown (10YR 7/3) fine arkosic SANDSTONE, weakly laminated, very low porosity due to almost complete infilling of pores by clay

13.73 13.87 Light grey (N 7/1) MUDSTONE, massive

13.87 14.40 Olive yellow (2.5Y 6/8) arkosic medium SANDSTONE, low porosity, thin (≤ 1 mm) brown clay bands

14.40 14.58 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE; some [ale grey claystone bands

14.58 15.01 Light brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2) fine SANDSTONE, completely weathered, matrix completely altered to clay (dominantly kaolinite); soft and friable

15.01 15.48 Light grey (10YR 7/1) CLAYSTONE, massive 15.01 – 15.28 m, fissile below 15.28 m, soft


15.58 16.58 Light grey (10YR 6/1) MUDSTONE, massive, soft, light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine sandstone bands 15.68 – 17.73 & 16.02 – 16.04 m, open joint invaded by drilling mud at 15.84 m

16.58 17.82 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, soft and friable, matrix completely altered to kaolinite, some weathered feldspars, light grey (5Y 7/1) siltstone band 16.74 – 16.96 m; rounded ice-rafted pebbles and cobbles 17.25 – 17.5 m

123

From To Lithology

17.82 17.93 Pale yellow (5Y 7/3) medium SAND, unconsolidated

17.93 19.08 Core loss (SAND/SANDSTONE)

19.08 20.58 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, matrix completely altered to kaolinite

20.58 21.48 Light grey (5Y 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, soft, matrix completely kaolinised, colour change to pale brown (10YR 6/3) in interval 20.64 – 20.77 m, cutans on bedding plane partings


21.58 21.61 Very pale brown (10YR 7/3) CLAYSTONE

21.61 21.75 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SAND (unconsolidated)

21.75 22.53 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, weakly cemented, matrix completely altered to kaolinite and chlorite, vertical fracture with ferruginous staining 22.1 – 22.25 m


22.58 23.06 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, weakly cemented, matrix completely altered to kaolinite and chlorite

23.06 24.84 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAYSTONE, massive and firm, high-angle fractures with brown limonite staining and coatings, minor slickensides, band of unconsolidated rock with mud invasion 23.46 – 23.50 m, ironstone bands 24.16 – 24.19, 24.31 – 24.34 & 24.51 – 24.53 m

24.84 27.64 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) very fine clayey SANDSTONE, matrix completely altered to kaolinite (ie. negligible porosity), clay-lined horizontal joint 27.5 m

27.64 28.58 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, soft, brown clay-lined joint planes and slickensides 28.46 – 28.58 m, minor black carbonaceous fragments 28.3 m


28.93 31.58 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, massive, minor thin black carbonaceous bands throughout, fine sand band 30.24 – 30.36 m, broken zone with mud invasion 30.36 – 30.65 m, yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) ironstone band with black opaque minerals 29.97 – 29.98 m, varved zone 30.83 – 31.08 m, fine sandstone band 31.00 – 31.08 m, rock laminated in the interval 31.30 – 31.58 m

31.58 31.80 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, low porosity

31.8 32.58 Pale grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, massive, jointed (mostly sub-horizontal with brown clay and iron hydroxide coatings), large fracture with pistachio green acicular crystals at 32.5 m, weakly cemented fine sandstone band 32.2 – 32.22 m

32.58 32.76 Grey (5& 5/1) MUDSTONE, varved

32.76 32.89 Light greenish grey (5GY 6/1) fine SANDSTONE, low porosity due to secondary pore filling, laminated

32.89 32.91 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, laminated with blebs of goethite

32.91 33.25 Dark grey (5Y 4/1) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture

33.25 33.27 Greyish brown (10YR 5/2) CLAYSTONE, black goethite? Coatings on horizontal joint face

124

From To Lithology

33.27 33.66 Dark grey (N 4/1) MUDSTONE, finely laminated

33.66 33.76 Greenish grey (5GY 6/1) fine SANDSTONE, low porosity, minor thin black cross beds

33.76 33.77 Black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous SHALE, laminated

33.77 34.97 Dark grey (N 4/1) MUDSTONE, varved, weathered pyrite on joint faces

34.97 36.89 Black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, finely laminated at top grading to massive at bottom, jointed with slickensides and jarosite? on faces; leaf fossils throughout becoming particularly abundant below 35.6 m, horizontal fractures lined with jarosite and pyrite at 35.61 & 35.70 m

36.89 37.08 Black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE with thin fine sandstone inter-beds, abundant leaf fossils, fractures with jarosite and pyrite linings parallel to bedding, laminated

37.08 37.55 Grey (5Y 4/1) MUDSTONE with thin fine sandstone beds, jointed with slickensides and jarosite coatings, abundant leaf fossils

37.55 37.82 Grey (5Y 4/1) laminated MUDSTONE with fine sandstone inter-beds, mud invasion along some joint planes

37.82 38.43 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, low porosity, laminated with thin black carbonaceous claystone bands, greenish grey claystone band 38.39 – 38.43 m

38.43 38.45 Black carbonaceous MUDSTONE, laminated

38.45 39.17 Light grey (5Y 7/2) medium SAND, porous, quartzose, sub-angular, poorly sorted, about 1/3 of grains frosted

39.17 39.60 Light grey coarse SAND with gravel bands, gravel fragments rounded up to 60 mm diameter, loose and porous, invaded by drilling mud

39.60 39.77 Strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) fine SANDSTONE, massive, low porosity

39.77 39.82 Brown coarse SAND, loose

39.82 39.92 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, massive

39.92 40.02 Grey (5Y 6/1) fine SANDSTONE with mudstone inter-beds, massive

40.02 40.41 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, massive, joints with slickensides and iron hydroxide coatings; band of grey (5Y 6/1) mudstone 40.14 – 40.41 m

40.41 40.58 Greenish grey (5GY 6/1) fine SANDSTONE with mudstone bands, low porosity

40.58 40.72 Olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) MUDSTONE with thin fine sandstone bands

40.72 40.88 Black (2.5Y 2/1) carbonaceous SILTSTONE with fine sandstone bands, abundant yellowish brown ironstone coatings on bedding plane partings

40.88 41.20 Black (2.5Y 2/1) carbonaceous SHALE, pyritic, abundant leaf fossils

41.20 42.58 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) very fine SANDSTONE, dense, low porosity, mudstone bands below 41.6 m

42.58 43.43 Bluish grey (5G 5/1) MUDSTONE, fine sandstone and black carbonaceous shale bands, fractured

125

From To Lithology

43.43 43.58 Black (2.5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, laminated, abundant leaf fossils, invaded by drilling mud

43.58 44.05 Very dark grey (5Y 3/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, black coaly bands, mud invasion along some bedding planes

44.05 44.26 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, laminated

44.26 44.43 Black (2.5Y 2/1) carbonaceous SILTSTONE, massive, fractured, minor sulphide mineral precipitates on joint faces

44.43 44.58 Greenish grey (5G 5/1) MUDSTONE with fine sandstone bands, massive, fractured

44.58 45.93 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) fine SANDSTONE with minor mudstone bands, massive, very low porosity (clayey matrix), black carbonaceous claystone band 44.67 – 44.75 m, finer-grained band 44.9 – 45.25 m

45.93 46.24 Black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE with bluish grey fine sandstone bands, leaf fossils on bedding planes, band of pale grey gypsum (crystals perpendicular to bedding) with greenish grey amorphous silica filling void at 46.05 – 46.07 m


46.58 48.44 Inter-bedded black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE and dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) fine SANDSTONE, mostly finely laminated, black carbonaceous claystone and thin coal seams throughout, abundant leaf and stem fossils, pyritic coal seam at 48.20 m, joints with slickensides 48.20 – 48.29 m


48.58 48.72 Black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, slightly pyritic, thin coal seams

48.72 50.58 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, minor fine sandstone bands, massive, strongly jointed (intermediate and high angle) below 49.6 m

50.58 51.44 Light brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2) CLAYSTONE, very fractured with a lot of mud invasion

51.44 51.90 Grey (N 5/1) fine SANDSTONE, massive, low porosity

51.90 52.54 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, massive, jointed with slickensides, gypsum vein at 52.48 m

52.54 54.49 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) fine SANDSTONE, mostly massive and hard, low porosity, carbonaceous shale bands 52.58 – 52.63 & 52.88 -52.93 m, soft shale band invaded by drilling mud 53.17 – 53.33 m, laminated shale band 53.44 – 53.51 m, zone of greenish grey (5BG 5/1) fine sandstone with carbonaceous lenses 53.58 – 54.15 m


54.58 56.07 Greenish grey (5BG 5/1) fine to medium SANDSTONE, low porosity, massive 54.58 – 55.30, thin black carbonaceous laminae 55.30 – 55.69 m, massive 55.69 – 56.07 m

56.07 56.12 Light grey (N 7/1) silicified fine SANDSTONE, massive,very low porosity, dip about 200 , some quartz veins

56.12 56.37 Greenish grey (5G 6/1) MUDSTONE with fine sandstone bands, soft

56.37 56.43 Inter-bedded greenish grey (5G 6/1) MUDSTONE and fine SANDSTONE, brown carbonaceous lenses throughout

126

From To Lithology

56.43 56.58 Greenish grey (5G 6/1) fine SANDSTONE, laminated with brown carbonaceous mudstone bands ≤ 2 mm

56.58 58.08 Bluish grey fine to medium SANDSTONE, quartzose, sub-angular and poorly sorted framework grains, low porosity, firm to hard with soft bands, massive, some dark brown carbonaceous bands

58.08 58.58 Dark grey MUDSTONE, massive, pyritic, carbonaceous bands, band of dark brown carbonaceous shale 58.25 – 58.35 m

58.58 59.46 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, fine sandstone bands, minor fossil leaf fragments and stem casts

59.46 59.52 Light grey (N 7/1) fine SANDSTONE, silicified, very hard

59.52 59.94 Dark greenish grey (5BG 4/1) MUDSTONE, massive, fine sandstone bands, pyritic, small carbonaceous fragments throughout

59.94 60.00 Dark greenish grey (5BG 4/1) MUDSTONE, fractured (high angle joints with slickensides), soft




1.6 39.6 Drildool Beds (all weathered)

39.6 60+ Keelindi Beds (weathered to 40.72 m)

Completion Details

From To Material

0 60 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC with local river gravel in annulus

Core recovery

From To Recovery (m)

Loss (m) % return

0 2 * 2 0 100

2 3.58 * 1.58 0 100

3.58 5.58 * 2 0 100

5.58 7.58 * 2 0 100

7.58 8.58 * 1 0 100

8.58 10.58* 2 0 100

10.58 12.58* 2 0 100

12.58 14.58* 2 0 100

14.58 15.58 0.9 0.1 90

15.58 16.58 1 0 100

127


Loss (m) % return

16.58 17.58 1 0 100

17.58 19.08 0.35 1.15 23

19.08 20.58 1.5 0 100

20.58 21.58 0.9 0.1 90

21.58 22.58 0.95 0.05 95

22.58 23.58 1 0 100

23.58 25.08 1.5 0 100

25.08 26.58 1.5 0 100

26.58 28.58 2 0 100

28.58 30.58 1.65 0.35 83

30.58 31.58 1 0 100

31.58 32.58 1 0 100

32.58 34.58 1.86 0.14 93

34.58 35.58 1 0 100

35.58 37.08 1.5 0 100

37.08 38.58 1.5 0 100

38.58 40.58 2 0 100

40.58 42.58 2 0 100

42.58 44.58 2 0 100

44.58 46.58 1.66 0.34 83

46.58 48.58 1.86 0.14 93

48.58 50.58 2 0 100

50.58 52.58 2 0 100

52.58 54.58 1.91 0.09 96

54.58 56.58 2 0 100

56.58 58.58 2 0 100

58.58 60.00 1.42 0 100

* Indicates re-cored section of drill-hole

Notes

1. The interval 0 – 14.58 m was re-drilled because of poor initial core recovery

2. Palynology samples 31.45 – 31.48, 35.48 – 35.52, 40.90 – 40.95, 47.45 – 47.52 & 58.25 – 58.35 m

128

LMQ04 ‘Meringo’, Enmore Road

Coordinates: 566698, 6450159

Target Low to moderately conductive Cainozoic sediments overlying moderately conductive saprolite on Drildool Beds (AEM indicates conductivity gradually increasing downward from 200 mS/m at 5 m to 400 mS/m at 40 m depth (in the Cainozoic sediments. бb is 500 mS/m through the underlying saprolite)

Date Drilled: 16/7/07 – 17/7/07

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik – Mud (polymer). Blade bit.

From To Lithology

0 1 Dark brown sandy LOAM (0.3 m) overlying brown calcareous CLAY

1 3 Greyish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity, minor calcrete

3 6 Banded grey and brown CLAY; medium to high plasticity, trace calcrete

6 9 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

9 16 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY SILT and CLAYEY fine SAND

16 18 Mottled yellowish brown, reddish brown and pale grey CLAYEY SILT

18 24 Reddish brown CLAYEY fine SAND

24 31 Mottled reddish brown and yellowish brown fine SANDY CLAY, low plasticity

31 33 Mottled yellowish brown and reddish brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

33 37 Mottled pale grey and reddish brown CLAY, medium to high plasticity

37 38 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAY, medium to high plasticity

38 40 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY coarse SAND (clay-bound sand)

40 42.5 Yellowish brown coarse SAND (80% frosted quartz, 20% lithic fragments, poorly sorted, sub-rounded to sub-angular) with 30% pale grey clay-bands

42.5 50 Pale greenish grey to white kaolinite CLAY with minor clay fine sand bands (non plastic to low plasticity)

50 55 Pale grey CLAY (low to medium plasticity) with 10% weathered dark grey shale bands

55 61 Grey puggy CLAY ( medium to high plasticity) with dark grey shale bands (10% at 55 m gradually increasing to 30% at 61 m), minor yellowish brown clay-bands

61 62 Dark grey soft carbonaceous SHALE with 30% grey clay-bands

62 67 Pale bluish grey SILTSTONE with fine SANDSTONE inter-beds,

129

From To Lithology minor yellowish brown clay-bands and trace dark greyish brown carbonaceous shale

67 70 Bluish grey fine SANDSTONE with minor pale brown shale bands

70 71 Dark yellowish brown very fine SANDSTONE with 30% greenish grey siltstone bands, trace black carbonaceous siltstone and pale brown shale bands, becoming firm

71 77 Bluish grey fine SANDSTONE

77 80 Inter-bedded bluish grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE, hard bands of brown carbonaceous shale, particularly in 77 – 78 m interval




42.5 80+ Drildool Beds (weathered profile 42.5 – 61 m)

Completion Details

From To Material


40 42 Slotted 80 mm class 18 PVC with gravel pack (bentonite seal 0.5 m thick above and below slots)


Notes

1. Constructed as monitoring bore

2. Palynology samples 61-62 m and 79-80 m

3. Airlift rate 0.01 L/sec but bore needs further development (water turbid)

4. EC = 13 720 µS/cm


130

LMQ05 Ceres Siding Road (near Anglebone Road)

Coordinates: 609880, 6439411

Target Resistive basement material (granite?) below 80 m (AEM indicates бb drops below 50 mS/m at 80 m depth)

Date Drilled: 19/6/07 – 22/6/07

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer). Blade bit 0 -74 m, roller cone 74 – 100 m.

From To Lithology

0 1 Reddish brown SANDY LOAM

1 3 Reddish brown SILTY CLAY

3 5 Brown CLAYEY SILT

5 10 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity

10 15 Grey and brown SANDY CLAY (low plasticity) with thin bands of rounded fine to medium gravel. Gravel bands are yellowish brown quartzose with desert varnish

15 16 Rounded medium to coarse GRAVEL, mostly quartz and chert with a few lithic fragments. 30% bluish grey clay-bands

16 18 Mottled greyish yellow and pale grey SANDY CLAY (medium plasticity) with minor bands of fine to medium gravel

18 21 Mottled pale purple and yellowish brown soft weathered SILTSTONE with minor white clay-bands

21 22 White CLAY, low plasticity (completely weathered shale)

22 23 Banded yellowish brown and white SILTY CLAY, low plasticity (completely weathered siltstone)

23 25 Pink and white CLAY, low – medium plasticity (completely weathered shale)

25 26 Yellowish brown CLAY with white bands, medium plasticity (completely weathered shale)

26 28 Reddish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity (completely weathered shale)

28 33 Pale grey to white SILTY CLAY, low plasticity (completely weathered siltstone)

33 36.5 White coarse SANDY CLAY, low plasticity (completely weathered coarse sandstone)

36.5 38 Brown fine SANDY CLAY with dark drown weathered ironstone bands (completely weathered fine sandstone)

38 39 Banded pale yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND (completely weathered fine sandstone)

39 41 Pale yellowish grey medium SANDSTONE, white clay-bands 39-40 m (Minor mud loss 36.5 – 41 m in weathered sandstone)

41 42 Yellowish brown SILTSTONE with pale grey clay-bands, soft

131

From To Lithology

42 45 Banded yellowish brown and pale grey SHALE with minor thin purple weathered fine sandstone bands

45 46 Pale grey soft SILTSTONE with fine sandstone bands

46 47 Yellowish brown soft SHALE with grey clay-bands

47 64 Inter-bedded grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE, soft, minor pink and pale brown hard siliceous bands throughout

64 66 Grey carbonaceous SHALE

66 73.5 Inter-bedded GREY fine SANDSTONE and SILTSTONE, soft with minor thin hard pink and pale brown fine sandstone bands

73.5 74.5 Grey SILTSTONE, firm becoming hard, thin hard ferruginous fine sandstone bands

74.5 83 Grey SHALE with thin pale grey fine sandstone bands. Hard drilling

83 84 Dark grey carbonaceous SHALE

84 88 Pale grey SHALE with minor thin fine sandstone bands and minor carbonaceous bands

88 96 Grey carbonaceous fine to medium SANDSTONE

96 100 Inter-bedded pale bluish grey fine SANDSTONE and SILTSTONE, trace carbonaceous bands


From To Stratigraphy Cainozoic sediments

Drildool Beds (weathered profile 18 – 47 m)

Keelindi Beds

0 18

18 73.5

73.5 100+

Completion Details

From To Material

0 38 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC with cement slurry in annulus



Notes


2. Palynology samples 64-66 m and 83-84 m

3. Airlift rate = 2.2 L/sec

4. EC = 1 090 µS/cm


132

LMQ06 Dandaloo – Trangie Road

Coordinates: 565008, 6433034

Target Western-most curvilinear resistive feature (detected by AEM in 20-30 m depth slice, and in all subsequent depth slices. бb ≤ 50 mS/m)

Date Drilled: 10/07/2007 & 11/07/2007

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer) with blade bit 0 – 28 m, air hammer 28 – 37 m

From To Lithology

0 1.5 Dark grey cracking CLAY, high plasticity

1.5 4 Brownish grey CLAY, hard, high plasticity, calcrete nodules

4 11 Olive grey sticky CLAY, high plasticity, abundant gypsum 4 – 8 m, manganese staining 9 – 11 m

11 14 Mottled olive grey and yellowish brown CLAY, medium to high plasticity, abundant calcrete 13 – 14 m

14 15 Reddish brown CLAY, medium to high plasticity, bands of highly plastic grey clay

15 18 Reddish brown fine SANDY CLAY (medium plasticity) with 20% grey clay bands

18 19 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY (medium to high plasticity) with minor manganese stains

19 22 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown dense CLAY, high plasticity

22 23 Grey massive CLAY, high plasticity

23 27 White CLAY (medium plasticity) with minor soft reddish brown and yellowish brown ironstone bands (saprolite)

27 30 Pale grey and pale pinkish grey silicified medium SANDSTONE, very hard, minor thin white clay-bands 27 – 28 m; blade bit destroyed 27 – 28 m

30 37+ Maroon silicified medium SANDSTONE, very hard




23 37+ Hervey Group Sandstone (Weathered profile 23 – 27 m)

Completion Details

From To Material

0 37 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC with drill cuttings in annulus

Notes

1. No Palynology samples.

133

LMQ07 ‘Waterloo’ (west)

Coordinates: 578675, 6413198

Target Moderately low conductivity Cainozoic sediments overlying completely weathered Drildool Beds in south of flight area (AEM indicates conductivity of Cainozoic sediments is about 300 mS/m to 40 m depth, and conductivity of underlying saprolite is 200 mS/m)

Date Drilled: 5/07/2007 – 10/7/2007

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer). Blade bit 0 – 94 m, roller cone 94 – 100 m.

From To Lithology

0 1 Brown SANDY LOAM (0.3 m) overlying reddish brown SILTY CLAY (low to medium plasticity)

1 4 Reddish brown SANDY CLAY (medium plasticity) with manganese stains


5 6 Mottled brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND

6 8 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

8 9 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY fine SAND, minor soft black ironstone bands

9 12 Pale grey CLAY, medium to high plasticity, trace managanese staining, minor yellowish brown clayey fine sand bands

12 16 Pale grey SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity with 30% yellowish brown clayey fine sand bands

16 17 Pale grey CLAY, medium to high plasticity

17 21 Mottled reddish brown, yellowish brown and grey SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

21 22 Mottled yellowish brown and grey CLAYEY medium SAND with minor thin coarse sand bands

22 24 Mottled grey and reddish brown CLAY, high plasticity

24 26 Mottled maroon and grey CLAY, high plasticity

26 27 Grey, with minor reddish brown mottles, CLAY, medium to high plasticity

27 32 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAY, medium plasticity

32 34 Mottled yellowish brown and grey puggy CLAY, high plasticity

34 36 Mottled yellowish brown and grey fine SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

36 42 Yellowish brown coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL, 80% frosted quartz, 20% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted, moderate mud loss

42 45.5 Banded reddish brown and pale grey SANDY CLAY (medium plasticity) with 20% medium to coarse sand bands (completely weathered sandstone)

134

From To Lithology

45 48 Mottled reddish brown, yellowish brown and grey CLAYEY medium SAND with minor coarse sand bands (completely weathered sandstone)

48 49.5 Mottled reddish brown, yellowish brown and grey CLAYEY coarse SAND (completely weathered sandstone)

49.5 51 White CLAYEY coarse SAND, kaolinitic (completely weathered sandstone)

51 52 White SANDY CLAY, kaolinitic (low plasticity)

52 54 Pale yellowish grey SILTY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

54 60 Pale yellowish brown CLAY, low to medium plasticity with white kaolinitic clay bands

60 63 Mottled pale grey and maroon SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

63 65 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

65 66.5 Yellow CLAY, medium plasticity

66.5 68 Grey soft SHALE (completely weathered to clay) with minor yellow clay bands becoming less frequent towards base

68 71 Dark grey puggy SHALE

71 77 Inter-bedded grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE (becoming hard at 76 m)

77 78 Pale brownish grey SILTSTONE (hard)

78 80 Dark grey to black carbonaceous SILTSTONE (firm to hard)

80 83 Pale grey fine SANDSTONE with minor thin black carbonaceous siltstone bands

83 89 Pale grey fine SANDSTONE with 10% white pipeclay bands

89 94.5 Inter-bedded pale grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE with minor carbonaceous bands

94.5 100 Grey SILTSTONE with minor thin yellowish brown fine sandstone bands




42 68 Drildool Beds (all weathered)

68 100+ Keelindi Beds

Completion Details

From To Material


36 42 Slotted 80 mm class 18 PVC with gravel pack (bentonite seal 0.5 m

135

From To Material thick above and below slots)

42 94 Blank 80 mm class 18 PVC with local river gravel in annulus and 0.5 m cement plug at base

Notes


2. Palynology samples 68-70 m, 78-80 m and 96-97 m

3. Airlift rate unknown (low)

4. EC = 13 930 µS/cm


136

LMQ07A ‘Waterloo’ (approx 500 m SE of LMQ07)

Coordinates: 579072, 6413013

Target Curvilinear resistive feature (detected by AEM in 30-40 m depth slice, and in all subsequent depth slices. бb ≤ 50 mS/m)

Date Drilled: 10/08/2007

Drilling Method: Air hammer

From To Lithology

0 1 Brown SANDY LOAM

1 2 Brown CLAY, high plasticity

2 5 Brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

5 12 Pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity

12 13 Reddish brown and grey CLAY, high plasticity

13 23 Yellow and brown grey CLAY, high plasticity

23 26 Purple and grey CLAY, high plasticity

26 33.5 Yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

33.5 36 Pale grey fine SAND

36 45 Yellowish brown fine GRAVEL – coarse SAND



0 45+ Cainozoic sediments

Completion Details

From To Material

0 45 Backfilled and abandoned

Notes

1. Sand caving in below 36 m and compressor on rig of too small capacity to go beyond 45 m

2. Nature of curvilinear resistive feature unresolved

3. No Palynology samples

137

LMQ08 ‘Yarran Farm’, Backwater Road

Coordinates: 601494, 6434702

Target To ascertain whether resistive pod mapped by the AEM in 20-30 m depth slice, and in all subsequent depth slices, is Hervey Group Sandstone (AEM indicates бb ≤ 50 mS/m below 20 m)

Date Drilled: 22/06/2007 – 25/6/2007

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer). Blade bit 0 – 27 m, roller cone 27 – 32 m.

From To Lithology

0 0.5 Dark brown SILTY LOAM

0.5 4 Yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

4 8.5 Mottled yellowish brown and grey CLAY, medium plasticity

8.5 10 Mottled yellowish brown and grey CLAYBOUND medium to coarse GRAVEL (mostly rounded frosted quartz), slight water loss

10 18 Yellowish brown CLAYEY coarse SAND with 20% fine gravel bands, slight water loss

18 19 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey SILTY CLAY, low to medium plasticity (completely weathered mudstone)

19 20 Pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity

20 22 Reddish brown CLAY (medium to high plasticity) with minor pale grey clay-bands (completely weathered siltstone)

22 24 Mottled yellowish brown and grey SILTY CLAY, low plasticity (completely weathered siltstone)

24 26 Pale reddish brown CLAYEY coarse SAND (completely weathered sandstone with minor clay-bands)

26 29 Pale pinkish grey silicified SANDSTONE, very hard, angular chips, minor white clay-bands (20% 28 – 29 m)

29 31 Pinkish grey and purple silicified SANDSTONE, very hard

31 32 Maroon silicified fine to medium SANDSTONE, very hard




18 32 Hervey Group Sandstone (weathered profile 18 – 26 m)

138

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. No Palynology samples.

3. Airlift rate 0.1 L/sec

4. EC = 775 µS/cm


139

LMQ09 Mitchell Highway and Montgomery Road intersection

Coordinates: 580766, 6466780

Target Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 1 (AEM detects a low conductivity strip at about 20 m depth and about 2km wide underlying the Mitchell Highway. бb gradually increases from 100 mS/m near Trangie to about 200 mS/m down-gradient at Nevertire. According to the AEM, the thickness of the feature is 30 – 40 m)

Date Drilled: 17/07/2007 – 22/7/2007

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer), blade bit

From To Lithology

0 1 Dark grey cracking CLAY with calcrete nodules (high plasticity) blocky, rough faced peds

1 4 Brown CLAY, high plasticity

4 6 Yellowish brown CLAY, high plasticity, trace manganese staining

6 7 Yellowish brown SANDY CLAY, medium to high plasticity

7 8 Yellowish brown friable SANDY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

8 13 Yellowish brown CLAYEY fine to medium SAND with minor pale grey clay-bands

13 16 Mottled reddish brown, yellowish brown and pale grey friable SANDY CLAY, low plasticity, minor red weakly cemented ironstone bands

16 17 Reddish brown CLAYEY medium SAND with 10% coarse sand bands

17 20 Brown fine GRAVEL – coarse SAND (60% frosted quartz, 40% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, poorly sorted) with 30% reddish brown clay-bands

20 22 Brown coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (60% fractured quartz, 40% lithic) sub-rounded – sub-angular, poorly sorted), fining downwards; 20% reddish brown clay-bands

22 26 Yellowish brown coarse SAND (70% frosted quartz, 30% lithic fragments) with 20% yellowish brown clay-bands and 10% fine gravel bands

26 29 Yellowish brown fine GRAVEL (80% fractured quartz, 20% lithic fragments) moderately – well sorted, sub-rounded; 30% sand and yellowish brown clay-bands

29 31 Yellowish brown coarse SAND (90% clear and frosted quartz grains, 10% lithic fragments) moderately well sorted, sub-rounded; 20% fine gravel and yellowish brown clay-bands

31 34 Pale yellowish brown grading to pale yellowish grey fine GRAVEL – coarse SAND, coarsening downward.(80% clear and frosted quartz, 20% lithic fragments, poorly sorted, sub-rounded); 20% yellowish grey clay-bands

34 38 Pale yellowish brown to pale yellowish grey coarse SAND with 30%

140

From To Lithology fine gravel bands (80% clear and frosted quartz, 20% lithic fragments, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded). Yellowish brown and yellowish grey clay and fine sand bands (30% 34 – 35 m, 20% 35 – 36 m, 10% 36 -38 m)

38 40 Pale yellowish grey coarse SAND (quartzose with minor lithic fragments, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded – sub-angular) with 20% clay-bands and fine gravel bands

40 47 Pale grey fine GRAVEL (quartzose with 10% lithic fragments, slight fining downwards trend, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded), 20% coarse sand bands

47 50 Grey fine GRAVEL (80% quartz, 20% lithic fragments, poorly sorted, sub-rounded) with grey and greenish grey clay-bands (20% 47 – 48 m, 30% 48 – 49 m, 20% 49 – 50 m); minor medium gravel bands 48 – 49 m

50 52 Grey fine GRAVEL (70% quartz, 30% lithic fragments, poorly sorted, sub-rounded – sub-angular with some elongated grains) with maroon and grey clay-bands (20% 50 – 51 m, 30 – 40% 51 – 52 m)

52 53 Maroon and grey CLAY with 30% fine gravel bands, minor reddish brown ferruginised fine sand bands

53 54 Grey fine GRAVEL (80% quartz, 20% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted) with 20% grey and greenish grey clay-bands

54 55 Pale grey CLAY with 10% coarse sand bands

55 56 Grey CLAY with 20% fine gravel bands

56 57 Fine GRAVEL with 30% yellowish grey clay-bands

57 61 Fine GRAVEL (90% quartz, 10% lithic fragments, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded) with minor tabular grains and 10% grey clay-bands (20% 60 – 61 m)

61 62 Grey fine GRAVEL with 30% brownish grey clay-bands

62 63 Grey fine GRAVEL (90% quartz, 10% lithic fragments, poorly sorted, sub-angular – sub-rounded) with 20% pale grey clay-bands

63 64 Brownish grey CLAY with 30% coarse sand – fine gravel bands

64 66 Yellowish grey CLAY with 10% fine gravel bands, minor dark grey carbonaceous clay bands

66 72 Grey fine GRAVEL – coarse SAND (quartzose, poorly sorted, sub-angular to sub-rounded) with 20% grey and yellowish grey clay-bands

72 74 Dark grey CLAY with 20 – 30% coarse sand bands (sand may be contamination from walls of hole)

74 81 Bluish grey SILTSTONE with minor black carbonaceous shale bands


85 87 Bluish grey carbonaceous SILTSTONE with minor fine sandstone bands

87 92 Bluish grey SILTSTONE

141

From To Lithology

92 96 Bluish grey MUDSTONE with minor black carbonaceous bands




72 96+ Drildool Beds

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. Palynology sample 85-86 m.

3. Virtually no saprolite preserved on top of Drildool Beds (eroded by Cainozoic sediments)

4. Airlift rate 4 L/sec

5. EC = 790 µS/cm


142

LMQ10 ‘Fairfield Grange’, Boro – Bogan Road

Coordinates: 566202, 6456292

Target Southern bifurcation of Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel (AEM detects a low conductivity strip (150 mS/m) at about 30 m depth and gradually increasing to about 250 mS/m at the base of the feature at about 60 m depth. According to the AEM 60 – 80 m depth slice, conductivity of the underlying saprolite is about 350 mS/m)

Date Drilled: 12/07/2007 – 13/7/2007


From To Lithology

0 1 0.2 m brown SANDY LOAM overlying brown calcareous CLAY


8 10 Yellowish brown SILTY CLAY and fine SANDY CLAY (low plasticity) with minor pale grey clay-bands

10 12.5 Yellowish brown fine GRAVEL (50% frosted quartz, 50% lithic fragments, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded) with coarse SAND bands, 30% yellowish brown and clay clay-bands

12.5 15 Pale grey coarse SAND (60% frosted quartz, 40% lithic fragments, poorly sorted, sub-angular) with fine gravel bands, minor pale grey clay-bands

15 18 Yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND with minor pale grey clay-bands

18 21 Reddish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

21 23 Yellowish brown, with minor reddish brown mottles, SILTY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

23 28.5 Pale grey, with minor yellowish brown mottles, CLAY, medium plasticity

28.5 30 Yellowish brown coarse SAND (70% frosted quartz, 30% lithic fragments, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded), minor fine gravel bands and pale grey clay-bands, thin soft black ironstone band at base

30 32 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity, minor grey fine sand bands

32 35 Yellowish brown clayey medium SAND with 30% pale grey clay-bands

35 39 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey fine SANDY CLAY, medium to high plasticity

39 48 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity, 20% white clay-bands

48 50 Mottled yellowish brown, pale grey and reddish brown CLAY, medium to high plasticity

50 57.5 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium PI

143

From To Lithology

57.5 62.5 Pale yellowish grey fine GRAVEL – coarse SAND, quartzose (about half frosted, half clear grains), sub-rounded, moderately well sorted, trace tabular shale fragments

62.5 70 Yellowish brown kaolinitic CLAY with pale grey clay-bands, low plasticity, bands of clayey fine sand (completely weathered fine sandstone)

70 76 Pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND (completely weathered fine sandstone) with pale yellowish grey clay-bands

76 80 Pale greenish grey soft SHALE with yellowish brown and yellowish grey clay-bands

80 86 Grey SHALE, trace black carbonaceous bands

86 89 Inter-bedded bluish grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE





62.5 90+ Drildool Beds (weathered profile 62.5 – 80 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. Palynology sample 88-90 m


4. EC = 1 310 µS/cm


144

LMQ11/1 and LMQ11/2 Tenandra Channel, ‘Merrinong’ (near Euloon Cowal)

Coordinates: LMQ11/1: 611574, 6470662

LMQ11/2: 611571, 6470661

Target Resistive Cainozoic sediments along the southern part of the Tenandra Channel and underlying moderately conductive saprolite on Drildool Beds

Date Drilled: 07/08/2007 – 09/8/2007


From To Lithology

0 1 20 – 30cm dark brown SANDY LOAM overlying yellowish brown CLAY (medium plasticity), blocky, dull earthy fabric with cutans, dispersive in channel banks

1 2 Yellowish brown CLAYEY SILT

2 3 Brown CLAYEY fine to medium SAND with minor pale grey clay-bands

3 6 Brown medium SAND, quartzose (2/3 frosted grains), sub-angular, poorly sorted

6 8 Brown SILTY fine SAND with minor grey clay-bands

8 9 Brown coarse SAND (2/3 quartz, 1/3 lithic fragments), sub-rounded, poorly sorted, 20% silt and fine sand bands

9 10 Brown fine GRAVEL (90% quartz, 10% lithic fragments), sub-rounded, poorly sorted, 30% pale grey clay-bands

10 11 Mottled grey and brown SANDY CLAY (low plasticity), friable with 30% clayey fine sand bands

11 12 Pale grey CLAYEY medium SAND with 20% yellowish brown and pale grey clay and silt bands

12 15 Pale grey coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (80% quartz, 20% lithic fragments), sub-rounded, poorly sorted; 20% pale grey and yellowish brown silt and clay bands

15 18 Pale grey, with minor reddish brown and yellowish brown mottles, CLAY, medium to high plasticity

18 22 Mottled purple and grey CLAY, high plasticity

22 25 Mottled yellowish brown and grey CLAY, high plasticity

25 27 Pale grey, with reddish brown and yellowish brown mottles, CLAY, medium plasticity

27 28 Strong brown CLAY, medium plasticity, minor mauve and dark grey clay-bands

28 29 Mottled pale grey, white and mauve kaolinitic CLAY, low plasticity

29 32 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAY (medium plasticity), minor soft purple ironstone bands,

32 33 Reddish grey CLAY, medium to high plasticity, some pale grey bands

145

From To Lithology

33 35 Mottled pale grey, yellowish brown and reddish brown CLAY (medium to high plasticity), minor dark grey weathered shale bands

35 37 Mottled yellowish brown and reddish brown CLAY (medium plasticity), minor grey weathered shale bands

37 38 Brownish yellow CLAY (medium to high plasticity) with pale grey weathered shale bands

38 40 Yellow CLAY (medium to high plasticity) with dark grey carbonaceous shale bands, particularly abundant 39 – 40 m

40 51 Grey SHALE, sticky 47 – 51 m

51 55 Pale grey SILTSTONE, minor brown shale bands and trace black carbonaceous clay, 20% fine sandstone bands 52 – 55 m

55 57 Interbedded grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE, minor dark brown carbonaceous siltstone bands

57 58 Grey coarse SANDSTONE, quartzose, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted

58 62 Pale grey SILTSTONE with minor fine sandstone bands, trace dark brown carbonaceous bands

62 78 Dark grey carbonaceous SILTSTONE with thin black carbonaceous shale/clay bands

78 92 Pale bluish grey SILTSTONE with fine sandstone bands, sandstone becoming more abundant with depth, 10% brown shale bands and minor carbonaceous shale/clay bands throughout

92 107 Grey coarse quartzose SANDSTONE (grains sub-angular to sub-rounded, moderately well sorted) contains thin hard silicified bands, brown and grey shale bands (20% 93 – 95 m, 10% 95 – 107 m)

107 114 Grey SHALE




15 78 Drildool Beds (weathered profile 15 – 40, top part of saprolite probably eroded )

78 114+ Keelindi Beds

Completion Details LMQ11/1

From To Material




146

Completion Details LMQ11/2

From To Material




Notes

1. Constructed as shallow (LMQ11/1) and deep (LMQ11/2) monitoring bores

2. Palynology samples 41-42 m, 62-64 m and 112-114 m

3. The Tenandra Channel was known to have leaked previously in this area and has been clay-lined. Future channel leakage, if any, may be detected by fluctuations in water level in monitoring bore LMQ11/1

4. LMQ11/1 airlift rate = 0.2 L/sec; airlift rate LMQ11/2 = 10 L/sec

5. LMQ11/1 EC = 505 µS/cm; LMQ11/2 EC = 1 070 µS/cm

6. LMQ11/1 SWL = 9.66 m below ground surface (25/8/07); LMQ11/2 SWL = 13.33 m below ground surface (25/8/07)

147

LMQ12 ‘Bundemar’, Trangie – Collie Road

Coordinates: 614079, 6480913

Target High conductivity material in saprolite on Drildool Beds (AEM indicates бb ranges from 600 mS/m to 800 mS/m in the saprolite from 5 m to about 40 m depth)

Date Drilled: 12/9/2007 – 19/9/2007

Drilling Method: Core (100 mm) using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer) and bentonite below 17 m

From To Lithology

0 0.15 Dark grey LOAM and roots, saturated by fluid invasion

0.15 1.0 Dark brown (10YR 3/3) SANDY CLAY, dense, high plasticity; abundant calcrete nodules 0.75 – 1.0 m, minor rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) and sesquioxide nodules disseminated throughout

1.0 1.8 Greyish brown (2.5Y 5/2) very CLAYEY coarse SAND, massive, dull earthy fabric, clay fraction of high plasticity, abundant well-rounded sesquioxide nodules (≤ 4 mm), diffuse calcrete aggregations (≤ 10 mm) throughout

1.8 2.0 Olive (5Y 5/3) SANDY CLAY, dense, earthy fabric, abundant sesquioxide and calcrete nodules, minor root fragments

2.0 2.23 Olive (5Y 5/3) CLAYEY coarse SAND, dense, clay fraction highly plastic, abundant spherical sesquioxide nodules and calcrete/silcrete geodes up to 20 mm diameter

2.23 2.6 Core loss (CLAYEY SAND)

2.6 3.32 Olive (5Y 5/3) CLAYEY coarse SAND, dense, clay fraction highly plastic, abundant spherical sesquioxide nodules and calcrete/silcrete geodes up to 20 mm diameter; iron / managanese rich band 3.15 – 3.32 m

3.32 3.6 Light olive grey (5Y 6/2) SANDY CLAY, highly plastic, dense, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout and yellowish brown clayey medium sand aggregations up to 30 mm diameter

3.6 4.48 Mottled light olive grey (5Y 6/2) and yellow (10YR 7/8) SANDY CLAY, highly plastic, dense, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout and yellowish brown clayey coarse sand aggregations up to 60 mm diameter

4.48 4.60 Core loss (SANDY CLAY)

4.6 5.1 Mottled light olive grey (5Y 6/2) and yellow (10YR 7/8) SANDY CLAY, highly plastic, dense, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout and yellowish brown clayey coarse sand aggregations up to 60 mm diameter

5.1 6.1 Mottled light olive grey (5Y 6/2) and yellow (10YR 7/8) CLAYEY coarse SAND, abundant red coarse sand aggregations up to 60 mm diameter

6.1 6.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) SANDY CLAY, massive, medium to high plasticity, minor pale yellow mottles, earthy fabric

148

From To Lithology

6.5 6.6 Core loss (CLAY)

6.6 8.2 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAY, highly plastic, large (up to 100 mm) pale yellow with brown halos aggregations of loose medium to coarse sand

8.2 9.2 Grey CLAYEY coarse SAND, aggregations of red cemented medium sand with very dark red ferrans

9.2 10.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAY, friable and crumbly, dull earthy fabric, blocky peds, many craze planes, dark red ferrans coating peds, a few striations on ped faces below 9.6 m


10.6 11.6 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAY, becoming more plastic and less friable with depth, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout, loose zone with mud invasion 10.6 – 10.8 m

11.6 12.6 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and red (2.5YR 5/8) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout, coarse blocky peds becoming less organised with depth, sesquans on most large ped faces, a few planes with slickensides, aggregations of red ferruginous fine sand

12.6 13.2 Core loss (SAND?)

12.6 15.08 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and red (2.5YR 5/8) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout, coarse blocky peds, sesquans on most large ped faces, a few planes with slickensides, aggregations of red ferruginous fine sand

15.08 15.83 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAY with aggregations of pale brown soft medium sand (≤ 70 mm)

15.83 16.6 Mottled pale grey (5Y 7/2) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) clayey medium SANDSTONE, completely weathered, low porosity due to infilling of pores with kaolinite

16.6 17.6 Mottled pale grey (5Y 7/2) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) medium SAND coarsening downward to yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) coarse sand, loose and soft and invaded by drilling mud, minor pale grey clay-bands 16.6 – 17.4 m

17.6 17.8 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) coarse SAND, loose and saturated, few rounded pebbles (≤ 20 mm) and greenish grey and brown clay-bands (≤ 10 mm)

17.8 21.96 Core loss (SAND)

21.96 22.6 Mottled light grey (5Y 7/2) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) CLAY, friable, loose sand bands 22.25 – 22.26, 22.36 – 22.38 & 22.59 – 22.60 m

22.6 26.1 Core loss (SAND); also complete loss of circulation in hole

26.1 26.6 Grey (5Y 5/1) CLAY, soft (completely weathered mudstone), thin dark brown carbonaceous laminae, intermediate angle fracture with well developed slickensides at 26.3 m, brownish yellow clay-band 26.1 – 26.15 m

26.6 27.18 Core loss (CLAY/MUDSTONE?)

27.18 27.47 Pale yellow (2.5Y 7/8) clayey felspathic SANDSTONE, completely weathered, soft, all pores filled with white kaolinite clay, white clay veins

149

From To Lithology

27.47 27.85 Finely laminated pale and dark grey MUDSTONE, conchoidal fracture, minor thin black carbonaceous bands

27.85 29.07 Speckled olive yellow (2.5Y 6/6) and white (2.5Y 8/1) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, completely weathered, soft, all pores clay-filled, some yellow clay-bands 27.85 – 28.6 m, colour gradually changing to yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) below 28.6 m, grey clay-band 28.6 – 28.67 m

29.07 29.4 Grey (5Y 5/1) MUDSTONE coarsening downward to light grey (5Y 7/1) clayey fine SANDSTONE; thin black carbonaceous bands 29.2 – 29.4 m

29.4 29.72 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) fine to medium arkosic SANDSTONE, all pores clay-filled, soft

29.72 31.43 Core loss (SHALE?)

31.43 31.48 Grey (5Y 5/1) MUDSTONE, soft

31.48 31.6 Speckled yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and white (10YR 8/1) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, soft, all pores clay-filled

31.6 33.9 Lost circulation, drilled and reamed with blade bit, cuttings indicate interval is SANDSTONE

33.9 34.38 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, low porosity (most pores clay-filled), broken zone 34.15 – 34.25 m, thin black carbonaceous bands 33.7 – 34.38 m, loose sand band 33.9 – 34.05 m

34.38 34.75 Grey (5Y 5/1) carbonaceous fine SAND, very dark brown to black carbonaceous silt band 34.64 – 34.69 m

34.75 35.14 Greenish grey (5GY 6/1) fine SANDSTONE, low porosity (most pores clay-filled)

35.14 35.49 Grey (5Y 5/1) MUDSTONE, black carbonaceous fine sandstone laminae

35.49 35.6 Grey (5Y 5/1) fine SANDSTONE, soft, low porosity, very fine black carbonaceous siltstone laminae throughout

35.6 36.6 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) fine SANDSTONE, slightly porous, some loose sand bands, brown gravel layer 36.45 – 36.6 m (contains one rounded granite cobble 80 mm diameter)

36.6 37.3 Brown (10YR 5/3) coarse SAND, porous, pebble and cobble bands 36.97 – 37.3 m


37.6 39.9 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) coarse SAND, pebble bands, 20% of pores in-filled with clay, minor thin black carbonaceous bands, generally coarsening downward and clay content decreasing with depth, highly porous and saturated, rounded cobble (70 mm diameter) at 39.17 m, ligneous silt bands 38.62, 38.77 & 39.51 m, coarse gravel and cobbles (up to 80 mm) 39.6 – 39.75 m. Sequence is completely weathered sandstone

39.9 40.3 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) medium to coarse SAND, alternating weakly cemented and loose saturated bands, porous, brown sandy clay-band 40.03 – 40.07 m


150

From To Lithology

40.6 41.1 SAND (as for 39.9 – 40.3 m)


41.35 42.4 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) coarse SAND, weakly cemented with loose saturated bands, porous (20% pores clay-filled with white kaolinite), fine gravel bands 41.59 – 41.60 & 41.76 – 41.77 m, coarsening downward to fine gravel with pebble bands and cobbles below 42.2 m


42.8 43.03 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) CLAYSTONE, laminated

43.03 44.03 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture, fine sandstone band 43.05 – 43.26 m, black carbonaceous siltstone band 43.25 – 43.26 m, thin wispy carbonate veins 43.7 – 43.92 m

44.03 44.43 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) MUDSTONE, massive, thin vertical carbonate veinlets up to 200 mm long with black carbonaceous halos around the base of the veinlets (fossil tree roots?)


44.6 45.5 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) MUDSTONE, mostly massive, fine sandstone band 45.37 – 45.43 m, vertical fracture with slickensides 45.24 – 45.4 m, thin black carbonaceous bands and fossil leaves 44.6 – 44.8 m

45.5 45.63 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) dirty fine SANDSTONE, finely laminated with black carbonaceous silt bands


45.73 46.95 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) sandy MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture, dark grey carbonaceous band 46.5 – 46.7 m, wispy black carbonaceous lenses throughout, fine sandstone band 46.68 – 46.73 m

46.95 47.6 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) fine SANDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture

47.6 48.2 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) dirty fine SANDSTONE, massive

48.2 49.6 Grey (5Y 5/1) fine SANDSTONE, laminated (laminae are dark brown carbonaceous siltstone)

49.6 50.6 Bluish grey (5B 5/1) dirty fine SANDSTONE, laminated with dark brown carbonaceous siltstone beds (≤ 1 mm thick); broken zone 50.0 – 50.4 m with mud invasion




5.1 50.6+ Drildool Beds (weathered profile 5.1 – 42.8 m)

151

Completion Details

From To Material




Core recovery


0.00 2.60* 2.23 0.37 86

2.60 4.60* 1.88 0.12 94

4.60 6.60* 1.90 0.10 95

6.60 8.60* 2.00 0.00 100

8.60 10.60* 1.90 0.10 95

10.60 12.60* 2.00 0.00 100

12.60 14.60* 1.40 0.60 70

14.60 16.60* 2.00 0.00 100

16.60 18.60* 1.20 0.80 60

18.60 20.60* 0.00 2.00 0

20.60 22.60* 0.64 1.36 32

22.60 24.60* 0.00 2.00 0

24.60 26.60 0.50 1.50 25

26.60 28.60 1.42 0.58 71

28.60 30.60 1.12 0.88 56

30.60 31.60 0.17 0.83 17

33.90 35.60 1.70 0.00 100

35.60 37.60 1.70 0.30 85

37.60 38.60 1.00 0.00 100

38.60 40.60 1.70 0.30 85

40.60 41.35 0.50 0.25 67

41.35 42.60 1.05 0.20 84

42.60 44.03 1.23 0.20 86

44.03 44.60 0.40 0.17 70

44.60 45.73 1.03 0.10 91

45.73 47.60 1.87 0.00 100

47.60 49.60 2.00 0.00 100

49.60 50.60 1.00 0.00 100


152

Notes


2. Palynology samples 34.64 – 34.69, 43.52 – 43.60 and 47.23 – 47.3 m

3. Airlift rate not recorded

4. EC = 15 500 µS/cm


153

LMQ13 ‘Elengerah’, Gin Gin – Warren Road

Coordinates: 590565, 6477928

Target Low to slightly elevated conductivity profile in Cainozoic sediments in retired irrigation area (AEM indicates conductivity increases downward from 100 mS/m to 250 mS/m at the base of the Cainozoic sediments close to 30 m depth)

Date Drilled: 13/08/2007 – 15/8/2007

Drilling Method: Mud rotary using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer), bentonite mud below 18 m, blade bit

From To Lithology

0 2 Dark greyish brown cracking CLAY, medium – high plasticity, minor calcrete

2 4 Dense greyish brown CLAY, high plasticity, sticky

4 8 Yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, medium to high plasticity

8 10 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

10 14 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND

14 17 Pale yellowish grey coarse SAND (90% quartz, 10% lithic grains, 1/2 quartz grains frosted, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted) 10 – 20% fine gravel bands, 30% yellowish brown and grey clay and clayey fine sand bands 15 – 16 m interval

17 18 Pale yellowish grey interstratified fine to medium GRAVEL and coarse SAND, 10% clay-bands. Gravel bands are 40% frosted quartz, 60% lithic grains, sub-rounded, some platy grains

18 22 Yellowish brown medium GRAVEL, 40% frosted quartz, 60% lithic grains, sub-rounded to sub-angular, 50% coarse sand bands

22 24 Pale yellowish grey medium GRAVEL, 40% frosted quartz, 60% lithic grains, sub-rounded to sub-angular, 50% coarse sand bands

24 25 Multicoloured coarse lithic GRAVEL (30% frosted quartz grains), sub-rounded, 20% coarse sand bands

25 27 Multicoloured medium GRAVEL (60% lithic grains, 40% frosted quartz and sub-rounded) with 50% coarse sand bands

27 30 Mottled brownish grey and yellowish brown CLAY, high plasticity

30 33 Pale brownish grey CLAY, high plasticity

33 34.5 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown fine SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

34.5 36.5 Soft black carbonaceous CLAY/SHALE

36.5 39 Grey sticky SHALE, minor carbonaceous bands 36.5 – 38 m

39 42 Pale bluish grey fine SANDSTONE with siltstone bands

42 50 Grey puggy SHALE

50 61 Pale bluish grey MUDSTONE

154

From To Lithology

61 83 Pale bluish grey SILTSTONE with minor thin brown carbonaceous shale bands

83 88 Inter-bedded pale bluish grey SILTSTONE and fine SANDSTONE

88 92 Pale bluish grey MUDSTONE with fine to medium sandstone bands

92 95 Inter-bedded pale bluish grey SILTSTONE and medium SANDSTONE, thin hard silicified bands 94 – 95 m

95 96 Grey medium SANDSTONE with thin shale bands




27 96+ Drildool Beds (weathered profile 27 – 34.5 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. Palynology samples 35-36 and 83-84 m

3. Top part of saprolite (pipeclay) on Drildool Beds eroded by Cainozoic gravel

4. Airlift rate > 2 L/sec

5. EC = 845 µS/cm


155

LMQ14 Canonba Road

Coordinates: 565541, 6500140

Target Low conductivity material in Cainozoic sediments overlying conductive saprolite (AEM indicates conductivity in the Cainozoic sediments varies from 100 mS/m to 200 mS/m at 20 m depth. бb in the underlying saprolite is indicated by the AEM as ranging from 300 mS/m to 450 mS/m at 60 m depth)

Date Drilled: 16/10/2007 – 19/10/2007


From To Lithology

0 0.55 Dark greyish brown (10YR 4/2) SILTY LOAM, saturated by drilling fluid

0.55 0.72 Black (10YR 2/1) SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity, minor rounded quartz grains

0.72 1.6 Dark brown (10YR 4/3) SANDY CLAY, high plasticity, abundant rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout, clay becoming dense below 1 m

1.6 2.4 Mottled reddish brown (5YR 4/3) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) SILTY medium SAND, weakly cemented 1.6 – 2.0 m, loose 2.0 – 2.4 m, black spherical sesquioxide nodules (≤ 5 mm), some pebbles (≤ 10 mm) scattered throughout


2.5 3.6 Reddish brown (5YR 5/4) medium SAND, minor pebbles throughout, sesquioxide nodules abundant below 3.35 m, some grey clay veins 3.5 – 3.6 m


4.5 5.65 Banded reddish brown (5YR 4/3) and light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) medium SAND, quartzose, sparse pebbles throughout


6.5 7.5 Banded reddish brown (5YR 4/3) and light brownish grey (10YR 6/2) medium SAND, quartzose, sparse pebbles throughout, band coarse sand 6.75 – 6.88 m, very porous and saturated by drilling mud


8.5 8.94 Brown (10YR 5/3) medium to coarse SAND, saturated by drilling mud

8.94 9.5 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAYEY medium SAND

9.5 10.5 Mottled brown and grey slightly clayey coarse SAND, loose saturated bands of medium to coarse sand, sesquioxide nodules and aggregations (≤ 40 mm) throughout, pebble bands and minor grey clay veins

10.5 11.5 Mottled reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/8) and pale grey (7.5YR 7/1) CLAYEY medium to coarse SAND, pebble band with clayey matrix 10.85 – 11.02 m

156

From To Lithology

11.5 12.2 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and pale grey (7.5YR 7/1) slightly clayey coarse SAND, band of rounded pebbles and cobbles (≤ 40 mm) 11.6 – 11.85 m


12.5 14.5 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAYEY coarse SAND, many saturated sand bands, minor pebble bands

14.5 14.67 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAYEY coarse SAND

14.67 15.5 Mottled reddish brown (5YR 5/3) and pale grey (5YR 7/1) fine SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity, friable, top 5cm weakly cemented by iron hydroxide

15.5 15.65 Grey (10YR 6/1) fine SANDY CLAY grading downward to SILTY CLAY, red sesquioxide staining on joint planes, dark red to black ferruginous zone 15.59 – 15.65 m

15.65 16.5 Core loss (SILTY CLAY)

16.5 17.8 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/8) and pale grey (5YR 7/1) SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity increasing to high plasticity at base, black and dark red sesquioxide aggregations up to 100 mm, pale grey Si/Ca pedodes (≤ 60 mm) in 17.5 – 17.8 m interval

17.8 18.5 Dense brown (10YR 5/3) CLAY, high plasticity, a few hard Si/Ca bands (≤ 10 mm), vertical grey clay veins

18.5 19.73 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and pale grey (5YR 7/1) CLAY, medium plasticity, interval 18.55 – 18.93 rich in white and pale grey Si/Ca very hard pedodes, vertical grey clay veins



21.5 22.36 Reddish brown (5YR 5/4) coarse SAND, pale grey clayey coarse sand veins and aggregations

22.36 22.5 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/4) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, massive

22.5 23.3 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/8) and pale grey (5YR 7/1) kaolinitic CLAY, some soft red ironstone bands and aggregations

23.3 24.0 Mottled pale grey (5YR 7/1) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 7/8) kaolinitic CLAY, minor dark red sesquioxide aggregations 23.5 – 24.0 m

24.0 24.5 Core loss (kaolinitic CLAY)

24.5 25.42 Pale grey (10YR 7/1) kaolinitic CLAY (completely weathered mudstone), dark red ironstone bands and aggregations ≤ 100 mm (ironstone is brittle, fractured and crumbly)

25.42 25.74 Core loss (IRONSTONE)

25.74 25.83 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) IRONSTONE, fractured

25.83 29.5 White (10YR 8/1) kaolinitic MUDSTONE, highly weathered, dark red ironstone aggregations throughout – particularly abundant in the intervals 26.07 – 26.22 & 28.5 – 29.5 m, rock brittle and very crumbly below 28.5 m

29.5 31.5 Pale grey (10YR 7/2) kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, highly weathered, dark red ironstone aggregations, brittle and crumbly

157

From To Lithology

31.5 31.9 Pale greenish grey (5GY 7/1) MUDSTONE, kaolinitic, highly weathered


32.5 32.85 Greenish grey (5GY 6/1) CLAYSTONE, closely fractured, brittle, abundant ironstone bands and aggregations

32.85 32.95 Greenish grey (5GY 6/1) MUDSTONE

32.95 34.10 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) MUDSTONE, fractured with ferruginous linings on joint planes

34.10 34.28 Pale grey (10YR 7/2) MUDSTONE, fractured

34.28 34.5 Yellow (2.5Y 7/6) MUDSTONE, fractured with red sesquans on joint faces

34.5 36.2 Pale greenish grey (5GY 7/1) MUDSTONE grading downward to sandy mudstone, fractured with yellowish brown staining and halos on and adjacent to fracture planes and bedding plane partings, rock softer and less fractured below 35.5 m


36.5 36.92 Pale grey (10YR 7/2) CLAYSTONE, some pale yellowish brown colour bands, fractured with slickensides developed on some joint planes

36.92 37.3 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, soft

37.3 39.5 Pale grey (10YR 7/2) MUDSTONE, fractured with brownish yellow cutans on joint faces and bedding plane partings, some mottling, red sesquans on some joint faces,

39.5 41.5 Pale grey (10YR 7/2) CLAYSTONE, soft and massive with a consistency like plasticine, pinkish grey (7.5YR 6/2) band 39.55 – 39.75 m, yellow mottles and bands below 40.5 m, fracture zone with dark brown ferrans 41.25 – 41.5 m

41.5 42.18 Greyish brown (10YR 5/2) MUDSTONE, soft and massive apart from one horizontal fracture at 42.0 m, dark brown carbonaceous band 42.02 – 42.16 m

42.18 42.5 Grey (10YR 6/1) MUDSTONE, soft and slightly fractured

42.5 43.4 Grey (10YR 6/1) sandy MUDSTONE, rock becoming firm and fractured (spacing ~ 20cm), well developed slickensides and yellowish brown cutans on joint faces, leaf fossils on some bedding plane partings

43.4 43.98 Dark greyish brown (10YR 4/2) carbonaceous CLAYSTONE, dark brown coal seam 43.79 – 43.81 m

43.98 45.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, brittle and fractured with yellowish brown ferrans on joint faces below 44.36 m, brown carbonaceous bands 44.08 – 44.10 & 44.27 – 44.36 m

45.5 46.4 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAYSTONE, soft and massive, dark brown carbonaceous band 46.09 – 46.19 m, yellowish brown mottles and aggregations 46.19 – 46.4 m

46.4 46.5 Mottled pale grey (10YR 7/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy MUDSTONE

46.5 47.05 Pale greenish grey (5GY 7/1) sandy MUDSTONE, yellowish brown

158

From To Lithology ferruginous clayey fine sandstone bands ≤ 30 mm thick, rock slightly fractured

47.05 47.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) sandy MUDSTONE, brown and black carbonaceous bands 47.06 – 47.16 & 47.41 – 47.5 m

47.5 48.19 Brownish grey (2.5Y 5/2) CLAYSTONE, soft and mostly massive, dark brown carbonaceous bands 47.56 – 47.70, 47.80 – 47.85 & 48.01 – 48.04 m, two intermediate-angle joints with slickensides at 47.8 m and 48.0 m

48.19 48.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, closely fractured with strong brown ferrans on joint planes

48.5 49.8 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, finely laminated, slightly fractured with brown ferrans and dark brown carbonaceous material on joint faces, brown carbonaceous band 48.82 – 49.19 m, pale greenish grey fine sandstone band 48.7 – 48.75 m, mudstone noticeably sandy 49.19 – 49.5 m

49.8 50.37 Grey (5Y 6/1) grading downward to dark greyish brown (2.5Y 4/2) MUDSTONE, massive

50.37 50.66 Light greenish grey (5G 7/1) clayey fine SANDSTONE

50.66 51.5 Light greenish grey (5G 7/1) MUDSTONE, slightly fractured, sandy band 51.27 – 51.41 m

51.5 51.93 Light greenish grey (5G 7/1) sandy MUDSTONE

51.93 52.28 Light greenish grey (5G 7/1) clayey fine SANDSTONE, brown and yellowish brown bands of loose clayey fine sand ≤ 20 mm thick

52.28 53.47 Greyish brown (2.5Y 5/2) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, rock massive apart from fracture zone 52.5 – 52.73 m, dark grey carbonaceous band 52.83 – 53.04 m

53.47 53.55 Very dark grey (2.5Y 3/1) highly carbonaceous MUDSTONE, massive


53.9 54.5 Grey (2.5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, massive

54.5 55.77 Grey (2.5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, becoming SANDY MUDSTONE below 54.72 m, fractured with brown ferrans on joint faces

55.77 56.5 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) and dark greyish brown (2.5Y 4/2) varved SHALE, un-fractured, black coal seam 54.46 – 56.48 m

56.5 57.63 Dark grey (2.5Y 4/1) carbonaceous SANDY MUDSTONE, very thin (1 – 2 mm) pale grey sandy laminae throughout, abundant dark brown carbonaceous bands (1 – 2 mm thick) imparting an almost varved appearance

57.63 58.5 Light olive brown (2.5Y 5/6) clayey fine SANDSTONE, a few loose sand bands in the interval 57.63 – 58.3 m, colour gradually darkening to olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) below 58.3 m, strongly pyritic in the interval 58.3 – 585 m, fracture zone 58.47 – 58.5 m

159




22.4 57.6 Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 22.4 – 53.5 m)

57.6 58.5+ Drildool Beds

Completion Details

From To Material




Core recovery


Loss (m) % return

0.00 2.50 2.40 0.10 96

2.50 4.50 1.10 0.90 55

4.50 6.50 1.15 0.85 58

6.50 8.50 1.00 1.00 50

8.50 10.50 2.00 0.00 100

10.50 12.50 1.70 0.30 85

12.50 14.50 2.00 0.00 100

14.50 16.50 1.15 0.85 58

16.50 18.50 2.00 0.00 100

18.50 20.50 1.50 0.50 75

20.50 22.50 1.00 1.00 50

22.50 24.50 1.50 0.50 75

24.50 25.74 0.92 0.32 74

25.74 26.50 0.76 0.00 100

26.50 28.50 2.00 0.00 100

28.50 30.50 2.00 0.00 100

30.50 32.50 1.40 0.60 70

32.50 34.50 2.00 0.00 100

34.50 36.50 1.70 0.30 85

36.50 38.50 2.00 0.00 100

38.50 40.50 2.00 0.00 100

40.50 42.50 2.00 0.00 100

160


Loss (m) % return

42.50 44.50 2.00 0.00 100

44.50 46.50 2.00 0.00 100

46.50 48.50 2.00 0.00 100

48.50 50.50 2.00 0.00 100

50.50 52.50 2.00 0.00 100

52.50 54.50 1.65 0.35 83

54.50 56.50 2.00 0.00 100

56.50 58.50 2.00 0.00 100

Notes


2. Palynology samples 42.02 – 42.16 & 58.3 – 58.4 m.


4. EC = 3 600 µS/cm


161

LMQ15 ‘Ingelara’ (Auscott Warren)

Coordinates: 556675, 6496651

Target Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 2 (AEM indicates channel sands in the 30-40 m and 40-60 m slices. LMQ15 is located toward the NE edge of the channel feature).

Date Drilled: 16/08/2007 – 17/8/2007


From To Lithology

0 1 Brown calcareous CLAY, medium plasticity, blocky, rough – faced peds with incipient cutans

1 2.5 Brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

2.5 5.5 Pale olive grey CLAY, high plasticity

5.5 6 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

6 11 Pale yellowish grey CLAYEY fine SAND coarsening downward to clayey medium sand

11 12 Mottled pale grey, yellowish brown and reddish brown SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

12 14 Pale grey CLAY (medium plasticity) with reddish brown clayey sand bands, soft black ironstone bands 13 – 14 m

14 16 Mottled pale grey and brown CLAYEY fine SAND

16 18 Pale grey CLAYEY medium SAND, 30% coarse sand – fine gravel bands 17 – 18 m, minor bands 16 – 17 m

18 19 Mottled pale grey and reddish brown SANDY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

19 21 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine to medium SAND

21 22 Reddish brown medium SAND with 30% pale grey clay-bands

22 24 Mottled brown and pale grey SANDY CLAY (low plasticity) with clayey fine sand and silt bands

24 25 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAYEY medium SAND

25 27 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey fine SANDY CLAY (low plasticity) with clayey fine sand bands and minor bands of dark brown soft ironstone (ferruguised fine sand)

27 28 Mottled pale grey and brown CLAYEY SILT with fine sand and soft ironstone bands

28 29 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND with minor medium sand bands

29 31 Mottled brown and pale grey CLAYEY coarse SAND, minor soft dark brown ironstone bands 30 – 31 m

31 33 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY medium SAND , 20% coarse sand bands 32 – 33 m

162

From To Lithology

33 36 Pale grey SILTY CLAY (low plasticity) with grey and brown fine sand bands

36 37 Yellowish brown coarse SAND (90% frosted quartz, 10% lithic fragments, sub-angular to sub-rounded, poorly sorted) 10% fine gravel bands, minor grey clay-bands

37 42.5 Pale yellowish grey coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (90% frosted quartz, 10% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted), 10% pale grey clay-bands 37 – 40 m

42.5 44 Mottled pale yellow and pale grey CLAY with trace weathered carbonaceous shale bands

44 46 Greenish grey CLAY with minor dark grey weathered carbonaceous shale bands

46 47 Pale pistachio green CLAY with minor dark grey weathered carbonaceous shale bands

47 48 Dark grey clayey carbonaceous SHALE

48 50 Pale greenish grey CLAY with 10 -20% dark grey carbonaceous shale bands

50 51 Dark yellowish brown CLAY with 30% black carbonaceous shale bands

51 52.5 Black carbonaceous SHALE with minor dark brown mudstone bands

52.5 64 Bluish grey SHALE with 10% pale grey and yellowish brown mudstone and siltstone bands (30% 54 – 58 m)

64 72 Inter-bedded bluish grey SILTSTONE and FINE SANDSTONE, 20% pale grey and yellowish brown mudstone bands, a few thin black carbonaceous clay bands




42.5 64 Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 42.5 – 51 m)

64 72+ Drildool Beds

Completion Details

From To Material




163

Notes


2. Palynology samples 51-52 and 71-72 m

3. Top part of weathering profile (pipeclay) removed by erosion of Cainozoic sediments


5. EC = 4 930 µS/cm


164

LMQ15A ‘Ingelara’ (Auscott Warren)

Coordinates: 555373, 6495306

Target Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 2(a). (AEM indicates channel sands in the 30-40 m and 40-60 m slices. LMQ15A is located at the centre of the channel feature)

Date Drilled: 17/08/2007 – 18/8/2007


From To Lithology

0 1.5 Dark brown SILTY LOAM

1.5 2 Grey CLAY, high plasticity

2 7 Greyish brown CLAY, high plasticity, trace gypsum, minor manganese staining, calcrete nodules throughout

7 12 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND gradually coarsening downward to clayey medium sand, 20% clay-bands 7 – 8 m, 10% clay-bands 8 – 9 m. 20% course sand bands 11-12 m

12 13 Pale grey medium SAND (quartzose (clear), subangular, poorly sorted)

13 14 Pale brownish grey coarse SAND (80% quartz, 20% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted)

14 15 Brown coarse quartzose SAND overlying fine GRAVEL (60% frosted quartz, 40% lithic fragments, sub-rounded with many tabular grains, moderately well sorted)

15 16 Brown fine GRAVEL (70% frosted quartz, 30% lithic fragments), many tabular grains, mostly sub-angular, poorly sorted

16 18 Mottled olive grey and brown dense CLAY, high plasticity, abundant mangans

18 19 Mottled pale grey and pale brown SILTY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

19 24 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey lean CLAY, medium plasticity, friable

24 29 Yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

29 36 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown lean CLAY, low to medium plasticity, minor soft black weathered ironstone bands

36 37 Greyish brown medium SAND (quartzose, sub-angular, poorly sorted) 10% grey and brown clay-bands 36 – 36.5 m

37 43.5 Yellowish brown fine SANDY CLAY, low to medium plasticity, 10 -20% pale grey clay-bands

43.5 44 Pale yellowish grey coarse SAND (quartzose {half fractured, half clear}, sub-angular, moderately well sorted)

44 47.5 Yellowish brown coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (90% frosted quartz, 10% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted)

47.5 50 Yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

165

From To Lithology

50 53 Pale grey clean coarse SAND (quartzose {80% clear, 20% frosted}, minor lithic fragments, sub-rounded, well sorted), 10% fine gravel bands

53 57 Pale yellowish grey kaolinite CLAY (low plasticity) with bands of clayey fine sand

57 58 Yellow kaolinite CLAY (low plasticity) with bands of soft white weathered fine sandstone

58 60 Greenish grey CLAY with bands of dark weathered carbonaceous mudstone

60 66 Bluish grey SILTSTONE with pale grey and pale brown fine sandstone and mudstone bands (30% 60 – 61 m, 20% 61 – 63 m, 10% 63 – 66 m)




53 66+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 53 – 60 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes




4. EC = 7 520 µS/cm


166

LMQ16 ‘Buttabone’ (Twynam)

Coordinates: 558662, 6528700

Target Low conductivity Cainozoic sediments overlying conductive saprolite on the Rolling Downs Group in a belt west of Mt Harris – Mt Foster (AEM indicates conductivity increases downward from 100 mS/m to 250 mS/m in the 30 – 40 m depth slice. The AEM also indicates conductivity increases downward in the underlying saprolite from 350 mS/m to 500 mS/m in the 60 – 80 m depth slice)

Date Drilled: 10/10/2007 – 15/10/2007


From To Lithology

0 0.52 Dark brown SILTY LOAM, root zone 0 – 0.1 m

0.52 0.82 Dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) calcareous CLAY, firm drilling, Ca/Si pedodes ≤ 30 mm diameter, small blocky peds to apedal, medium to high plasticity

0.82 1.1 Mottled dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) SANDY CLAY (hardpan), high plasticity, dense and tough, apedal, sesquioxide nodules and manganese staining on joint planes

1.1 2.5 Core loss (SANDY CLAY)

2.5 3.08 Mottled greyish brown (10YR 5/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) SANDY CLAY, high plasticity, dense, apedal, calcareous geodes ≤ 20 mm

3.08 3.64 Strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAY, high plasticity, apedal, fractured with grey clay veins and tubules, sesquioxide coatings on joint and craze planes, dense and tough

3.64 4.5 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) CLAYEY fine SAND, semi-consolidated, hard and massive, abundant grey clay veins with rootlets, sesquioxide coatings on joint and craze planes, many voids filled with clay, becoming slightly porous and softer in bottom 20cm

4.5 4.8 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) SILTY fine SAND, abundant grey clay veins

4.8 5.33 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) clayey fine SANDSTONE (hardpan), grey clay veins and bands, abundant sesquioxide staining on veins and planes

5.33 5.75 Mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and grey (10YR 6/1) fine SANDY CLAY, friable, medium plasticity, minor black manganese staining on planes, a few root channels

5.75 6.03 Mottled brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAYEY fine SAND, becoming firmer with depth

6.03 6.5 Core loss (CLAYEY fine SAND)

6.5 6.59 Mottled brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, massive and slightly porous, some sesquioxide aggregations (≤ 30 mm)

167

From To Lithology

6.59 6.93 Mottled brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAYEY fine to medium SAND, sesquioxide staining on planes

6.93 7.28 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and grey (10YR 6/1) coarse SAND, moderately porous with some clay in matrix, minor grey clay-bands, soft and saturated by drilling fluid, coarsening downward

7.28 8.7 Core loss (coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL)

8.7 9.22 Mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and grey (10YR 6/1) coarse quartzose SAND, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted, moderately porous with some clay in matrix, grey clay-bands in basal 80 mm

9.22 10.5 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, apedal, sesquioxide nodules and minor manganese staining on joint planes

10.5 13.02 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine SANDY CLAY, contains hard Si/Ca nodules (≤ 40 mm), black sesquioxide nodules in basal 20cm

13.02 14.36 Mottled pale grey (10YR 7/1) and brown (10YR 5/3) slightly clayey coarse SAND (quartzose, poorly sorted, sub-angular), minor grey clay veins and bands


14.5 14.6 Mottled pale grey (10YR 7/1) and brown (10YR 5/3) coarse SAND (quartzose, poorly sorted, sub-angular), scattered pebbles, large (~100 mm) very hard silicified and calcareous pedode

14.6 15.95 Pale grey (10YR 7/1) SILTY CLAY, low plasticity, friable, apedal, yellowish brown fine sand bands and aggregations

15.95 16.5 Core loss (CLAYEY SAND?)

16.5 18.5 Mottled strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and pale grey (10YR 7/1) CLAYEY fine SAND, massive and porous, jointed with sesquioxide coatings on faces, sesquioxide aggregations (≤ 25 mm), clay content increasing downwards, grey clay-bands below 17.85 m

18.5 19.4 Pale grey (7.5YR 7/1) SILTY fine SAND, a few dark brown aggregations of loose fine sand (≤ 30 mm)

19.4 19.95 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and brown (10YR 5/3) fine to medium SAND, loose and saturated by drilling fluid

19.95 19.97 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and brown (10YR 5/3) medium to coarse SAND, loose and saturated by drilling fluid

19.97 20.5 Core loss (coarse SAND)

20.5 21.2 Banded grey (10YR 6/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/4) coarse quartzose SAND, moderately well sorted and sub-rounded, pebble bands throughout, grey clay-band 20.87 – 20.92 m

21.2 23.4 Core loss (SAND/GRAVEL)

23.4 23.98 Brown (10YR 5/3) coarse SAND, loose and saturated by drilling fluid

23.98 24.47 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAY, friable, low to medium plasticity

24.47 24.54 Mottled brown (10YR 5/3) and grey (10YR 6/1) CLAY, dense and tough, high plasticity

168

From To Lithology

24.54 24.7 Mottled pale grey (10YR 7/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) SANDY CLAY, friable, low to medium plasticity, apedal, joint planes

24.7 25.7 Mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and grey (10YR 5/1) fine SANDY CLAY, medium to high plasticity, massive, semi-consolidated, black sesquioxide nodules and staining on joint faces

25.7 27.5 Mottled strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) and grey (10YR 5/1) CLAY, high plasticity, dense and tough, some vertical clay veins, grading to fine sandy clay below 26.5 m, black manganese staining on joint and craze planes below 26.5 m, strong brown colour gradually changing to red (5YR 5/8) below 26.5 m

27.5 28.5 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) fine SANDY CLAY, high plasticity, dense and tough, sparse rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout

28.5 30.92 Yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) fine SANDY CLAY, friable, medium plasticity, many grey clay-bands and vertical veins, rounded quartz grains (2-3 mm) throughout (particularly abundant below 29.5 m), prominent brown cutans 29.0 – 29.5 m

30.92 32.0 Yellowish red (5YR 5/8) CLAYEY fine to medium SAND, numerous grey clay veins and aggregations (≤ 60 mm), strong red and grey cutans

32.0 32.35 Yellowish red (5YR 5/8) medium SAND, coarsening downward to coarse sand, grey clay veins and some red and grey cutans


32.5 33.0 Reddish brown (5YR 5/3) medium to coarse quartzose SAND (poorly sorted, sub-angular, 50% of grains frosted), small amount of clay in pores, vertical veins of grey clayey medium sand

33.0 33.3 Reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (≤ 4 mm), approximately 2/3 clear quartz, 1/3 frosted quartz, minor lithic fragments, pebble bands (sometimes with sesquans), minor vertical grey clay veins

33.3 35.11 Core loss (SAND – GRAVEL)

35.11 35.5 Reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) coarse SAND, some pale grey mottled zones, pebble bands, some weakly cemented ferruginised bands up to 60 mm thick

35.5 36.29 Banded grey (10YR 6/1) and brown (10YR 5/3) fine GRAVEL, 2/3 quartz grains (~50% frosted) and 1/3 lithic fragments, minor clay in matrix pores, some soft black ferruginous bands up to 10 mm thick, minor pale grey clay-bands

36.29 36.35 Strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) CLAY, high plasticity, dense, minor pale grey mottles


36.5 36.96 Mottled reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/6) and grey (5Y 6/1) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, dull earthy fabric

36.96 37.75 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/8) and grey (2.5YR 6/1) CLAY, high plasticity, dense, apedal, minor sesquioxide nodules below 37.5 m


38.5 40.13 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/8) and grey (2.5YR 6/1) CLAY, high plasticity at top grading to medium plasticity at base, friable below 39.5 m, clay

169

From To Lithology becoming sandy below 39.5 m


40.15 40.5 Core loss (medium SAND)

40.5 40.54 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/8) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

40.54 40.6 COBBLES band

40.6 40.69 Greenish grey (5GY 6/1) SANDY CLAY, medium to high plasticity

40.69 40.86 Pale brown (10YR 6/3) coarse SAND, loose, saturated by drilling fluid

40.86 41.0 Dark brown (10YR 4/3) ferruginised medium to coarse SANDSTONE, soft


42.9 43.36 Grey (2.5YR 6/1) medium SAND, loose in the interval 42.9 – 43.3 m, slightly clayey and cohesive 43.3 – 43.36 m

43.36 44.5 Mottled grey (2.5YR 6/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) CLAY, medium plasticity, massive, some yellowish brown aggregations of fine sandy clay (≤ 50 mm), aggregations contain minor reddish brown sesquans, dark brown ironstone bands (≤ 20 mm thick) in the interval 44.05 – 44.3 m

44.5 49.24 Grey (5Y 5/1) CLAY (completely weathered mudstone), apedal, medium plasticity, dark red and dark brown ironstone bands 44.50 – 44.60, 45.55 – 45.60, 45.75 – 45.90, 46.26 – 46.31 & 46.40 – 46.50 m, dark red ironstone aggregations, veins and bands below 46.6 m (except for the interval 47.65 – 47.9 m)

49.24 50.5 Core loss (CLAY – completely weathered mudstone/claystone)

50.5 51.7 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) CLAY (completely weathered mudstone/claystone), yellowish brown mottled zones contain rounded quartz grains (≤ 2 mm), fractured with brown sesquans on joint planes

51.7 52.7 White (5Y 8/2) kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, soft and crumbly, dark red ironstone band in fracture zone 51.86 – 52.03 m, a few joints with slickensides, long vertical fracture 52.3 – 52.7 m with dark red ironstone infill (10 mm thick)

52.7 55.5 Pale grey (5Y 7/1) MUDSTONE, intensely fractured (crumbles into brittle cubes 20 – 30 mm), dark red ironstone bands 52.98 – 53.05, 53.20 – 53.52, 54.30 – 54.36 and 54.40 – 54.50 m, mauve coatings on vertical joints 54.5 – 54.7 m, pale grey silicified fine to medium sandstone bands below 54.7 m (≤ 60 mm thick)

55.5 56.5 Pale grey (5Y 7/1) SANDY MUDSTONE, very closely fractured (rock falls apart in core), pale grey fine to medium sandstone bands throughout (≤ 60 mm thick), completely weathered clayey fine sandstone band 56.41 – 56.45 m, dark red ironstone band 56.34 – 56.41 m

56.5 60.5 Pale grey (5Y 7/1) CLAYEY medium SANDSTONE, kaolinitic, soft, pale grey completely weathered mudstone (clay) bands (≤ 40 mm thick), afew hard silicified mauve-coloured bands, dark red brittle ironstone (ferruginised fine sandstone) bands 56.68 – 56.85, 57.16 –

170

From To Lithology 57.25, 58.25 – 58.36, 58.75 – 58.81, 59.13 – 59.25 & 59.65 – 60.0 m, very hard siliceous band 60.4 – 60.5 m

60.5 62.12 Pale grey (5Y 7/1) gradually changing to pale greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, dark red ironstone band 60.88 – 61.09 m, rock closely fractured (5 – 10 cm spacing) with alternating hard and soft bands, very hard siliceous zone 60.5 – 60.8 m

62.12 62.30 Very dusky red (10R 2/2) IRONSTONE (completely ferruginised sandy mudstone)

62.30 62.5 Pale greenish grey (5GY 7/1) MUDSTONE, soft, closely fractured with dark red sesquans and veins

62.5 62.85 Light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, soft

62.85 62.94 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, soft

62.94 64.77 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYSTONE, soft, yellow (2.5Y 3/2) mottles throughout, very dark greyish brown (10YR 3/2) colour band 63.02 – 63.2 m, mottles becoming olive yellow (5Y 6/8) below 63.5 m

64.77 65.55 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYSTONE, soft, minor yellowish brown mottles, brown ferrans on joint planes

65.55 65.7 Pale yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) fine SANDSTONE, soft

65.7 66.35 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) fine SAND (completely weathered fine sandstone), very soft with some clay-bands (≤ 20 mm thick), thin yellowish brown soft fine sandstone bands 66.2 – 66.35 m


66.5 66.66 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) MUDSTONE, contains some thin fine sand bands

66.66 66.82 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, soft, fractured with brown ferrans on joint planes

66.82 67.17 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) SANDY MUDSTONE

67.17 67.4 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, soft with thin clay-bands

67.4 67.5 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYSTONE, soft, brown ferrans on joint planes

67.5 67.69 Strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) MUDSTONE, laminated, brittle and fractured with dark brown and black ferrans on joint faces and bedding planes

67.69 68.5 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) CLAYSTONE, soft, abundant dark brown and black ferrans on joint planes, prominent high-angle joint with slickensides and brown cutans 68.4 – 68.5 m (also contains white Ca/Si precipitate band 2 mm thick)

68.5 69.0 Pale grey (5Y 7/1) MUDSTONE, massive, very dark grey carbonaceous band 68.82 – 68.83 m, yellowish brown pyritic siltstone band 68.95 – 69.0 m


70.5 71.2 Light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) SANDY MUDSTONE, fractured (spacing ~ 20cm), slickensides and yellowish brown cutans on joint planes

71.2 71.5 Core loss (MUDSTONE?)

171




36.3 71.5 Rolling Downs Group (Weathered profile extends beyond 71.2 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Core recovery


Loss (m) % return

0 2.5 1.1 1.4 55

2.5 4.5 2.0 0 100

4.5 6.5 1.53 0.47 76.5

6.5 8.5 0.78 1.22 39

8.5 10.5 1.8 0.2 90

10.5 12.5 0.8 1.2 40

12.5 14.5 1.86 0.14 93

14.5 16.5 1.45 0.55 72.5

16.5 18.5 2 0 100

18.5 20.5 1.47 0.53 73.5

20.5 22.5 0.7 1.3 35

22.5 24.5 1.1 0.9 55

24.5 26.5 2 0 100

26.5 28.5 2 0 100

28.5 30.5 2 0 100

30.5 32.5 1.85 0.15 92.5

32.5 34.5 0.8 1.2 40

34.5 36.5 1.24 0.76 62

36.5 38.5 1.25 0.75 62.5

38.5 40.5 1.65 0.35 82.5

40.5 42.5 0.5 1.5 25

42.5 44.5 1.6 0.4 80

44.5 46.5 2.0 0 100

46.5 48.5 2 0 100

172


Loss (m) % return

48.5 50.5 0.74 1.26 37

50.5 52.5 1.8 0 100

52.5 54.5 2.2 0 100

54.5 56.5 2 0 100

56.5 58.5 2 0 100

58.5 60.5 2 0 100

60.5 62.5 2 0 100

62.5 64.5 2 0 100

64.5 66.5 2 0 100

66.5 68.5 2 0 100

68.5 70.5 0.5 1.5 25

70.5 71.5 0.7 0.3 70

Notes


2. Palynology samples 68.78 – 68.86 m


4. EC = 3 700 µS/cm


173

LMQ17 ‘Merryanbone’ (Canonba Road)

Coordinates: 542901, 6520805

Target Trangie – Nevertire Palaeochannel 3 (AEM indicates low conductivity sediments in the 30 – 40 m and 40 – 60 m slices. LMQ17 is located in the middle of the channel feature)

Date Drilled: 3/9/2007 – 4/9/2007


From To Lithology

0 1 Greyish brown cracking CLAY, high plasticity, rough blocky peds with incipient cutans, minor slickensides, trace carbonate

1 2 Dark greyish brown SANDY CLAY, high plasticity

2 4 Olive brown dense CLAY, high plasticity, gypsiferous, manganese staining on ped and joint faces

4 6 Pale olive grey CLAY, some yellow brown mottling, medium to high plasticity, minor managanese staining and gypsum

6 15 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAY; medium plasticity at top gradually increasing to high plasticity at bottom

15 23 Mottled grey and yellowish brown dense CLAY, high plasticity, minor hard white mudstone bands 21 – 23 m

23 27 Mottled reddish brown and grey fine SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity, minor manganese staining

27 30 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND grading downward to clayey medium sand

30 32 Greyish brown coarse SAND, 90% quartzose (mostly frosted) grains, 10% lithic fragments, moderately well sorted, sub-rounded; 10% grey clay-bands 30 – 31 m, 20% grey clay-bands 31 – 32 m

32 36 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey fine SANDY CLAY; medium plasticity at top grading to low plasticity at bottom

36 38 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND

38 39 Brown fine to medium SAND, 20% yellowish brown clayey fine sand bands

39 40 Mottled yellowish brown and grey SANDY CLAY, low plasticity, 30% medium and coarse quartzose sand bands, becoming more abundant towards bottom

40 42 Pale greyish brown coarse SAND, quartzose (half frosted grains), moderately well sorted, sub-rounded; 20% yellowish grey clay-bands 40 – 41 m, 10% 41 – 42 m, 10% fine gravel bands 41 – 42 m

42 48 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

48 49 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY SILT

49 52 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey SILTY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

52 55 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity

174

From To Lithology

55 57 Yellowish grey coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (80% quartzose (mostly frosted and fractured grains), 20% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, poorly sorted), 30% grey and yellowish brown clay-bands

57 60 Pale greyish brown coarse SAND, (quartzose (mostly frosted), sub-angular to sub-rounded, poorly sorted), 30% fine and medium sand and clay-bands, large mud loss

60 67.5 Pale grey, with minor yellowish brown mottles, CLAY, tough, high plasticity, boots up in hole 60 – 64 m

67.5 71 White kaolinite CLAY, friable, low plasticity, minor mauve ferruginised fine sand bands

71 73 Banded white and pale yellowish grey CLAY, low plasticity

73 80 Dark brown and bluish grey weathered SHALE with abundant (~50%) grey and yellowish brown clay-bands

80 83 Mottled grey and yellowish brown CLAY with minor grey shale bands

83 90 Dark grey SHALE with pale grey and yellowish brown clay-bands gradually decreasing from 50% at top to 20% at base

90 92 Dark brown to black carbonaceous SHALE, 20% grey and yellowish brown clay-bands

92 96 Black to dark greyish brown carbonaceous SHALE, minor yellowish brown clay-bands, pyritic, minor coal seams




60 96+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 60 – 92 m )

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes




4. EC = 3 530 µS/cm


175

LMQ18 ‘Bealbah’, Warren – Quambone Road

Coordinates: 582780, 6533944

Target Marthaguy Ancestral Stream 1 (AEM indicates a weak dendritic pattern of slightly less conductive material (sand incised into clay) with a conductivity of 300 – 400 mS/m in the 30 – 40 m depth slice which appears to represent the ancestral Marthaguy Creek drainage system. The dendritic pattern is perpetuated and enhanced down through the top 20 m of underlying saprolite (40 – 60 m depth slice) and may represent leaching of salt along preferred pathways in the saprolite)

Date Drilled: 20/10/2007 – 24/10/2007

Drilling Method: Core (100 mm) using Baroid Quik-Mud (polymer), bentonite below 10.5 m

From To Lithology

0 0.1 Grey (7.5YR 6/1) CLAY LOAM

0.1 0.87 Dark grey (7.5YR 4/1) cracking CLAY, high plasticity

0.87 1.8 Brown (7.5YR 4/2) dense CLAY, high plasticity, tough, contains rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout

1.8 2.4 Light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) SANDY CLAY, dense, high plasticity, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout


2.5 2.57 Light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) SANDY CLAY, dense, high plasticity, rounded quartz grains (≤ 3 mm) throughout

2.57 3.92 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/6), brown (7.5YR 5/2) and grey (7.5YR 6/1) SANDY CLAY, friable, low to medium plasticity

3.92 5.9 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/6) and grey (7.5YR 6/1) CLAYEY medium SAND, some soft red weakly cemented fine sandstone bands (≤ 10 mm), minor sesquioxide nodules

5.9 6.9 Mottled red (2.5YR 5/6) and grey (7.5YR 6/1) SANDY CLAY, reasonably friable, medium plasticity, band of weakly cemented clayey sandstone 6.35 – 6.5 m

6.9 7.5 Mottled reddish brown (5YR 5/3) and grey (5YR 6/1) CLAYEY fine SAND, a few weakly cemented bands

7.5 8.0 Mottled reddish brown (5YR 5/3) and grey (5YR 6/1) SILTY CLAY, friable, medium plasticity

8.0 8.5 Grey (10YR 6/1) CLAY, high plasticity, weakly organised with blocky peds, black manganese staining on ped faces and joint planes

8.5 8.88 Mottled grey (5YR 6/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAYEY fine SAND

8.88 10.5 Mottled reddish brown (5YR 5/3) and grey (5YR 6/1) weakly cemented CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, grey clay veins, minor sesquioxide nodules, black manganese/iron staining on joint and craze planes, small calcrete pedodes 9.2 – 9.32 m, white calcite veins (2 – 3 mm thick) 10.4 – 10.5 m

10.5 14.5 Mottled grey (5YR 6/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAYEY medium

176

From To Lithology SAND, unconsolidated down to 12.0 m – weakly cemented 12.0 – 12.5 & 14.0 – 14.5 m, a few grey clay-bands 11.5 – 12.5 m, clay content increasing below 13.5 m

14.5 15.1 Mottled grey (5YR 6/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAYEY medium to coarse SAND

15.1 16.04 Grey (5YR 6/1) slightly CLAYEY medium to coarse SAND, a few pebbles in the interval 15.5 – 16.04 m

16.04 16.10 CLAY/IRONSTONE hardpan

16.10 16.50 Light grey (5YR 7/1) CLAY, low to medium plasticity, brown sesquioxide bands and aggregations

16.50 17.60 Mottled grey (5YR 6/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAY, low plasticity, friable

17.60 18.09 Mottled light grey (7.5YR 7/1) and brown (7.5YR 5/4) CLAYEY fine SAND grading downward to SILTY fine SAND, a few sesquioxide aggregations

18.09 19.72 Strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) medium to coarse SAND, pebble bands throughout, a few weakly cemented ironstone bands 19.5 – 19.72 m

19.72 21.74 Mottled light grey (7.5YR 7/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) coarse SAND, many pebble bands, slightly clayey in the interval 19.35 – 19.5 m, black band pebbles coated with sesquans 19.92 – 19.94 m, rounded pebbles up to 30 mm diameter in the interval 20.65 – 21.5 m (core loss 20.5 – 20.65 m)

21.74 22.5 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) CLAYEY medium to coarse SAND, grading downward to clayey fine to medium sand

22.5 23.4 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) CLAYEY fine SAND

23.4 23.5 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) fine SANDY CLAY, low plasticity, friable

23.5 24.3 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and reddish yellow (7.5YR 6/8) CLAYEY fine SAND, loose, soft

24.3 24.5 Banded brown (7.5YR 5/2) and grey (7.5YR 6/1) SILTY fine SAND

24.5 26.3 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and brown (7.5YR 5/2) slightly CLAYEY coarse SAND, silty clay band 24.58 – 24.82 m, few pebbles 26.2 – 26.3 m

26.3 26.5 Brown (7.5YR 5/2) medium to coarse SAND

26.5 26.7 Mottled light grey (7.5YR 7/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAYEY medium SAND

26.7 30.3 Core loss (SAND?)

30.3 30.5 Reddish brown (5YR 5/3) coarse SAND, loose, minor grey clay-bands and pebble bands

30.5 30.65 Light grey (5YR 7/1) CLAYEY fine SAND, minor clay-bands

30.65 31.5 Brown (7.5YR 5/2) medium SAND, quartzose, saturated

31.5 32.85 Core loss (SAND/GRAVEL)

32.85 33.1 Brown (7.5YR 5/2) medium SAND, loose, saturated

177

From To Lithology

33.1 33.58 Brown (7.5YR 5/2) coarse SAND, loose, saturated, pebble bands (mostly below 33.5 m)

33.58 33.82 Greyish brown (10YR 5/2) medium SAND, loose, saturated

33.82 33.9 Pinkish grey (7.5YR 7/2) coarse SAND, loose, saturated, 10 mm clay-band at top

33.9 34.93 Mottled bluish grey (5B 5/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAYEY SILT, black carbonaceous streaks throughout

34.93 35.1 Reddish brown (5YR 5/3) medium SAND, ironstone bands

35.1 35.4 Mottled light grey (5YR 7/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/3) CLAYEY medium SAND, clay content decreasing downward


36.5 36.73 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and brown (7.5YR 5/4) coarse SAND, minor grey clay-bands

36.73 37.5 Mottled grey (7.5YR 6/1) and brown (7.5YR 5/4) SILTY CLAY, reddish brown ironstone bands, veins and aggregations

37.5 38.17 Banded grey (7.5YR 6/1) and brown (7.5YR 5/4) CLAYEY medium SAND, semi-consolidated (completely weathered sandstone?), a few loose coarse sand bands, minor ironstone bands (≤ 40 mm thick)

38.17 40.5 Mottled bluish grey (5B 5/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAY, low to medium plasticity, massive and apedal, a few ironstone bands and aggregations, plasticity increasing to high below 39.5 m, clay becoming dense and tough with depth

40.5 41.5 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) CLAY (completely weathered shale), low to medium plasticity, yellowish brown and reddish brown ironstone bands and aggregations 40.5 – 41.0 m, bands of coarse quartzose sand 40.5 – 41.0 m, dark red ironstone bands and aggregations 41.0 – 41.5 m

41.5 46.5 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) SANDY MUDSTONE, highly to completely weathered, dark red ironstone bands and aggregations (mostly fractured and invaded by drilling mud), alternating hard and soft bands below 43.5 m (rock in hard bands is brittle and fractures with slickensides on joints)

46.5 47.8 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) MUDSTONE, soft and completely weathered, some grey clay-bands

47.8 48.5 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and maroon IRONSTONE (completely ferruginised mudstone), minor grey mudstone and clay-bands, rock brittle and fractured

48.5 52.5 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) SANDY MUDSTONE, highly to completely weathered, abundant dark red ironstone bands and aggregations (prominent dark red ironstone band 50.66 – 50.88 m) throughout, mudstone soft but ironstone brittle and fractured

52.5 54.5 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) MUDSTONE, completely weathered, rock brittle and fractured throughout, prominent red and reddish brown ironstone bands 52.7 – 52.8 m & 53.12 – 53.28 m, thin and diffuse reddish brown and yellowish brown ironstone bands 53.5 – 54.5 m, small pinkish grey sesquioxide aggregations throughout

54.5 55.5 Grey (2.5Y 5/1) silicified fine SANDSTONE, brittle and highly fractured with dark red (10R 3/6) coatings on joint planes and bedding plane partings, band of very hard grey mudstone at 54.50 – 54.56 m

178

From To Lithology

55.5 56.5 Light grey (2.5Y 6/1) silicified fine SANDSTONE, brittle and highly fractured, a few grey clay-bands ≤ 20 mm thick, pinkish grey (55.50 – 55.55 m & 55.86 – 55.95 m) and yellowish brown (56.20 – 56.25 m) clay/ironstone bands

56.5 58.7 Light grey (2.5Y 6/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, very low porosity due to infilling of pores by kaolinite, some thin hard silicified bands, grey clay/mudstone bands ≤ 20 mm thick, particularly in the interval 57.5 – 58.5 m, dark red ironstone band 58.5 – 58.6 m

58.7 59.5 Mottled light bluish grey (5B 7/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, numerous bluish grey clay-bands, rock mostly soft but becoming hard and brittle below 59.2 m

59.5 60.5 Mottled brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) and light bluish grey (5B 7/1) CLAYSTONE, soft




36.7 60.5+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile extends beyond 60.5 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Core recovery

From To Recovery (m) Loss (m) % return 0 2.5 2.4 0.1 96

2.5 4.5 2 0 100

4.5 6.5 2 0 100

6.5 8.5 2 0 100

8.5 10.5 2 0 100

10.5 12.5 2 0 100

12.5 14.5 2 0 100

14.5 16.5 2 0 100

16.5 18.5 2 0 100

18.5 20.5 2 0 100

20.5 22.5 1.85 0.15 92.5

179

From To Recovery (m) Loss (m) % return 22.5 24.5 2 0 100

24.5 26.5 1.9 0.1 95

26.5 28.5 0.2 1.8 10

28.5 30.5 0.2 1.8 10

30.5 32.5 1 1 50

32.5 34.5 1.65 0.35 82.5

34.5 36.5 0.9 1.1 45

36.5 38.5 2 0 100

38.5 40.5 2 0 100

40.5 41 0.5 0 100

41 42.5 1.5 0 100

42.5 44.5 2 0 100

44.5 46.5 2 0 100

46.5 48.5 2 0 100

48.5 50.5 2 0 100

50.5 52.5 2 0 100

52.5 54.5 2 0 100

54.5 56.5 2 0 100

56.5 58.5 2 0 100

58.5 60.5 2 0 100

Notes


2. Palynology samples 34.25 – 34.35, 40.45 – 40.50 & 60.15 – 60.30 m


4. EC = 11 500 µS/cm


180

LMQ21 ‘Burrima’ (Macquarie Marshes Environmental Trust)

Coordinates: 549053, 6604774

Target Conductive Cainozoic sediments and saprolite in the Northern Macquarie Marshes (AEM indicates бb is in the range 600 – 800 mS/m between 5 m and 60 m depth)

Date Drilled: 24/9/2007 – 9/10/2007


From To Lithology

0 0.10 Black SANDY LOAM and root material, saturated by drilling fluid

0.10 0.85 Dark grey SILTY CLAY, medium to high plasticity, mostly saturated by drilling fluid

0.85 1.40 Greyish brown (10YR 5/2) SANDY CLAY, high plasticity, dense, sparse calcrete nodules, rounded frosted quartz grains (≤ 2 mm) throughout


2.50 3.71 Mottled pale olive (5Y 6/3) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) CLAY, high plasticity, poorly developed small blocky peds, manganese staining, rounded quartz grains (≤ 2 mm) sparsely disseminated 2.5 – 3.18 m but becoming abundant in the interval 3.18 – 3.71 m, minor bluish grey (5B 5/1) mottles below 3.0 m, abundant fine and fibrous root channels (mainly replaced by manganese/iron) below 3.2 m


4.50 4.88 Mottled pale olive grey (5Y 6/2), yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and bluish grey (5B 5/1) SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity, grading to clayey medium to coarse sand in bottom 20cm

4.88 5.94 Light grey (5YR 7/1) CLAY with abundant reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) SAND aggregations, low to medium plasticity, some red cutans developed on vertical burrows 5.5 – 5.94 m


6.50 8.57 Mottled light grey (5Y 6/1) and reddish yellow (5YR 6/8) CLAYEY medium to coarse SAND, spherical aggregations of loose yellow medium sand ≤ 70 mm, clay content decreasing downward, some loose medium sand bands 7.5 – 8.24 m, core loss 8.24 – 8.5 m in sand

8.57 11.03 Mottled light grey (5Y 6/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity, apedal, aggregations of yellowish red medium sand, fine fibrous root channels 8.57 – 8.9 m

11.03 11.40 Mottled light grey (10YR 7/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAYEY coarse SAND

11.40 11.50 Light grey (10YR 7/1) CLAYBOUND medium GRAVEL, gravel fragments are rounded and tabular lithic and quartz grains ≤ 20 mm, long axes of grains parallel to bedding

11.5 12.5 Core loss (loose SAND/GRAVEL)

181

From To Lithology

12.5 12.65 Multicoloured medium GRAVEL (≤ 25 mm), 50% lithic fragments, 50% quartz (rounded, elongated)

12.65 13.40 Light grey (10YR 7/1) with brown (10YR 5/3) colour banding coarse SAND, pebble and gravel bands, loose, saturated

13.40 13.50 Mottled light grey (5YR 7/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/4) SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity, apedal

13.50 14.5 Mottled light grey (5YR 7/1) and yellowish red (5YR 5/8) CLAY, medium plasticity, apedal with some cutans on craze planes, minor sesquioxide coatings on joint and craze planes

14.5 16.37 Core loss (cuttings indicate medium clay-bound GRAVEL ≤ 25 mm, rounded, elongated, many tabular grains, 60% frosted quartz, 40% lithic fragments)

16.37 18.1 Mottled light grey (5YR 7/1) and yellowish red (5YR 5/8) CLAY, medium plasticity, apedal, minor sesquioxide nodules, clay becoming more friable (low plasticity) below 17 m, a few fine sand bands in bottom 20cm

18.1 18.5 Mottled light grey (5YR 7/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAYEY fine SAND, becoming silty fine sand 18.4 – 18.5 m

18.5 19.9 Core loss (fine SAND)

19.9 20.41 Mottled Light grey (5YR 7/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAY, friable, apedal, aggregations of loose yellowish brown fine to medium sand (≤ 60 mm) in bottom 30cm

20.41 20.5 Mottled Light grey (5YR 7/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) CLAYEY coarse SAND


22.4 22.5 Mottled light grey (5YR 7/1) and reddish brown (5YR 5/4) CLAY, medium plasticity

22.5 23.5 Red (2.5YR 4/8) CLAYEY fine SAND, grey clay-bands, abundant rounded black sesquioxide nodules

23.5 24.2 Red (2.5YR 5/6) IRONSTONE, soft, impregnated with abundant sesquioxide nodules and some grey clay-bands

24.2 24.3 Red (2.5YR 4/8) lithic GRAVEL, sub-rounded, ≤ 20 mm

24.3 24.4 Core loss (GRAVEL)

24.4 25.0 Red (2.5YR 4/8) lithic GRAVEL, lithic fragments polygenetic, weakly cemented by ironstone, sesquioxide nodules, a few grey clay-bands

25.0 26.16 Mottled red (2.5YR 4/8), yellow (10YR 7/8) and light grey (10YR 7/1) IRONSTONE SAPROLITE, bands of kaolinitic clay

26.16 27.3 Mottled yellow (10YR 7/8) and light grey (10YR 7/1) SAPROLITE CLAY (completely weathered mudstone), massive, bands of white kaolinitic clay, yellow cutans strongly developed on joint planes

27.3 28.03 Core loss (completely altered MUDSTONE/SHALE)

28.03 30.5 White (10YR 8/1) completely weathered kaolinitic SHALE, bands and aggregations of red and yellowish brown soft weathered ironstone, rock generally crumbly, firm red ironstone band 29.25 – 29.62 m, firm yellowish brown ironstone band 29.92 – 30.0 m, hard red ironstone bands 30.03 – 30.35 & 30.46 – 30.5 m

182

From To Lithology

30.5 31.04 Dark red (10R 3/6) IRONSTONE, mostly hard but some soft bands, minor veins and bands of white kaolinitic clay (≤ 50 mm thick)

31.04 31.6 White (5Y 8/1) completely weathered MUDSTONE, crumbly, kaolinitic

31.6 32.4 Dark red IRONSTONE, blocky, fractures, some white clay veins

32.4 32.5 White (5YR 8/1) completely weathered MUDSTONE, kaolinitic, dark red ironstone aggregations

32.5 32.62 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) IRONSTONE, fractured

32.62 33.3 White (5YR 8/1) completely weathered MUDSTONE, kaolinitic, crumbly

33.3 33.5 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) IRONSTONE, fractured, minor maroon and white clay veins and thin clay-bands

33.5 34.5 White (5YR 8/1) completely weathered MUDSTONE, kaolinitic, crumbly, minor dark red sesquioxide aggregations

34.5 37.07 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) IRONSTONE, intensely fractured, rock hard but contains many soft bands and veins of white completely weathered kaolinitic mudstone (one thick band in the interval 35.5 – 36.1 m)

37.07 37.5 White (5Y 8/1) to light grey (N7/1) completely weathered MUDSTONE, massive but crumbly, dark red ironstone aggregations (≤ 40 mm)

37.5 40.5 Light grey (5Y 7/1) weathered MUDSTONE, brittle, dark red iron hydroxide aggregations (≤ 250 mm in the interval 37.5 – 38.5 m, ≤ 50 mm elsewhere), hard band of dark red ironstone 38.5 – 38.6 m, dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and purple (5RP 4/8) soft ironstone bands with abundant clay in the interval 39.85 – 40.35 m

40.5 44.5 Light grey (5Y 7/1) slightly SANDY MUDSTONE, completely weathered, brittle, fractured zone 40.74 – 40.9 m (saturated by mud invasion), red ironstone band 41.2 – 41.3 m, dark red highly fractured ironstone bands 41.52 – 41.8, 42.0 – 42.35, 43.1 – 43.35 & 43.88 – 44.5 m

44.5 44.84 Brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, fractured with purple (5RP 4/8) iron hydroxide coatings on joint planes

44.84 44.98 Light grey (10YR 7/1) MUDSTONE, dark red ironstone aggregations

44.98 45.2 Mauve (5P 7/6) MUDSTONE, thick dark purple iron hydroxide coatings on fracture faces

45.2 45.5 Light grey (5Y 7/1) CLAYSTONE, dark purple iron hydroxide aggregations and coatings on bedding plane partings and joint planes

45.5 46.5 Light red (10R 6/8) SANDY MUDSTONE, highly fractured, dark purple iron hydroxide coatings on joint planes

46.5 48.45 Light grey (5Y 7/1) MUDSTONE, moderately fractured with pink staining on fracture planes


48.5 49.1 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, fractured, soft

49.1 49.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAYSTONE, soft and massive 49.1 – 49.4 m, fractured 49.4 – 49.5 m with prominent red staining on fracture faces

49.5 49.83 Pale red (10R 6/4) CLAYSTONE, closely fractured with dark red iron hydroxide staining on fracture faces

183

From To Lithology

49.83 51.06 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAYSTONE, soft, moderately fractured with pink staining on joint planes 49.83 – 50 m, relatively un-fractured 50 – 51.06 m

51.06 51.58 Grey (5Y 6/1) fine SANDY MUDSTONE, soft, massive 51.06 – 51.4 m, moderately fractured with pale brown staining on joint planes 51.4 – 51.58 m

51.58 52.5 Mottled light grey (5Y 7/2) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, slightly fractured (spacing 10 – 20cm) below 51.95 m with dark brown ferrans on fracture planes

52.5 53.5 Core loss (CLAYEY SANDSTONE)

53.5 54.1 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, minor fracturing with sesquioxide coatings on fracture planes and halos penetrating rock matrix for 2-3 mm

54.1 54.5 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) fine SANDY MUDSTONE, massive apart from one vertical fracture 54.42 – 54.5 m with red Fe coating

54.5 54.83 Mottled grey (10YR 6/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, highly fractured with red and dark brown Fe coatings on fracture planes

54.83 55.34 Yellow (2.5Y 7/8) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture, some soft clayey bands, minor pale grey clay-bands and veins (≤ 5 mm thick)

55.34 56.5 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, generally massive but some fractures {20-30 m spacing} 55.5 – 56.5 m, some fracture faces with slickensides and yellow cutans

56.5 58.5 Greyish brown (10YR 5/2) MUDSTONE, massive , minor dark brown carbonaceous blebs on some bedding plane partings, one fracture with slickensides 58.3 – 58.5 m

58.5 60.6 Light brownish grey (2.5Y 6/2) MUDSTONE, massive with conchoidal fracture, light greenish grey fine clayey sandstone bands 58.57 – 58.60 & 59.17 – 59.25 m, rock grading downward to claystone, thin yellowish brown fine sand bands and veins 60.25 – 60.6 m

60.6 63.57 Dark grey (5Y 4/1) CLAYSTONE, irregular lenses of fine sand sparsely disseminated throughout, closely fractured below 61.5 m, broken zone with ironstone band 61.67 – 61.75 m, light greenish grey fine sandstone bands with irregular slump structures 62.35 – 62.5 m, minor dark brown carbonaceous aggregations (≤ 20 mm) below 62.35 m, soft and loose mud-invaded zone 62.78 – 62.94 m

63.57 65.3 Black (5Y 2/1) carbonaceous MUDSTONE, irregular thin grey fine sandstone bands


184



0 25.0 Cainozoic sediments (0 – 4.9 Marra Creek Formation, 4.9 – 14.5 Bugwah Formation, 14.5 – 22.5 Carrabear Formation, 22.5 – 25.0 Trangie Formation)

25.0 65.3+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 25 – 60.6 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Core recovery


0 2.5 * 1.4 1.1

2.5 4.5 * 1.21 0.79 61

4.5 6.5 * 1.44 0.56 72

6.5 8.5 * 1.74 0.26 87

8.5 10.5 * 2.0 0 100

10.5 12.5 * 1.0 1.0 50

12.5 14.5 * 2.0 0 100

14.5 16.5 * 0.13 1.87 7

16.5 18.5 * 2.0 0 100

18.5 20.5 * 0.6 1.4 3

20.5 22.5 * 0.1 1.9 5

22.5 24.4 1.8 0.1

24.4 26.5 2.1 0 100

26.5 28.03 0.8 0.73

28.03 30.5 2.47 0 100

30.5 32.5 2.00 0 100

32.5 34.5 2.00 0 100

34.5 36.5 2.00 0 100

36.5 38.5 2.00 0 100

38.5 40.5 2.00 0 100

40.5 42.5 2.00 0 100

185


42.5 44.5 2.00 0 100

44.5 46.5 2.00 0 100

46.5 48.5 1.95 0.05 98

48.5 50.5 2.00 0 100

50.5 52.5 2.00 0 100

52.5 54.5 1.00 1.00 50

54.5 56.5 2.00 0 100

56.5 58.5 2.00 0 100

58.5 60.5 2.00 0 100

60.5 62.5 2.00 0 100

62.5 64.5 2.00 0 100

64.5 65.5 0.8 0.2 80


Notes 1. The interval 0 – 22.5 m was re-drilled because of poor initial core recovery

2. Constructed as monitoring bore 3. Palynology samples 17.12 – 17.20 & 65.1 – 65.3 m 4. Airlift rate 4.5 L/sec 5. EC = 26 900 µS/cm 6. SWL = 4.64 m below ground surface (13/11/07)

186

LMQ22 Marthaguy Creek (Gibson’s Way)

Coordinates: 575565, 6580759

Target Marthaguy Ancestral Stream 2 (AEM indicates a weak dendritic pattern of slightly less conductive material (sand incised into clay) with a conductivity of about 400 mS/m in the 30 – 40 m depth slice which appears to represent the ancestral Marthaguy Creek drainage system. The dendritic pattern is perpetuated and enhanced down through the top 20 m of underlying saprolite (40 – 60 m depth slice) and may represent leaching of salt along preferred pathways in the saprolite)

Date Drilled: 7/9/2007 – 8/9/2007

Drilling Method: Mud rotary

From To Lithology

0 1 Dark grey cracking CLAY, high plasticity

1 2 Brownish grey SILTY CLAY, medium to high plasticity

2 6 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY, high plasticity at top grading to medium plasticity at base (becoming more friable with depth)

6 8 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY medium SAND

8 10 Pale yellowish grey medium SAND, 20% yellowish brown clayey fine sand bands 8 – 9 m

10 11 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY medium SAND, minor bands of coarse sand

11 12 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAYEY coarse SAND, 30% clayey fine to medium sand, minor grey clay-bands, minor black weathered ironstone bands

12 13 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND, 20% coarse sand bands

13 14 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium to high plasticity, minor thin cemented fine to medium sand bands

14 16 Pale grey CLAY, high plasticity, soft black ironstone bands and 10% yellowish brown clayey fine sand (weakly cemented) bands

16 18 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAY, medium plasticity

18 19 Pale yellowish grey CLAYEY fine SAND

19 20 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND grading to medium sand with minor clay-bands at base

20 22 Pale yellowish brown medium quartzose SAND

22 25 Brownish grey coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL, quartzose (mostly frosted) with 30% of grains coated with black manganese/iron hydroxide (22 – 23 m), 20% (23 – 24 m), 10% (24 – 25 m), rounded – sub-rounded, moderately well sorted; minor cemented bands of black manganese/iron medium sand

25 27 Mottled brown and pale grey CLAYEY fine SAND, minor pale grey

187

From To Lithology clay-bands

27 29 Pale yellowish grey coarse quartzose SAND, 30% pale grey and yellowish brown clay-bands

29 33 Pale yellowish grey medium quartzose SAND, 20% pale grey and yellowish brown clay-bands

33 35 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY coarse SAND, 20% of quartz grains with black manganese/iron stainings

35 36 Yellowish brown coarse SAND, quartzose (20% of grains with black manganese/iron coatings, sub-rounded, poorly sorted), 30% pale grey clay-bands and yellowish brown cemented fine sand bands

36 38 Pale grey coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL, 10% lithic fragments, 90% quartz (50% frosted, 50% clear), sub-rounded, moderately well sorted

38 39 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND, 30% coarse sand bands (clean)

39 40 Yellowish brown SILTY fine SAND, 10% pale grey clay-bands and 10% fine gravel bands

40 41 Yellowish grey coarse quartzose SAND, 30% pale grey clay-bands and 10% fine gravel bands

41 43 Pale yellowish grey coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL, quartzose (clear), sub-angular to sub-rounded, poorly sorted; 20% of grains with red hematite coatings 42 – 43 m

43 79 Grey MUDSTONE, fissile, strong red oxidised bands 43 – 45 m, hard maroon ironstone bands 43 – 60 m (20% 43 – 45 m, 30% 45 -54 m, 10% 54 – 60 m), 10% yellowish brown and maroon weathered ironstone bands 60 – 79 m

79 85 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey weathered SILTSTONE

85 87.5 Yellowish brown and pale grey CLAY with soft dark grey SHALE bands

87.5 94 Dark grey to black carbonaceous SHALE, 30 – 40% pale bluish grey siltstone bands

94 96 Black carbonaceous SILTSTONE, 20% pale bluish grey bands




43 96+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 43 – 87.5 m)

188

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. Palynology sample 95 – 96 m

3. Not all saprolite preserved – bleached material eroded


5. EC = 22 800 µS/cm


189

LMQ23 ‘Cutbushes’ (Sandy Camp Road)

Coordinates: 566328, 6607814

Target Arcuate highly conductive band at the top of the saprolite east of the Northern Macquarie Marshes (The AEM maps an arcuate highly conductive (~ 1 200 mS/m) band up to 20 m thick and with its upper surface lying 10 m to 20 m below ground surface. It has the appearance of being a dissected weathering surface, perhaps ironstone-rich clay/saprolite)

Date Drilled: 20/9/2007 – 23/9/2007


From To Lithology

0 1.60 Core loss (LOAM overlying CLAY)

1.60 1.90 Brown (10YR 5/3) CLAY, dense, high plasticity, incipient shiny cutans, minor sesquioxide nodules, rounded quartz grains (≤ 2 mm) disseminated throughout

1.90 2.60 Olive grey (5Y 5/2) CLAY, high plasticity, small shiny peds, abundant rounded and shiny sesquioxide nodules (≤ 3 mm) throughout, minor rounded quartz grains, manganese staining on most ped faces


3.45 4.80 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAY, apedal and shiny, high plasticity, abundant small (≤ 10 mm) aggregations of brownish yellow clayey fine sand imparting a pseudo mottled appearance, many joints and craze planes (some with slickensides), black manganese coatings on most joint planes down to 4.1 m, fossil root channels 4.55 – 4.60 m, grading downward to sandy clay of slightly lower plasticity

4.80 6.60 Grey (5Y 6/1) SANDY CLAY, medium to high plasticity, large (20 mm) aggregations of sesquioxide concretions at 5.05 & 5.38 m, slowly grading downward to mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) clayey medium sand

6.60 7.60 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAYEY medium SAND, grey clay-bands 7.3 – 7.5 m, loose medium sand with thin grey clay-bands 7.5 – 7.6 m

7.60 8.50 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAYEY fine SAND

8.50 8.60 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAY, medium to high plasticity, dull earthy fabric with well developed shiny cutans on blocky peds, abundant manganese staining and sesquioxide aggregations up to 30 mm diameter

8.60 10.15 Mottled grey (5Y 6/1) and strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) CLAYEY fine SAND, thin grey clay-bands, bands of loose brown medium sand up to 50 mm thick

10.15 10.60 Core loss (loose medium to coarse SAND)


11.00 11.60 Loose brown (7.5YR 5/4) and grey (7.5YR 6/1) medium SAND coarsening downward to coarse sand at base

190

From To Lithology

11.60 12.60 Strongly mottled red (2.5YR 5/60, purple (5RP 4/8) and light grey (5YR 7/1) to white CLAYSTONE, crumbly, intensively fractures, strongly ferruginised

12.60 13.90 Strongly mottled dark red (10R 3/6) and light grey (5Y 7/1) CLAYSTONE, crumbly, intensively fractures, strongly ferruginised (light grey zones soft, red ferruginised zones hard)

13.90 14.70 Light grey (5Y 7/1) weathered kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, crumbly and fractured, vertical veins of red ferruginised rock 13.9 – 14.4 m

14.70 15.37 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) and pale purple (5P 7/6) weathered arkosic very fine SANDSTONE, abundant light grey kaolinitic clay-bands and veins, fractured with mud invasion in loose broken zone 14.85 – 15.0 m

15.37 15.48 Light grey (5Y 7/1) weathered kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, purple sesquioxide veins and bands

15.48 15.70 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) intensively weathered fine SANDY MUDSTONE, bronze sulphide mineral precipitates on many joint faces

15.70 16.60 Light grey (5Y 7/1) weathered kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, crumbly and highly fractured, dark red and purple bands of hard ferruginised mudstone up to 100 mm thick

16.60 17.60 Light grey (5Y 7/1) to white (5Y 8/2) MUDSTONE, crumbly and fractured, dark red iron hydroxide staining on some fracture planes, broken zone with mud invasion 16.90 – 17.03 m

17.60 18.55 Light grey (5Y 7/1) MUDSTONE, grading downward into silicified fine SANDSTONE, widely spaced (10 – 20cm) high angle fractures, manganese and clay mineral coatings on fracture planes, yellow sulphide mineral precipitate on a few fractures, dark red ferruginised zone 17.97 – 18.20 m, dark red ferruginous aggregates randomly distributed throughout, rock gradually coarsening downward

18.55 18.60 Core loss (fine SANDSTONE)

18.60 19.60 Banded dark red (2.5YR 3/6) {18.6 – 19.0, 19.15 – 19.33 & 19.52 – 19.55 m} and light grey (5Y 7/1) {elsewhere} dirty fine SANDSTONE, fractured with yellow sulphide mineral precipitates on fracture planes, dark red to black manganese/iron precipitates on some joint planes

19.60 19.92 Light grey (5Y 7/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, crumbly

19.92 21.60 Dark red (2.5YR 3/6) arkosic CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, manganese/iron mineral precipitates and cutans on fracture planes, dark red clay-bands up to 50 mm thick, a lot of mud invasion below 20.6 m, light grey mudstone band 21.15 – 21.25 m

21.60 22.80 Banded brown (7.5YR 5/2), red (2.5YR 4/8) and light grey (5Y 7/1) MUDSTONE grading to CLAYSTONE at base, soft with red and brown clay-bands below 22.2 m

22.80 24.60 Yellow (10YR 7/8) MUDSTONE, soft, fractured with red iron staining on planes, minor thin (≤ 1 mm) mauve laminae 22.8 – 23.6 m, soft yellow clay-bands 20 – 30 mm thick in the interval 23.6 – 24.6 m, reddish brown (2.5YR 5/4) and pale red (10R 6/4) claystone bands below 24.35 m

24.60 25.0 Pale red (10R 6/4) MUDSTONE, soft and clayey

191

From To Lithology

25.0 25.25 Yellow (10YR 7/8) MUDSTONE, soft and clayey with purple iron staining on fractures and bedding plane partings

25.25 26.40 Light grey (5Y 7/1) MUDSTONE, soft and clayey (kaolinitic), fractured, soft yellow (10YR 7/8) clayey mudstone band 25.7 – 25.98 m


26.60 28.60 Light grey (5Y 7/1) soft kaolinitic CLAYSTONE, highly weathered, un-fractured

28.60 30.60 Light grey (5Y 7/1) soft kaolinitic MUDSTONE, highly weathered, grading downward to fine SANDY MUDSTONE below 29.5 m, moderately fractured (spacing ~ 20cm) with slickensides below 28.8 m, colour gradually changing to light greenish grey (5GY 7/1) below 29.6 m, thin quartzite vein at 30.5 m

30.60 31.20 Grey (5Y 6/1) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, a few joints (spacing ~ 20cm), one joint in-filled with 1 mm quartzite 30.70 m

31.20 32.40 Pale brown (10YR 7/4) arkosic fine SANDSTONE, extremely weathered, virtually zero porosity due to secondary infilling of pores by clay, joints spaced 20 – 30cm, colour changing to banded yellow (10YR 7/8), light grey (5Y 7/1) and pale brown (10YR 6/3) below 31.6 m, dark brown wispy laminae of carbonaceous clayey fine sand 32.0 – 32.25 m

32.40 34.60 Banded light grey (5Y 7/1) SANDY MUDSTONE and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE, fractured (spacing 10 -20 cm, vertical and horizontal) with goethite and sulphide mineral precipitates on fracture faces, rock mostly soft

34.60 36.22 Banded light grey (5Y 7/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) fine SANDY MUDSTONE, well developed high-angle fractures with black goethite mineral precipitates on joint faces


36.60 38.60 Mottled light grey (10YR 7/1) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) MUDSTONE with CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE inter-beds, vertical fracturing with brown ferrans and cutans, rock becoming soft below 37.6 m where mudstone is more abundant

38.60 39.70 Light grey (10YR 7/1) SANDY MUDSTONE, brownish yellow colour bands up to 30 mm but mostly ≤ 5 mm, moderately fractured with slickensides, mottled and banded pale brown and pale grey claystone with thin black carbonaceous clay-bands and manganese staining 38.9 – 39.16 m

39.70 40.6 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, moderately fractured with slickensides

40.60 43.60 Grey (5Y 6/1) MUDSTONE, abundant brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) thin clayey fine sand bands, a few high angle fractures with slickensides and yellowish brown cutans, soft yellowish brown brecciated zone 42.56 – 42.6 m, black manganese staining on fracture planes below 42.6 m, band of brownish yellow fine sandy mudstone 43.1 – 43.36 m

43.60 44.20 Yellow (10YR 7/8) MUDSTONE grading downward to yellow CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE

44.20 44.35 Olive yellow (5Y 6/6) CLAYEY fine SANDSTONE, dense, virtually zero porosity due to clay infilling of pores

192

From To Lithology




44.70 45.60 Dark bluish grey (5B 4/1) MUDSTONE, minor thin sub-vertical veins of bronze pyritic fine sand (≤ 5 mm), bands of yellow clayey fine sandstone 45.22 – 45.5 m, rhythmically bedded pale grey fine sandy mudstone and black carbonaceous mudstone 45.5 – 45.6 m (very finely laminated)

45.60 48.92 Dark grey (N 4/1) MUDSTONE, pale grey fine sand bands (≤ 1 mm) on bedding plane partings, lenses of black carbonaceous mudstone 46.6 – 47.6 m, dark grey carbonaceous fine sandstone band 48.70 – 48.84 m

48.92 49.6 Core loss (MUDSTONE?)




11.6 49.6+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 11.6 – 45.6 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Core recovery


0 2.6 1.0 1.6

2.6 4.6 1.15 0.85 58

4.6 6.6 2.0 0 100

6.6 8.6 2.0 0 100

8.6 10.6 1.55 0.45 78

10.6 12.6 1.6 0.4 80

12.6 14.6 2.0 0 100

14.6 16.6 2.0 0 100

16.6 18.6 1.95 0.05 98

18.6 20.6 2.0 0 100

193


20.6 22.6 2.0 0 100

22.6 24.6 2.0 0 100

24.6 26.6 1.8 0.2 90

26.6 28.6 2.0 0 100

28.6 30.6 2.0 0 100

30.6 32.6 2.0 0 100

32.6 34.6 2.0 0 100

34.6 36.6 1.62 0.38 81

36.6 38.6 2.0 0 100

38.6 40.6 2.0 0 100

40.6 42.6 2.0 0 100

42.6 44.6 1.85 0.15 93

44.6 46.6 2.0 0 100

46.6 48.6 2.0 0 100

48.6 49.6 0.32 0.68 32

Notes


2. Palynology sample 46.4 – 46.5 m


4. EC = 27 600 µS/cm


194

LMQ26 ‘Blue Light’ (Warren – Carinda Road)

Coordinates: 547355, 6617798

Target Arcuate highly conductive band at the top of the saprolite west of the Northern Macquarie Marshes (This site is the western equivalent of LMQ23. The AEM maps an arcuate highly conductive (~ 1 000 mS/m) band up to 20 m thick and with its upper surface lying about 20 m below ground surface. It has the appearance of being a dissected weathering surface, perhaps ironstone-rich clay/saprolite)

Date Drilled: 9/9/2007 – 10/9/2007


From To Lithology

0 1 Dark grey CLAY, medium to high plasticity

1 5 Pale greyish brown SILTY CLAY, medium plasticity

5 6 Mottled pale grey and brown CLAYEY fine SAND

6 7 Brown coarse SAND, 30% grey clay-bands

7 8 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND

8 9 Pale greenish grey coarse SAND, 20% greenish grey clay-bands

9 10 Greenish grey coarse SAND, quartzose (mostly clear), sub-angular, poorly sorted, 10% greenish grey clay-bands

10 13 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND

13 15 Brown coarse SAND (quartzose, 50% clear – 50% frosted grains, sub-rounded, poorly sorted), minor fine gravel bands, 20% pale grey clay-bands

15 20 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAY, high plasticity

20 22 Red soft weakly cemented CLAYEY fine SAND, 40% pale grey clay-bands, minor dark reddish brown soft thin ironstone bands

22 24 Red ferruginised SILTSTONE, fissile

24 26 Mottled red and pale grey SANDY CLAY, medium plasticity

26 27 Mottled brown and pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity

27 29 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAY, medium plasticity, minor red soft ironstone bands

29 33 Pale grey and white kaolinitic CLAY, low plasticity

33 48 Pale grey kaolinite CLAY (non plastic), maroon and pinkish grey hard ferruginised fine sandstone bands, minor pale grey claystone bands at top gradually increasing to 10% at bottom

48 49 Pale yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity

49 53 Pale brownish grey CLAY, low plasticity

53 65 Pale brown CLAY, low plasticity gradually increasing to medium plasticity at bottom, minor yellowish brown clayey fine sand bands

65 66 Grey CLAY with minor yellowish brown bands, medium plasticity

195

From To Lithology

66 67.5 Yellowish brown CLAY with soft purple ferruginised fine sand bands

67.5 96 Dark grey to black carbonaceous SILTSTONE, soft




15 96 Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile 15 -67.5 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. Palynology samples 70 – 71 and 88 – 90 m


4. EC = 44 600 µS/cm


196

LMQ27 Gum Cowal (‘Oxley Station’ – Clyde Agriculture) Coordinates: 571260, 6566159

Target Low to moderate conductivity finger beneath Gum Cowal (The AEM depicts бb in the Cainozoic sediments as steadily increasing downward from 150 mS/m in the near surface environment to 500 mS/m at 40 m depth. This may indicate the basal sand aquifer contains saline groundwater)

Date Drilled: 5/9/2007 – 6/9/2007


From To Lithology

0 3 Brownish grey cracking CLAY, high plasticity, minor calcrete nodules

3 7 Mottled grey and yellowish brown CLAY, high plasticity, manganese staining

7 8 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown fine SANDY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

8 11 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY fine SAND, soft black weathered ironstone bands

11 12 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity, 20 – 30% bands of clayey fine sand

12 13 Greyish brown medium SAND, 20 – 30% pale grey and yellowish brown clay-bands, minor coarse sand bands at base

13 18 Yellowish brown coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (80% quartz {mostly frosted grains}, 20% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, poorly sorted), 20% grey and yellowish brown clay-bands 13 – 14 m, 10% 14 – 18 m

18 19 Yellowish brown CLAYEY medium SAND, 10% grey clay-bands, minor fine gravel bands

19 23 Yellowish brown coarse quartzose SAND (mostly frosted grains, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted), 20% yellowish brown and pale grey clayey fine sand bands 19 – 20 m, 10% 20 – 23 m, minor fine lithic gravel bands 19 – 21 m, 20 – 30% lithic and quartzose fine gravel bands 19 – 21 m, 10% lithic fine gravel bands 22 – 23 m

23 25 Mottled pale grey and yellowish grey CLAY, high plasticity, minor yellowish brown plastic clay-bands

25 31 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown CLAY, high plasticity, minor manganese staining

31 35 Mottled pale grey and yellowish brown SILTY CLAY, low plasticity, minor yellowish brown weakly cemented fine sand bands, trace weathered black ironstone bands

35 38 Yellowish brown coarse SAND – fine GRAVEL (90% quartz {mostly frosted grains}, 10% lithic fragments, sub-rounded, moderately well sorted), minor pale grey clay-bands, large loss in circulation

38 39 Mottled pale grey and pale yellowish grey CLAY, low to medium plasticity

197

From To Lithology

39 40 Mottled grey and yellowish brown CLAYEY fine SAND

40 48 Mottled grey, pale grey, yellowish brown and white kaolinite CLAY, low plasticity gradually increasing to medium plasticity at bottom

48 50 Mottled pale grey, yellowish brown and reddish brown CLAY, medium plasticity

50 52 Mottled reddish brown and pale grey CLAY, medium plasticity

52 69 Mottled yellowish brown and pale grey SILTY CLAY, low to medium plasticity

69 76 Yellowish brown fine SANDY and SILTY CLAY, low plasticity, minor soft weathered grey shale bands, trace carbonaceous material

76 77 Grey soft weathered SILTSTONE, 30% yellowish brown clay-bands




40 77+ Rolling Downs Group (weathered profile extends beyond 77 m)

Completion Details

From To Material




Notes


2. No palynology samples (all too oxidised)

3. Airlift rate = 2 L/sec

4. EC = 19 300 µS/cm


198

Appendix 2: Geophysical Logs (Gamma and Induction Conductivity) in the NSW Groundwater Bores

All coordinates are given as Easting, Northing, Zone 55 of the Map Grid of Australia 1999 (MGA99). Horizontal Datum: GDA94. Coordinates taken in the field with GPS.

Stratigraphic and lithological interpretation is supplied where available. Interpretations are based on driller’s and geologist’s logs from the NSW Department of Water and Energy (DWE) Groundwater Database (DWE 2007).

Bore_ID Easting Northing Date logged Depth Logged (m)

GW030200 585951 6449617 4/12/2007 205.13

GW036517 636980 6440856 4/12/2007 40.893

GW036534 624850 6429194 4/12/2007 94.03

GW036619 592585 6445394 4/12/2007 35.04

GW036733 571439 6483111 10/12/2007 20.55

GW036950 556586 6601125 18/12/2007 77.13

GW036964 567822 6476799 10/12/2007 56.08

GW036965 548706 6461034 10/12/2007 128.31

GW036969 555574 6602952 18/12/2007 62.23

GW096015 569174 6485085 10/12/2007 19.01

GW096019 584782 6487367 10/12/2007 22.88

GW096026 578419 6516514 18/12/2007 24.11

GW096027 581226 6515103 18/12/2007 21.28

GW801139 558984 6618162 18/12/2007 13.00

GW801148 556496 6591335 18/12/2007 15.99

GW801785 555311 6599940 18/12/2007 27.49

GW801815 553950 6582351 18/12/2007 7.18

GW801816 556961 6582708 18/12/2007 9.18

GW801818 562849 6583444 18/12/2007 9.09

GW801820 568884 6584130 18/12/2007 11.16

GW801825 558428 6562884 18/12/2007 11.76

GW801826 562582 6564683 18/12/2007 13.73

GW801829 562507 6536530 18/12/2007 16.38

GW801833 570783 6540434 18/12/2007 21.92

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

222

223

References

DWE, 2007. NSW Groundwater Data Archive CD Version 2.1. Department of Water and Energy, New South Wales Government.

Kellett, Jim., Mullen, Ian., Mansfield, Dean & Spring, John., 2006. Drilling and geophysical logging for design of airborne electromagnetic survey in the lower Macquarie Valley, New South Wales, Australia. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra, Report

Kellett, Jim., Mullen, Ian., Lockley, Carissa, Mansfield, Dean & Laity, Tania., 2008a. Revised geological interpretation to support the airborne electromagnetic survey in the Lower Macquarie Valley, New South Wales, Australia. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra, Report

Keshwan, M., 1995. River Loss Investigation in the Macquarie River Downstream of Narromine. Department of Land and Water Conservation, Central West Region, Dubbo, Report.

Macphail, Mike. 2008a. Palynostratigraphy of selected cuttings samples, pre-flight drillhole (PFD) sites #1 to #13, Lower Macquarie Valley, north-west New South Wales. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra, Report

Macphail, Mike. 2008b. Palynostratigraphy of selected core and cuttings, stratigraphic drillholes LMQ01 to LMQ26, Lower Macquarie Valley, north-west New South Wales. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra, Report

Sherwin, L. 1997. Narromine 1:250 000 Geological Sheet S1/55-3 Second Edition. Geological Survey of New South Wales, Sydney

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