Thrust System

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The Palmerville fault system: A

major imbricate thrust system in
the Northern Tasmanides, North
Queensland
a b c
R. D. Shaw , J. F. Fawckner & R. J. Bultitude
a
Bureau of Mineral Resources , Canberra, ACT, 2601,
Australia
b
Geology Department , James Cook University , Townsville,
Qld, 4811, Australia
c
Geological Survey of Queensland , Brisbane, Qld, 4000,
Australia
Published online: 01 Aug 2007.
To cite this article: R. D. Shaw , J. F. Fawckner & R. J. Bultitude (1987) The Palmerville fault
system: A major imbricate thrust system in the Northern Tasmanides, North Queensland,
Australian Journal of Earth Sciences: An International Geoscience Journal of the Geological
Society of Australia, 34:1, 69-93, DOI: 10.1080/08120098708729394
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Australian Journal of Earth Sciences (1987) 34, 69-93
The Palmerville fault system: A major imbricate thrust system in the

Northern Tasmanides, North Queensland
R. D. Shaw,1 J. F. Fawckner2 and R. J. Bultitude 3
1
Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
2
Formerly Geology Department, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
3
Geological Survey of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.
Along part of the Precambrian-Palaeozoic boundary in northern Queensland adjacent Palaeozoic

flysch sequences (1) are separated by major reverse faults, (2) differ markedly in sedimentary
characteristics and (3) have anomalous stratigraphic relations suggesting that they were originally
deposited far apart. Internally, the sequences young mainly to the west towards the basement.
These relationships suggest a tectonic model in which the Palmerville Fault is the principal fault
in a complex imbricate thrust system that has resulted in the basement rocks over-riding sediments
of the Hodgkinson Province. The Palmerville Fault has been steepened by later movements on
the underlying faults and by regional shortening. The fault is localized along a pre-existing
(?)Precambrian mylonite zone. A minimum age of Late Carboniferous (300 Ma) has been obtained
for the last major fault movement by K-Ar dating of granitoids intruding the fault.
Key words: imbricate thrust system, Palmerville fault system, Hodgkinson Province, Dargalong Inlier.
INTRODUCTION margin of the Hodgkinson Province in the mid-

Palaeozoic. Rod (1966) suggested that it is a
The Palmerville Fault separates Palaeozoic flysch transcurrent fault connected to the Burdekin River
sequences of the Hodgkinson Province from the Fault Zone (Fig. 1). Bell (1980) interpreted the
multiply deformed metamorphic rocks of the Palmerville Fault, the Burdekin River Fault Zone
Precambrian Dargalong, Yambo and Coen Inliers and the Clarke River Fault to be part of a mega-
in northern Queensland (Fig. 1). The Fault is central fault system bent by later orogeny, because each
to understanding the tectonic evolution of the crust fault system everywhere parallels the regional slaty
in northern Queensland, but has received little cleavage (Si). Where the fault is curved, for
attention since the early work of de Keyser (1963) example, southwest of Chillagoe, bedding (So) and
and de Keyser and Lucas (1968). (Sj) cleavage also curve and maintain parallelism
The Palmerville Fault is an enigmatic feature. It with the fault.
is at least 400 km long, and may have a length of The principal regional geological studies have
750 km (de Keyser 1963), or even longer, if it been compiled and synthesized by de Keyser and
continues southeast and joins the Millaroo Fault Lucas (1968). More recently Stringer (1976) and
System (de Keyser 1963). The trace of the fault has Horton (1977) studied small areas in and adjacent
been obscured southeast of the Dargalong Inlier by to the Palmerville Fault northwest of Chillagoe.
the emplacement of numerous plutons of Permo- Regional geophysical studies include an inconclusive
Carboniferous granitoid which form the Coastal refraction seismic survey (CRUMP) reported by
Range Igneous Province. It strikes due south for Finlayson (1968), and a gravity survey, analysis of
much of its length, but near the Walsh River the which showed that the fault had no gravity
trend changes to southeast (Figs 1, 2). The portion expression at Moho depths, and only a slight gravity
of the fault near Chillagoe is roughly in line with- expression at the surface (Shirley 1979).
the Alice-Palmer Structure (Fig. 1; Smart et al In this paper we re-examine the nature and signi-
1980). De Keyser and Lucas (1968) regarded the ficance of the Palmerville Fault. Our approach is
Palmerville Fault as an east-block-down normal substantially based on regional geology, but
fault that possibly underwent some westerly directed incorporates structural analysis of rocks bordering
thrust movement in the mid-Palaeozoic, and formed the fault, and limited geochronology to place time
an active fault during sedimentation at the western constraints on the faulting. Using these methods we
70 R. D. SHAW ETAL
Palmerville Fault
Burdekin River Fault Zone
Clarke River Fault
Tully Fault
Balcooma Mylonite Zone
Millaroo Fault System
Alice-Palmer Structure
Coastal Ranges
Igneous Province
~ ~ Schist zone
Mesozoic and Cainozoic

sediments
Precambrian rocks
-18
EROMANGA
LOLWORTH-RAVENSWOOD I
BASIN
PROVINCE t &
Fig. 1 Distribution of Precambrian rocks and the principal faults in northern Queensland.
recognize a complex zone of faulting, and put OUTLINE OF GEOLOGY

forward an evolutionary model based on the inter-
relationships of structural and stratigraphic data. The stratigraphy outlined in this paper is a revision
Thrusting is recognized for the first time as a major of that established by de Keyser and Lucas (1968).
deformational mechanism in the Tasmanides. The More details of the revision are given in Fawckner
models of thrust faulting summarized by Dahlstrom (1981), Fawckner et al (in prep.). Only those aspects
(1969) and Boyer and Elliott (1982) were applied to of the stratigraphy pertinent to the reconstruction
the fault zone. Major departures from a typical of the faulting are outlined here. The distribution
thrust-belt were found. of stratigraphic units is shown in Figs 2, 3 and 4.
THE PALMERVILLE FAULT SYSTEM, QLD 71
H4°00
Little River Coat Measures
Coastal Ranges Igneous Province
Granitoids
Volcanics
Silver Valley Conglomerate

Conglomerate, sandstone
Quadroy it Other 'Fault' Congloms.

Conglomerate
Mulgrave Formation
Quartzose ftysch, red
shale, minor basalt,
jasper
Barron River Metamorphics
Quartz-intermed.
minor mafic ffysch,
'fie voles,
'
chert (metamorphosed)
Hodgkinson Formation
Quartz-intermed, flysch,
• minor mafic voles, chert
Mount Garnet Formation
, Quartz-intermed. flysch:
y'•%';/] minor limestone, chert;
rare mafic volcanics
Chillagoe Formation
Quartz-intermed, flysch.
limestone.
mafic volcanics; chert
' McDevitt Metamorphics
Metasediments
Dargalong Metamorphics
"'"...'I Gneiss, schist

Other Units
| H Serpentinite. ultramafic
• • rock
"J^JA Leucogranoid, gneiss,
~-^r\ schist
'•' Fault
— — — Schist zone
40 km
|
18°00'
Modified after de Keyser & Lucas 1968
Fig. 2 Geology of the Palmer River-Chillagoe-Mount Garnet area.
The Precambrian basement west of the Palmer- bolite (McDevitt Metamorphics) of slightly lower
ville Fault consists mainly of augen gneiss and metamorphic grade are exposed in the southern part
biotite gneiss, and minor interlayered (Dargalong of the Dargalong Inlier and appear to have a
Metamorphics) mica schist, quartzofeldspathic and gradational contact with the gneisses. Small inliers
calcareous metasediments, quartzite and amphi- of schist and gneiss are exposed to the southeast,
bolite. Less deformed metasediments and amphi- for example at Mount Garnet township. The
72 R. D. SHAW ETAL
^CCCC Zone of intense deformation

Quadroy Conglomerate
1HH Granite conglomerate
Unassigned
°°°°| Conglomerate
Mulgrave Formation
Quartzose flysch, shale
Basalt
Mountain Cr Conglomerate
Congl Mbr
Van Dyke Lithic greywacke, shale

lilh Mbr
Hodgkinson Formation
: 1 Quartz-intermediate flysch
JQH Basalt
Quartz-intermediate flysch
Basalt
Chillagoe Formation
Quartz-intermediate flysch,
chert
Basalt, limestone
Mylonite
. I;;.,.;;1",! Gneiss, schist, quartzite,
o_ [r.'..!i'".-.J amphibolite
Xso Dip of bedding

—|— Anticline
-££- Overturned anticline
—i— Syncline
Fault
— — Fault, photo-
interpreted
— Fault, inferred
16°3O'
Trend-line
* A,B Specimens for strain analysis
s Elongation lineation (L't-coverj

98
showing plunge
* Rodding lineation (tA-basement)
si'2 showing plunge
Mylonitic foliation S2 fSm)
(basement}
H4°00' 144°30'
Fig. 3 Geology of the Palmer and Mitchell River areas.

Granitoid
Volcanics
'Fault'Conglomerate
Conglomerate, arkosic sandstone
Mulgrave Formation
Quartzose arenite
Quartz-intermediate flysch
Limestone
Polymictic conglomerate
oe Formation
Quartz-intermediate flysch, chert
Limestone, chert, minor mafic volcanics
Mylonitised and metamorphically retrogressed rocks
Highly schistose gneiss
Ultramafic rock
Dargalong Metamorphics
Gneiss, schist
'*4 Age determination Younging direction

locality (up to left)
/ Generalised dip of
'S3
" strata
Fault, photo interpreted
•+- Vertical strata
—?—— Fault, inferred
—— Elongation lineation
Schist zone
<j.o Mylonitic foliation
5 km
_l
Fig. 4 Geology of the Chillagoe area.

74 R. D. SHAW ET AL
metamorphic rocks are extensively intruded by characterized by abundant limestone, together with
bodies of muscovite-bearing granitoid. labile arenite (flysch) and mafic volcanics (altered
The Palaeozoic cover sequence, which is made metabasalt). The Chillagoe Formation is concor-
up principally of intensely deformed flysch, dantly overlain in different fault blocks by either
occupies the Hodgkinson Province east of the the Mount Garnet Formation or the Mulgrave
Palmerville Fault and spans a region at least 150 km Formation (new name), which represent radically
wide and 500 km long. The two notable features different provenances. Unfaulted contacts of both
of the Province are: (1) the lack of a clearly with the Chillagoe Formation have been traced for
identifiable marginal facies, and (2) the negligible more than 10 km. The Mount Garnet Formation
amount of volcanic detritus in the sediments. consists mainly of conglomerate, feldspathic

Near the Palmerville Fault the stratigraphic greywacke, and minor siltstone, whereas the
succession has been disrupted by extensive faulting Mulgrave Formation consists mainly of distinctive
parallel to strike. However, enough unfaulted fine quartzose arenite which shows partial and
formation boundaries are exposed to enable a complete Bouma cycles (Fawckner 1981). The
generalized model of the original stratigraphy to be sedimentary facies of the Mulgrave Formation is
reconstructed as shown in Fig. 5. In the Palmer and inconsistent with it being a marginal facies and
Mitchell River areas (Fig. 3), in particular, precludes the suggestion of Amos in de Keyser
sedimentary younging criteria such as graded- (1963) that the Mulgrave Formation was deposited
bedding indicate that in most places the sequence diachronously in direct response to movements of
adjacent to the Palmerville Fault youngs towards the Palmerville Fault. These facies contrasts, in two
the basement. The Chillagoe Formation, which is units overlying the same formation, can be
thought to be Late Silurian-Early Devonian in age, explained by large fault displacements.
is the oldest unit recognized in the province and Discontinuous conglomeratic and arkosic
crops out adjacent to the Palmerville Fault. It is deposits (e.g. Quadroy Conglomerate—new name)
LITTLE MITCHELL NWEST OF

H ;T OF CHILLAGOE
N EAS
RIVER AREA CHILLAGOE
DEVONIAN
E iii:':'liSii
4 $ ^ p « y ? [ f •• •
iftiuT-n-n-r
LATE
ft- • • •
• • • • HfHTf• "IT HIITIT SILURIAN
(_JMMHI) fj_ iliJTjirinjT .

n '.^ ''
oo o o o o oo o o
— "" o o o o o o o
FORMATIONS !•:::::] Conglomerate, arkose, r v v v v ] Mafic volcanics (mainly metabasalt)

QC Quadroy Conglomerate hjjjhi pebbly sandstone
FC Fault-related Conglomerate W§sM Chert, jasper [ Quartz-intermediate greywacke

MF Mulgrave Formation
•.-:•:/ '•''] Quartz arenite k A 4 M Lithic volcanic greywacke
VM Van Dyke Litharenite Member
(Mulgrave Formation)
MC Mountain Creek Conglomerate | I Shale \n\]Rni Limestone, marble
Member (Mulgrave Formation)
Conglomerate, greywacke —
I j _ I Quartz-intermediate greywacke,
MG Mount Garnet Formation j l . _l| siltstone
CF Chillagoe Formation
Fig. 5 Stratigraphic reconstruction.

overlie the Mulgrave Formation and occur as lenses Late Palaeozoic granitoids in the Townsville-
distributed along and adjacent to the Palmerville Chillagoe area straddle the Palmerville Fault, and
Fault; they are thought to reflect synorogenic form part of the Coastal Range Igneous Province.
deposition (Figs 3,4, 5). Their lithological variation, They range from hornblende-biotite gabbro
discontinuous nature, and the high proportion of containing sporadic pyroxene to leucogranite; most
feldspar and basement clasts ranging up to 2 m may be classified as I-types. The granites are
across suggest local derivation, possibly from an massive to only slightly foliated, and are considered
emerging basement. The unique character of the to be late to post-tectonic. They are predominantly
conglomerates and their persistence along the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian (Black 1978).
Palmerville Fault implies that they are fault-related Extrusive equivalents of the Late Palaeozoic
deposits. Their sedimentary facies is markedly granitoids are preserved mainly in cauldron
different from that of the underlying Mulgrave subsidence areas and ring complexes. They are most
Formation. One such conglomerate unit (a correla- abundant in a zone adjacent to and east of the
tive of the Quadroy Conglomerate located 5 km to Palmerville Fault but also extend onto the
the north) overlies the Mulgrave Formation with Precambrian basement (de Keyser & Lucas 1968;
apparent conformity. Another correlative of the Branch 1966). The Featherbed Volcanics, northeast
Quadroy Conglomerate, 9 km north-northwest of of the Palmerville Fault, are mainly felsic
Chillagoe, contains limestone clasts in which ignimbrites. They are in fault contact with the
compound rugose corals of probable Devonian age Nychum Volcanics, which include minor basalt,
are common (B. F. Fordham, pers. comm. 1985) in andesite, dacite and terrestrial sediments in addition
addition to basement clasts. to more leucocratic volcanics, and which straddle
The Mount Garnet Formation, on the other the Palmerville Fault. Small bodies of altered
hand, is concordantly overlain by the monotonous, ultramafic rocks are interlayered with the basement
thick flysch sequence of the Hodgkinson rocks adjacent to the Palmerville Fault northwest
Formation. The contact between the formations is of Chillagoe. They contain low-grade metamorphic
not portrayed in Fig. 5, but an unfaulted segment minerals such as chlorite and tremolite and are not
of the contact has been photo-interpreted in a fault obviously ophiolitic, as they do not appear to be
block 10-20 km southeast of Bellevue homestead accompanied by gabbro and lack pillow lavas or
(Fig. 3). The flysch of the Hodgkinson Formation sheeted dykes.
is mainly quartz-intermediate greywacke (Crook
1974) of relatively uniform composition. It lacks
the well developed lithological layering displayed by
STRUCTURAL HISTORY
the Mount Garnet Formation on aerial photo-
graphs. The Hodgkinson Formation contains Basement
Leptophloeum australe which is typically Late
Devonian (Gould 1976). The relative age of the The history of faulting (Table 1) has been deter-
Mulgrave Formation and Hodgkinson Formation mined by studying the sequence of deformational
is unknown. events evident in the basement rocks to the west of
The Silver Valley Conglomerate (Fig. 2) is an the Palmerville Fault. The deformational sequence
uncleaved and relatively undeformed post-orogenic is based on overprinting criteria.
conglomerate consisting of up to 500 m of well The best evidence for Dj is a foliation (Si)
rounded boulder conglomerate in addition to minor preserved in mafic boudins with metamorphics
sandstone, shale and felsic volcanics. It contains dominated by S2 in the Palmer River area.
Aneimites ovata (Carey & Browne 1938; Hill 1951) Two major high strain zones in the basement are
indicating a mid-Carboniferous age and places a assigned to D2 (Table 1). The western zone roughly
minimum age limit on the main deformational follows Muldiva Creek, 8-15 km west of the
events in the Hodgkinson Province. Rigby (1973), Palmerville Fault (Figs 1, 4), and corresponds to a
based on a rhacopterid flora, suggests the unit may lineament on LANDSAT imagery. The other,
be Upper Carboniferous or even younger. eastern zone is adjacent to the Palmerville Fault,
In the east of the Province where the Hodgkinson and consists of: (1) high (amphibolite)-grade
Formation sediments have been metamorphosed to mylonitic gneiss and amphibolite and (2) scattered
biotite-grade of the greenschist facies they are pods and discontinuous lenses of mylonite and
known as the Barron River Metamorphics (Fig. 2). cataclastic rock characterized by extensive solution
Table 1 Tentative reconstruction of basement deformations.
Event Main features Distribution Orientation Folding Metamorphic Relations
(PF = Palmerville Fault) Type Axial Plane (AP) grade

foliation p
en
Di Generally preserved Interpreted to be NE Tight Few examples Upper amphibolite Post-mafic intrusions
as relict features e.g. preserved in NW (NW Atherton) gradational to granu-
foliation in boudins Atherton lite; poikiloblastic
brown hornblende,
rare clinopyroxene
D2 Intense S 2 forms High strain zones NW, NNW, S 2 is Tight AP schistosity weak Amphibolite; horn- Pegmatite and mobili-
NNW schist zones, follow PF and parallel steep, F 2 moderate to absent blende is green- sate both conform-
strain heterogeneous, Muldiva Ck, 8-15 km to steep brown to p. brown able to & cross-cuts
boudins common, W & polygonal, two S 2 ; S2 deforms some
folds uncommon, micas in schists regional granitoids
feldspar megacrysts garnet in places
deformed
D3 Folds common Alongside PF S3 is steep, F 3 Open to tight Incipient crenulation Amphibolite Syn-(local) migmitiz-
shallow upright, isoclinal cleavage in schists, ation in S.
microfaults intruded
by mobilisate W
Chillagoe
D4 Mild deformation Little Mitchell R. area, E-W, sub-vertical Open Crenulations Amphibolite
F4 S 4 , F 4 shallow
plunges
D5 As above As above S5 is NW and steep Sporadically As above
developed crenula-
tion cleavage
D6 Mylonitic foliation Locally alongside PF S 6 is NW and NNW Not observed Greenschist, Concordant with S (
appears recrystallized, chlorite, epidote/ and S 2 in cover
augen range widely clinozoisite & white
in shape, size of mica, abundant
abundance, down-dip metasomatism
stretching lineation
very locally in S 6
D7 Folds common and Close to PF F 7 trends NW, Open to tight Weak schistosity Greenschist Cut by brecciation
affect S 6 NNW common in F 7 hinges locally
transfer and retrograde greenschist facies mineral This relationship suggests that the greenschist
assemblages. mylonite in the basement (i.e. Basement D 6 ,
The best known low-grade mylonite lens occurs Table 1) and pseudoconglomerate in the cover (i.e.
where Muldiva Creek cuts the Palmerville Fault west Cover D[, Table 2) are coeval. Stereographic plots
of Chillagoe. Here, relict clasts of high metamorphic of the principal structural elements are shown in
grade basement mylonite (basement D2) form Fig. 6a for the Mitchell River area in the north and
small augen in the greenschist grade mylonite for the Chillagoe area (Fig. 6b) in the south. In both
(Fig. 9). North of the Walsh River the relationship cases and elsewhere SQ and Si show a close
between high and low grade mylonite is less clear, parallelism to the trace of the Palmerville Fault.
and there appears to be a progressive decrease from

amphibolite to greenschist grade towards the
Palmerville Fault. These aspects are discussed
further below.
Sedimentary cover 6A
Both the regional cleavage and the main high strain

event in the sedimentary cover are assigned to D[,
which affects all units including the Mount Garnet
and Hodgkinson Formations (Table 2). The regional
cleavage is pervasive, and appears to be partly
formed by solution transfer processes. Bedding (So)
generally dips steeply to the east. Where the
sequence is not extensively folded, such as in the
Little Mitchell area (Fig. 3), it youngs to the west.
D| in the Quadroy Conglomerate is restricted to a
narrow deformed zone alongside the Palmerville
Fault, where it has both brittle and ductile features.
Narrow zones of high strain in the sediments are
6B
expressed as pseudoconglomerate, which comprises
angular to lenticular fragments of sandstone and
mudstone in a highly foliated pelitic matrix. Locally,
the pseudoconglomerate passes along strike into
mylonite formed in mafic volcanics suggesting that
pseudoconglomerate and mylonite are kinematically
equivalent (e.g. 1.8 km west of Fish Creek, Palmer
River; Fig. 3). A stretching lineation has formed in
zones of high strain. Asymmetrical fabric
elements—principally rotated sandstone boudins in
pseudoconglomerates, and folds—mainly indicate
a west-block-up sense of shear. Most F2 folds show
the same sense of asymmetry as the boudins. D 2 Fig. 6 Stereographic plots of main structural elements
deformation in the sedimentary cover is a set of affecting sedimentary cover. Contours are percentage per
folds adjacent to the Palmerville Fault and extends 1% area, north points marked by ticks. Fig. 6a Mitchell
over a considerable strike-length. River area. Dashed line is orientation of Palmerville Fault.
S0-182 poles, contour intervals are 1, 2, 4 and 6%. S r 8 0
The sedimentary sequence exposed immediately
poles, contour intervals are 1, 2.5, 5 and 7.5%. Fp92
east of the lens of greenschist facies basement
poles, contour intervals are 1, 2, 3 and 5%. L m is
mylonite northwest of Chillagoe consists of foliated elongation lineation. Fig. 6b Chillagoe area. Dashed
siltstone and pseudoconglomerate which, like the lines indicate range of orientation of Palmerville Fault (PF
basement mylonite, shows marked solution transfer north and south). So-228 poles, contour intervals are 1,
features and have been affected by folding identical 2, 4 and 6%. S,-109 poles, contour intervals are 2, 4 and
in geometry and style to F 7 folds in the basement. 6%. F[-poles are dots. S2-crosses; F 2 -dots.
C/J
>
Table 2 Deformation sequence in sedimentary cover (Western Hodgkinson Province)
Event Main features Distribution Orientation Folding Metamorphic

(PF = Palmerville Fault) Type Axial plane grade
D, Penetrative alignment of Regional in W province NNW trend, extreme Tight to isoclinal, similar Prehnite-
phyllosilicates and stylolitic range in fold plunge, late- style pumpellyite
planes outlines S,, locally stage elongation lineation
an anastomosing space- (Lm) more consistent
cleavage. Grades into
pseudoconglomerate and
mylonite
Widespread folding of S,. Zone 1-2 km wide NNW trend, mod. to Moderate to tight, 'parallel' Weak to moderate crenu- As above
alongside PF shallow plunges style, some angular profiles lation cleavage in fold
hinges, cataclastic space-
cleavage
Refolds F 2 Mitchell R. area NE trend, mod. to Open Absent As above
shallow plunge
Refolds F 2 Widespread in province. S4 E-W and subvertical Open to tight As above
Only alongside PF in
Little Mitchell R. area
These two cleavages (Sy and S2) are close to

parallel. F2 fold axes have variable plunges which Mean deformation
ellipsoid
outline a girdle corresponding roughly to S^ The
1.59: 1 .0.87
elongation lineation I m is steeply plunging,
80 -
generally down-dip, and lies in Sj.
Strain during D t in cover

Strain during Dj was extensively heterogeneous as

shown by marked variations in the intensity of Sj.
A down-dip elongation lineation is developed in
zones of high strain. Elongation is shown by the
shape of quartz grains and pebbles in the clastic
—L 0
rocks, and in the shape of amygdales in metabasalt. 0 20 40 60 0 10 20, 30 40
The results of a simple strain analysis (see Cloos

1947) of two specimens of cleaved metabasalt
collected from adjacent sites (A and B) on the
Palmer River area are shown in Fig. 7. Both Mean deformation
ellipsoid xz \YZ
specimens contain chlorite filled amygdales of plane I plane
uniform shape. The XY plane of the strain ellipsoid 3.08 : 1 : O 27
coincides with Sj. The determined axial ratios
assume initial spherical shapes. Volume loss during
deformation is not considered, although it may be
considerable (up to 50<%) if shortening occurred by
pressure solution (Wood 1974; Von Plessman 1964;
Alvarez et al 1978). The strain analysis (Fig. 7) is
discussed in more detail by Fawckner (1981). We
wish to draw two conclusions from the analysis:
(i) Strain differences are marked over short
distances,
(ii) Strain is either close to plane strain (B) or is -t
in the constrictional (A) field: such strain is
atypical of slate belts (Wood 1974; Wood & Oertel 10 20
1980).
Mean deformation ellipsoid o
METAMORPHISM
Basement
Most of the Dargalong Metamorphics are amphi-

bolite facies, but locally grade into rocks gradational
to granulite facies containing the assemblage
clinopyroxene-hornblende-plagioclase near the
Palmerville Fault west of Chillagoe. Furthermore,
basic pods within granitic gneisses east of Palmer-
ville homestead have the assemblage garnet-quartz-
clinopyroxene-plagioclase. The composition of
these phases determined by probe analyses of one
sample (Table 3) indicate a temperature of about
700°C using the geothermometer of Ellis and Green Fig. 7 Binary strain plots of principal axes measured
(1979) and pressures of about 730 MPa using the from ellipsoidal amygdales in two deformed metabasalt
geobarometer of Perkins and Newton (1981, eqn 8). samples. (Localities given in Fig. 3.)
80 R. D. SHAW ETAL
in both S| and S m (S m is developed progressively

from Sj in high-strain zones) together with chlorite
(see Fig. 8). Talc and biotite are also locally present.
The assemblage is consistent with metamorphism
ranging from prehnite-pumpellyite to pumpellyite-
actinolite sub-facies (Schermerhorn 1975). The local
coexistence of prehnite with the assemblage
pumpeHyhe-tremolite-chlorite-albite-quartz
indicates temperatures of about 325-359°C at
pressures less than 500 MPa, probably 300-500 MPa

(Schiffman & Liou 1980). Fawckner (1981) estimates
temperatures of about 300°C and pressures of about
Fig. 8 Mylonite in metabasalt. Mitchell Fault Zone, 400 MPa in the Palmer River area.
Palmer River. Section cut parallel to elongation lineation
and normal to S,. Microboudinaged aggregates comprise
mainly pumpellyite (centre of photograph) and one epidote PALMERVILLE FAULT
fragment (RH corner). Matrix is mainly chlorite and
tremolite-actinolite. (Frame width 2.1 mm, spec. 161105). The Palmerville Fault is the principal fault within
a major fault system. The main fault and related
features in the basement will be described first
The geobarometer of Ellis (1980) yields higher
before examining other fault zones in the
pressures. These PT estimates should be regarded
Palmerville fault system.
as a preliminary result only.
Sedimentary cover High-strain and mylonite zones in the basement
Metamorphic grade in the sediments of the Mylonitic basement rocks crop out adjacent to the
Hodgkinson Province ranges from prehnite- Palmerville Fault for most of its length (Figs 3, 4).
pumpellyite facies in the west (Palmer River area) A zone of high strain up to about 1 km wide occurs
to chlorite grade of the greenschist facies and locally beside the fault northwest of Chillagoe. As most
higher (amphibolite facies) in the Barron River of these highly-strained rocks are made up of
Metamorphics in the east. The regional metamor- amphibolite facies assemblages the zones are
phism is considered to be synchronous with D|. thought to be Precambrian precursors of the
Tremolite/actinolite-albite-chlorite-carbonate- Palmerville Fault.
epidote-hematite is a common assemblage in basic Two types of basement mylonite are recognized
rocks. Pumpellyite is an uncommon additional in the zone,
phase. Rare prehnite is confined to veins, and lies (i) The more widespread type consists of grey,
Table 3 Probe analyses and structural formulae for phases coexisting with quartz and hornblende in meta-mafic
rock, Dargajong Metamorphics, Palmerville homestead area.
Clinopyroxene Garnet Plagioclase
SiO 2 51.61 3.929 37.75 2.979 58.83 2.632

TiO 2 — — — — — —
A12O3 1.75 0.157 21.48 1.998 25.89 1.365
Fe 2 O 3 0.53 0.029 0.72 0.043 — —
FeO 11.50 0.732 28.52 1.882 0.24 0.009
MnO 0.12 0.008 1.10 0.074 — —
MgO 11.85 1.345 3.68 0.433 — —
CaO 21.52 1.755 6.99 0.591 7.58 0.364
K2O — — — — 0.52 0.030
Na 2 O 0.30 0.45 — — 6.92 0.601
TOTAL 99.18 7.999 100.24 8.000 100.00 5.000
highly schistose rock showing gneissic layering measured in the second mylonitic foliation, whereas
and commonly containing lozenge to ellipsoidal the dominant lineation in the first type is generally
shaped feldspar augen. Ribbon-shaped quartz gently to moderately steeply plunging.
grains and, less commonly, ribbon-shaped The relationship between the two types of
aggregates of quartz characteristically form an mylonitic rock is best displayed in the bed of
anastomosing foliation (Fig. 9). Amphibolite Muldiva Creek where it flows parallel to the
facies minerals are common, but not diagnostic Palmerville Fault northwest of Chillagoe. There, the
of this type of mylonitic rock. Where a stretching change from highly foliated grey mylonitic gneiss
lineation is present it is generally sub-horizontal to green mylonite is relatively sharp. Thin rafts of
to gently plunging, although plunges up to 50° mylonitic gneiss (commonly hornblende-bearing

have been noted. quartzofeldspathic mylonitic gneiss) occur within
(ii) The second type consists of green schistose the low grade mylonite. Figure 10 is an example of
mylonite and forms pod-like lenses adjacent to the first type of mylonite preserved as a microscopic
the Palmerville Fault. The foliation is penetrative, clast within the second type. Adjacent to the fault
planar and shows solution transfer features, such outlined by the topographic break at the basement-
as a stylolite-like foliation with iron oxide cover contact, the mylonitic gneiss is extensively
granules concentrated along foliation planes. The altered to greenschist facies minerals, and solution
grainsize is finer than in the first type, and augen transfer features, such as concentration of iron
are smaller, more rounded, and comprise oxide granules along foliation planes, are apparent.
feldspar, hornblende, garnet, and white mica. The At this locality the mylonitic foliation is defined by
matrix is dominated by chlorite, white mica and a penetrative and relatively planar alignment of
epidote/clinozoisite, indicating greenschist facies white mica and chlorite. Small, well rounded
conditions. The two types of mylonites are well porphyroclasts of plagioclase, hornblende, garnet
exposed where the Palmer River crosses the and white mica are conspicuous, giving the rocks
Palmerville Fault. There, a lens about 50 m wide the superficial appearance of a volcanic porphyry.
of the second, low grade mylonite contains pods The grain size in the mylonite progressively
of relatively high grade mylonite and amphibolite. diminishes towards the fault and some of the rocks
The change from green mylonite to moderately adjacent to the fault have a chert-like appearance.
to highly foliated mylonitic gneiss is relatively At a few localities a down-dip stretching lineation
abrupt. is evident near the fault, but generally the lineation
The sharp contact and the difference in meta- is absent.
morphic grade between the two types of mylonitic Both mylonitic foliations show gently plunging
foliation in the Palmer River and Muldiva Creek folds identical in orientation to F2 folds in the
areas suggest that the second mylonite is formed basement, northwest of Chillagoe. However, the
much later than the high grade variety. At several folds in the second low grade mylonite are relatively
localities a down-dip stretching lineation has been open and many have an axial-plane foliation,
Fig. 9 Typical high grade basement mylonite. Ribbon- Fig. 10 Greenschist mylonite, Muldiva Creek, showing
shaped quartz grains anastomose around saussuritized relict clasts of basement mylonite. Quartz ribbons in clast
plagioclase (dark) and garnet. (Width of frame 1.1 mm, indicate an early phase of mylonitization (width of frame
spec. 16112). 2.2 mm, spec. 1173B).
82 R. D.SHAW ET AL
whereas those in the first low grade mylonite zone Highly deformed mudstone and chert occur
are tight to isoclinal, and lack an axial-plane adjacent to the fault northwest of Chillagoe.
foliation. The second low grade of mylonite grades Mesoscopic D 2 folds in these rocks show highly
westwards into very narrow (less than I m) variable plunges; the most common being 50-60°
discordant zones of slip which separate older towards the west or northwest. Rodding parallels
mylonitic zones of higher metamorphic grade the folds axes, but there is no stretching lineation.
having a distinct structural integrity, outlined by Later kink folds are also present. Cross-cutting,
foliation orientation or characterized by packages narrow (3-5 mm) dark zones consisting of white
of folds. mica and iron oxide are commonly slightly discor-
The mylonitic foliations in both types of mylonite dant to the foliation and indicate substantial modi-
adjacent to the Palmerville Fault dip between 65° fication by fluid transport. Some of these dark
northeast and vertical. These foliation orientations micaceous rocks are bent into kink-like folds.
are probably indicative of the general dip of the In the same region and farther south, extension
fault. both parallel and perpendicular to L m is suggested
by the presence of boudinaged sandstone beds
intercalated with mudstone. The boudins form
Deformation in Palaeozoic rocks immediately mullions plunging 30° to 50° to the east and
adjacent to the fault northeast. Small amounts of pseudoconglomerate
are also present.
Mylonitic rocks showing low grade facies
F2 folds showing a wide range in plunge are also
metamorphic mineral assemblages are also present,
particularly well developed adjacent to the
although uncommon, in the Palaeozoic cover rocks
Palmerville Fault in the Palmer River area.
adjacent to the Palmerville Fault. An example of
Where the Palmerville Fault separates the Early
a high-strain zone showing both brittle and ductile
Permian Nychum Volcanics from the Chillagoe
features occurs in parts of the Quadroy Conglo-
Formation in the Walsh River the contact is sharp.
merate (Fig. 11). It is characterized by ductile
Brecciation is evident on a microscopic scale in the
deformation of quartz, but brittle deformation of
volcanics at the fault contact and brecciation on a
feldspar evidenced by angular broken grains. It is
mesoscopic scale occurs nearby, indicating some
cut by numerous microfractures. This brittle
post-Early Permian movement on the Palmerville
mylonite is extensively veined by secondary chlorite,
Fault in that area.
sphene, carbonate and epidote. Pyrite and apatite
are common and are also probably secondary.
Hornblende in some of the conglomerate clasts has
altered to blue-green amphibole—probably Sense of shear
actinolite. The mylonitic foliation is assigned to Dj Although it is difficult to determine the sense of
and is well defined only near the main Palmerville shear on the Palmerville Fault, microstructural
Fault. fabric asymmetry is consistent with a general sense
of shear of west-block-up. Several thin sections cut
parallel to the elongation direction and perpendi-
cular to the foliation were examined from localities
west of Chillagoe and from near Palmerville
homestead. The low grade nature of the mylonite
adjacent to the fault combined with the ubiquitous
solution transfer features have resulted in a fabric
where sense of shear is not clearly defined and
criteria for sense of shear such as proposed by
Simpson and Schmid (1983) are not directly
applicable. Guides to the sense of shear used in this
study were asymmetry in lozenge-shaped mega-
crysts of feldspar and mica, asymmetry in the
Fig. 11 Mylonite in Quadroy Conglomerate showing
anastomosing foliation, and the asymmetry of
microfaulting and other evidence of brittle failure. (Frame boudins relative to the foliation.
width 5.2 mm, spec. 16115). Mylonitic rocks of slightly higher metamorphic
THE PALMERV1LLE FAULT SYSTEM, QLD 83
grade are exposed in the Palmer River and show S MITCHELL FAULT ZONE
and C plane development (Fig. 12). The C planes
form irregularly distributed and discontinuous In the Palmer River area the eastern boundary of
shear bands. They are considered to be late stage the Chillagoe Formation is delineated by a
features. These mylonitic rocks contain phenoclasts deformation zone up to 100 m wide (Figs 3, 8),
of garnet and plagioclase in a matrix of white mica, termed the Mitchell Fault Zone. It is also exposed
chlorite, feldspar, opaque grains and relict as a wide zone in the Mitchell and Little Mitchell
sillimanite. C planes are accentuated by a concentra- River areas, and a mylonite in the Walsh River may
tion of chlorite, consistent with them being late, represent the same fault. On the Palmer and Walsh
retrograde features. The S and C plane relationship Rivers the mylonitic foliation dips 65-70° west,
indicates a right-lateral sense of shear (Fig. 12) and suggesting a high-angle reverse fault. A closely
a west-block-up fault movement at least in the late spaced cleavage on a possible extension of this fault
stages (cf. Platt & Vissers 1980). a few kilometres to the south also dips 60° west.
Macroscopic features also suggest a west-block- Elsewhere, however, the foliation is either subvertical
up sense of thrusting. The easterly vergence (facing) or dips steeply to the east, suggesting that, if it is
of rare Fj and F 2 folds suggest such a sense of related to thrusting, the foliation has been
movement. Although fold vergence is not an subsequently overturned. A stretching lineation,
infallible guide to the direction of thrusting these although only sporadically developed in the
are consistent in many terrains as shown, for deformed zone, plunges consistently down-dip
example, in Tibet (Shackleton 1981; Burg & Chen consistent with the thrusting model for the fault
1984). Easterly directed thrusting is also indicated zone. Furthermore, relict mesoscopic folds in the
by the fact that most of the high-strain rocks are mylonite display a consistent asymmetry indicating
preserved in the basement rather than the sedimen- that the sense of movement on the fault was west-
tary cover, implying telescoping of the high-strain block-up.
rocks over low-strain regions in the manner demon- The mylonitic foliation in the Mitchell Fault Zone
strated by Williams et al (1984). is very variable in intensity. Foliation planes have
Fig. 12 S and C pjane development in schistose mylonitic rocks from the Palmer Fault in the Palmer River area indicates
a right-lateral sense of shear (Frame width 10 mm, spec. 1055).
84 R. D. SHAW ETAL
an anastomosing geometry and are stylolitic in The Big Watson Fault Zone converges and inter-
aspect. In these respects the mylonitic foliation is leaves with the Mitchell Fault just north of the
identical to D 2 in the Palaeozoic strata, and Mitchell River. The zone is made up of steeply
distinct from the mylonitic foliation styles in the dipping, branching and discontinous faults which
basement. converge southwards into a narrow zone less than
3 km wide just north of Big Watson Creek. The
fault zone probably continues southwards beneath
BIG WATSON FAULT ZONE the Nychum and Featherbed Volcanics. The
westernmost fault in the zone appears, based on
This is a complex zone of faulting that roughly photo-interpretation, to dip steeply west and to be
follows the boundary between the Mount Garnet folded in the region 12 km southeast of Bellevue
and Hodgkinson Formations in western Mossman homestead.
(Fig. 3). The boundary is delineated by a change
from the more varied and better layered Mount
Garnet Formation to the more uniform GEOCHRONOLOGY
Hodgkinson Formation. In the absence of any
evidence for an unconformity at this boundary the Two granitoids and one porphyritic microgranitoid
extreme thinning of the Mount Garnet Formation were sampled for K-Ar age determination to delimit
northwards is interpreted to indicate a faulted the age of the last major movements on the
boundary. The fault pattern shown in Fig. 3 has Palmerville Fault. One granitoid (82091394 and
been built up by extending established faults using 82091396) clearly cuts across the fault trace. The
photo-interpretation and by tracing strike porphyritic microgranitoid (82091302B) straddles
discordances and marked topographic lineaments the fault and contemporaneous porphyry dykes
which have a fault character on aerial photographs. intrude along the fault plane to the north and south.
These same principles were used to delineate the One granitoid (82091375) has a slightly foliated
other photo-interpreted faults shown in Fig. 3. margin at one locality against the fault, but the
Supporting evidence for the Big Watson Fault Zone movement on the fault was probably slight and this
is provided by the presence of a 5 km wide intensely granitoid is thought to post-date the last major
deformed zone of intense cleavage development movement on the fault. The K-Ar results are
exposed in cleavage crossing the Mitchell River presented in Table 4 and the location of samples
northeast of Bellevue homestead, as shown on the given in Fig. 4.
1:250 000 geological map (BMR 1962). The intrusive rocks all yield mineral ages of about
Table 4 K-Ar analyses.

40
Sample Ar* x 10 - 10 mol/g)
'Ar*( 40
Ar*/ 40 Ar Age Rock type
(Ma)
82091302B 6.27 35.810 0.986 303 ±2 Porphyritic microgramte

Biotite 6.25 (biotite occurs as
phenocrysts)
82091375 5.29 30.043 0.987 3OO±1.5 Hornblende-biotite
Biotite 5.31 adamellite
82091375 0.744 4.3074 0.936 306 ±3 Hornblende-biotite
Hornblende 0.745 adamellite
• Denotes radiogenic argon. Constants used "°K/K=1.167± 10- 4 mol/mol; X^ =4.962 x 1 0 - ' V ; X ( =0.581xl0- 1 0 y-'.
Errors are 1 standard deviation, based on analytical data. Analysis is by Webb (1983). Petrographic descriptions of
rocks analysed are available on request from BMR and are given in AMDEL Report GS 4840/83. Locations are given
in Fig. 4.
300 Ma (Table 4). The ages correspond to the final whereas the lineation in the greenschist mylonite is
stages of granitoid emplacement within the Coastal generally steep. The weak horizontal stretching
Ranges Igneous Province in the Chillagoe area. This lineation in the high grade mylonitic gneiss is
intrusive event is considered to have occurred during commonly sub-horizontal at several localities beside
extensional tectonism after cratonization of the the Palmerville Fault, although plunges up to 50°
Hodgkinson Province was essentially complete north have been noted. The orientation of this
(Oversby 1983). lineation, together with the linear, though
Granitoids belonging to the same granitoid suite discontinuous, nature of the mylonitic zone raises
as the Coastal Ranges Igneous Province farther to the possibility that the high grade mylonite, which
the southwest contain elements as old as 320 Ma is characterized by quartz ribbons (Fig. 9), formed
based on Rb-Sr ages (Black 1978). The Featherbed during an episode of strike-slip or oblique-slip
Volcanics for which a Rb-Sr age span of 311 ± 16 faulting (Fig. 13d). However, the distribution of this
Ma to 267 ± 5 Ma has been established (Black 1978) early lineation and its orientation with respect to
lie on strike with a major fault zone (the Big Wilson bedding are not sufficiently well understood for any
Fault Zone) belonging to the Palmerville Fault firm conclusions to be made.
system, but are unaffected by the faults or the Sj By the time sedimentation was initiated in the
regional cleavage. Similarly, the Nychum Volcanics, Hodgkinson Province in the Late Silurian, a
with a preferred Rb-Sr age of 270 Ma (Bailey et tensional zone centred near the Palmerville fault
al 1982) also overlap the Palmerville Fault. system had become tectonically active (Fig. 13c).
We therefore conclude that the last major It is doubtful whether the Palmerville fault system
movement on the Palmerville Fault in the Chillagoe itself acted as a boundary fault to the developing
region was completed before 300 Ma and probably Hodgkinson Province as suggested by de Keyser
before 320 Ma. (1965). The Chillagoe Formation does not appear
to be a shelf deposit; it is characterized by abrupt
facies changes from shallow water limestones to
deeper water flysch-type sediments, indicating a
DISCUSSION tectonically unstable setting. The chemical similarity
of the metabasalts of the Chillagoe Formation to
Although the Palmerville Fault shows elements of modern ocean floor basalts and some rift tholeiites
strike-slip and normal faulting these represent suggest a rift or narrow ocean basin tectonic setting
minor movements and the fault is an integral part (Fawckner 1981).
of a major reverse thrust system, and represents an
The main movement on both the Palmerville
imbricate thrust system that has been progressively
Fault and Mitchell Fault Zone is considered to be
rotated.
a Late Devonian thrusting (D^ (Fig. 13b). The
mylonitic foliation in rocks adjacent to both faults
The history of fault movements parallels the regional cleavage (S{), which is much
more prominent between the faults than in much
The Palmerville Fault has had a long and complex of the central part of the Hodgkinson Province.
history, consistent with repeated reactivation of an This close parallelism of the fault with S o and S[
earlier fundamental basement fault (Fig. 13). over a large area argues against a significant strike-
Precambrian movement on the Palmerville Fault slip component during the main fault movement.
northwest of Chillagoe is indicated by the mylonitic The Sj cleavage is very heterogeneous and grades
gneiss, which formed under amphibolite grade progressively into mylonitic and pseudoconglo-
conditions thought to have been confined to the merate zones. Asymmetrical boudins in these high
Precambrian. The second type of basement strain zones and the orientation of the stretching
mylonite formed during retrograde metamorphism lineation also suggest that Di involved thrusting.
(basement D6) and the mylonites in the sediments S] is also strongly developed in parts of the
of the Hodgkinson Province (cover D)) have Quadroy Conglomerate (Fig. 11) and the main
identical geometric and structural styles and may phase of thrusting is consequently younger than
be coeval. Elongation lineations are not common that unit (or possibly coeval). As previously argued
in either type of basement mylonite but where (Amos 1968; Fawckner 1981), D! is probably latest
observed the gneissic grey mylonitic rocks Devonian or Early Carboniferous in age. It is
commonly show a gently plunging lineation significantly younger than the Hodgkinson
86 R. D. SHAW ETAL
Formation, which contains Leptophloeum australe The main movement on the Palmerville Fault is
(typically Late Devonian) and older than the unequivocally older than 300 Ma granitoids in the
uncleaved mid-Carboniferous or slightly younger Chillagoe area which truncate and intrude along
Silver Valley Conglomerate (Blake 1972). the fault. The main fault movement is probably
The Palmerville Fault has undergone post-Di older than the oldest unfoliated granitoids in the
movement represented by intensely developed D 2 Coastal Ranges Igneous Province which were
folds in cover rocks adjacent to the fault in the emplaced under extensional conditions. The
Palmer River area. Similar folds, probably also granitoids and volcanics making up the Coastal
formed during the D 2 event, are exposed in Range Igneous Province are predominantly post-
Stockyard Creek northwest of Chillagoe. orogenic. Units as old as 320 Ma are known from
Quadroy Conglomerate
' ^'' Shelf facies (proposed)
H Hodgkinson Formation
M Mulgrave Formation
MG Mt. Garnet Formation
j l l l l l l l Basalt and dolerite
L\\ j Chillagoe Formation
L + Precambrian basement
PF Palmerville Fault
MF Mitchell Fault
BWFZ Big Watson Fault Zone
-u-—vr Disconformity
LATE SILURIAN
1 '•": •':-'\ o ':^i\'i^iassaB8B^ v - i --": 1 '"'5r v .
Fig. 13 Schematic diagram of inferred deformational events in the Palmerville Fault Zone.
the Elizabeth Creek group of granitoids within this Evidence for a major imbricate thrust system
province (Blake 1972; Black 1978). Despite the fact
that some of these volcanics have calc-alkaline Features which favour the interpretation of these
features and some, for example the Nychum faults as a thrust system are:
Volcanics (Bailey et al 1982), have trace element and (i) A down-dip stretching lineation, which has been
rare earth abundances suggesting eruption on a thin documented at widely separate localities in the
active continental margin, it is clear that the main zone between the Palmerville Fault and the
tectonic cycle of the Hodgkinson Province was Mitchell Fault Zone.
complete and a relatively thick crust had developed (ii) The close parallelism between the fault traces,
by the mid-Late Carboniferous. regional cleavage (Sj) and bedding (So).

T. Bell (pers. coram. In Fawckner 1981) suggested (iii) The scarcity of F! folds in sedimentary
that the bend in the Palmerville Fault north of the sequences adjacent to the fault is consistent with
Walsh River was due to flexuring of the region a major zone of thrust faulting.
during D 4 because F4 folds are well developed there (iv) The apparent stratigraphic thickness of at least
and their axial plane traces roughly bisect the bend 8 km (and possibly up to 20 km before the
in the fault. However, the northwest segment is regional strain occurred) is anomalous for a basin
roughly on line with the Alice-Palmer structure margin sequence. Such a thickness is most easily
(Fig. 1), which influenced the evolution of the explained by stacking of thrust slices.
Carpentarian Basin in the Mesozoic. Possibly a (v) The presence of adjoining fault-bounded blocks
branching Precambrian(?) deformed zone was containing sequences that differ markedly in
reactivated; the north-northwest branch forming the lithology despite the fact that they were probably
Palmerville Fault in the Palaeozoic, and the deposited at about the same time. The Mulgrave
northwest dormant branch being reactivated in the Formation and the Mount Garnet Formation, for
Mesozoic to form the Alice-Palmer Structure. example, both overlie the Chillagoe Formation,
Post-Permian movements on the fault appear to yet one represents a quartz-rich flysch facies and
be minor normal fault displacements with a sense the other a quartz-intermediate flysch facies.
of east-block-up (Fig. 13a). The movements (vi) The Mulgrave and Chillagoe Formations in the
continued until the Tertiary, and are summarized Palmer River areas are both flysch-facies and not
in Table 5. shelf facies as would be expected at the western
Table 5 Post-Carboniferous movements on the Palmerville Fault.

Maximum
Faulted Maximum upturned Age
unit displacement dip limits Remarks References
Nychum Volcanics 65°-75° Post-270 Ma Sharp fault with Bailey et al 1982
(Walsh River) brecciation
Little River Coal 80° Post-Permian Thin rift zone Amos (1968, p. 205)
Measures
Lower part of Laura Mesozoic Syndepositional de Keyser (1963)
Basin sequence movements
Laura Basin 60 m 85° Post-Mesozoic Post deposition: de Keyser (1963),
affects base of Amos (1968),
succession Fawckner (1981)
Mesozoic unit, 12 km Several Post-Mesozoic East of Palmerville J. Puce and
northwest of metres Fault: U. Jurassic to R. Gould. In
Chillagoe (Red Dome L. Cretaceous macro- Fawckner (1981)
Prospect) flora
Tertiary peneplain 300 m + Quaternary Uplifted topography de Keyser and
and rejuvenated Lucas (1968)
R. D. SHAW ETAL
margin of Palaeozoic deposition. The original imposed on a region following thrusting (e.g. Reks
shelf facies has presumably been over-ridden & Gray 1983). However, the cleavage in the Palmer
during easterly directed thrust-fault movements, River area appears to have been partly contempora-
(vii) The style of deformation, particularly the neous with thrusting, as argued below.
nature of the strain, is distinctly different from
most slate belts.
Before examining the applicability of an
imbricate thrust system model to the Palmerville Special features of the Palmerville fault system
fault system it is useful to note the main features
of thrust systems. A sub-planar floor thrust is The Palmerville fault system differs from typical
connected to a warped or folded roof thrust by a thrust fault systems in several aspects. The
set of subsidiary thrusts termed ramps (Rodgers Palmerville Fault substantially coincides with a
1953, p. 130). Connecting fault blocks between the major shear zone in the basement and closely
ramps are termed horses, and the combined parallels the predominant S2 foliation in the
imbricate stack is termed a duplex (Dahlstrom 1969; basement presumably because that foliation
Boyer & Elliott 1982). Movement on the main roof represented an anisotropy in physical properties and
thrust is accommodated by progressive slip on the thereby controlled the orientation of later
underlying imbricates. By this process the upper deformation. The basement mylonite, once
plate above the roof thrust may move more established, may have acted as a decollement for
kilometres in a caterpillar fashion. later thrusting. The main faults are steeply dipping,
Thrusts within such systems geometrically branching and discontinuous (Fig. 3). Simple
resemble the simplified classical thrust fault of duplex structures such as those described by
Anderson (1951), but instead of being flat are Dahlstrom (1969) and Boyer and Elliott (1982) do
concave upwards and commonly have a step-like not appear to have formed. No well developed horse
shape. Imbricate fault zones can also form the floor structures are recognized possibly because of the
thrust, particularly at the front of a thrust system steep dip of the thrusts or because the movement
(Boyer & Elliot 1982). Such thrust systems are direction is perpendicular to the strike so that cross-
particularly well developed where platform covers sections of horses are not exposed. Rotated
overlie reactivated basement. They also occur in
slate belts such as the Appalachian Valley and Ridge
Province (e.g. Mitra & Elliot 1979; Reks & Gray
1983). In the latter case, much of the strain is taken
Model 1 Duplex-like Structure
up by folding, particularly in the earliest and later
stages of deformation. These folds trend sub-
roof thrust
parallel to the fault traces.
We suggest that a thrust model best explains
many of the features of the Palmerville Fault
Systems. Two thrust models portrayed in Fig. 14 are
floor thrust
examined. In the first model the Palmerville Fault
is interpreted as a roof thrust overlying a complex
floor thrust zone formed by the Mitchell Fault Zone
and the convergent Big Wilson Fault Zone. In the
second model the near-vertical dip of the Model 2 Trailing Imbricate-fan
Palmerville Fault may be accounted for by
steepening due to repeated thrust movements in an
easterly direction on the underlying faults (thrusts)
in a manner similar to that suggested by Seely et
al (1974) for trench slopes (Figs 13, 14b). This model
is essentially that of an imbricate thrust fan of the
trailing type (Boyer & Elliot 1982). Further
steepening may have occurred in the late stages of
D! deformation during regional shortening. It is Fig. 14 Thrust models for the development of the
not uncommon for flattening (plane-strain) to be Palmerville fault system.
sandstone boudins in pseudoconglomerates and rare basement mylonite initially had a moderate or steep
relict folds in mylonites have a common asymmetry dip is suggested by its apparent roughly linear trace
compatible with eastward-directed thrusting. It is over a distance of more than 100 km.
a general rule that thrust faults place older rocks The overall symmetry of the fault pattern
over younger rocks and are concave upwards (Elliott between the Palmer and Mitchell Rivers implies
& Johnson 1980, p. 70). The Mitchell Fault Zone symmetrical stress trajectories (Figs 3, 15). The
dips westward in the sections exposed in the Palmer major faults in the fault system are roughly
and Mitchell Rivers, but in places in between these meridional and have been interpreted as thrust
two localities it is near vertical to steeply east- faults, but are now steeply dipping. In the region
dipping, suggesting that it is concave to the west, midway between the two rivers two conjugate sets
consistent with overthrusting from the west (Fig. of faults with small displacements have formed.
13). A simple duplex structure can be excluded in One set of faults strike roughly northwest and the
view of the apparent absence of horses (model 1) other set northeast. The northwest-striking set
and a clear roof thrust (Fig. 14). The Palmerville generally has left-lateral displacements. The
Fault System has some of the features of a trailing northeast-striking set has right-lateral displacements
imbricate fan (model 2), but it does not conform and is less common. The fault pattern appears to
strictly to such a model because there is no clearly be that of a set of conjugate wrench faults. These
defined floor thrust and the fault zone shows other minor and secondary faults di' pt the Mitchell
complexities as explained below. Fault Zone, but do not displace •.he Palmerville
High compressive stresses are required to activate Fault (Fig. 3) as noted by Amos (1968, p. 206). They
steep reverse faults. If the Palmerville Fault was occur at bends in major meridional faults within
initially steeply dipping, its orientation being the Mitchell Fault Zone and appear to be related
controlled by reactivation of an earlier basement to them.
mylonite zone, then the stresses required to activate The Mitchell Fault Zone dips at 65-70° to the
this and subsequent faults in the proposed thrust west where it is exposed in the Palmer and Mitchell
system may have been greater than those commonly Rivers (Fig. 3). At these two localities the elongation
applied in many other orogenic belts. Consequently, lineation has convergent and obliquely inclined
the displacement may have been less. That the older plunges, suggesting a fault which curves in plane
section and has an opposite sense of movement at
the northern end compared with the southern end,
possibly as a result of oblique slip-movements at
these localities—as displayed diagrammatically in
Mitchell Fault Zone Fig. 15.
It is doubtful whether elastic theories of faulting
can be applied to plastically deformed terrains.
Nevertheless, if major and minor faults are
considered to belong to the same stress system, they
Palmerville Fault
imply that the greatest principal stress (ai) was
east-west and close to horizontal in much of the
zone. Some divergence of stress trajectories near the
Mitchell Fault Zone is suggested by the divergence
of the stretching direction and the swing in strike
of the main meridional fault at both ends near the
Palmer and Mitchell Rivers.
The extreme range of intensity of the dominant
foliation (S|) and its highly mylonitic character in
the Mitchell Fault Zone in particular suggests that
it is genetically related to the thrusting, and formed
during the same compressional event. Axial plane
cleavage in F] folds parallel planes of detachment
Conjugate Faults in sheared out limbs, suggesting that folding,
Fig. 15 Structural features associated with the Mitchell thrusting and cleavage development were essentially
Fault Zone. coeval. If S[ were initially formed sub-parallel to
90 R. D. SHAW ET AL
SQ this would explain the inconsistency between Explanation of the gravity expression of the fault
sedimentary younging directions and vergence system
senses deduced from bedding-cleavage relations, in
that bedding is not uncommonly steeper than Fraser et al (1977) noted that the gravity province,
cleavage: a relationship that would normally which is dominated by Precambrian rocks
indicate overturning. Cleavage formation contem- (Atherton Region Gravity Low), continues across
poraneous with thrusting has also been described the Palmerville Fault. In the Palmer-Mitchell River
from parts of the Appalachians (Mitra & Elliot region the Palmerville Fault coincides with a gravity
1979) and the Baie Verte Lineament in Newfound- ridge. A gravity gradient to the east of the ridge—
land (Kidd 1977). In the Appalachian example, a position geophysically more likely for a fault—
thrust planes and cleavages are sub-parallel and dip corresponds to the Mitchell Fault Zone. The gravity
steeply only in the vicinity of ramps. gradient and ridge terminate to the south where the
Mitchell Fault converges towards the Palmerville
In the Chillagoe area, isoclinal folding is much
Fault, suggesting the two faults meet at this point.
more apparent than in the Mitchell River area
A mass excess suggested by the gravity ridge can
(Fig. 3) suggesting that part of the shortening there
be accounted for by the abundant metabasalt and
was taken up by folding rather than thrusting. Also
limestone in the Chillagoe Formation if they
in this region highly deformed rocks abutting the
continue westwards under a shallowing thrust fault.
fault on both sides are folded, probably during D 2
An alternative model requires a near surface mass
(cover), and this may explain the steep easterly dips
excess in the west, which is possible if relatively high
of the fault in this region. Alternatively, the
density rocks such as amphibolite represent a major
structure may have become active and complicated
component of the basement. However, the amphi-
structures in the Alice-Palmer Chillagoe area.
bolite has a patchy distribution and is unlikely to
We suggest that the fault system is complex
explain the gravity ridge over its full length.
because the sequence is not well-layered like those
in several of the classical thrust systems such as the Farther to the north and south the Palmerville
Moine and the Alps. Rather, strain was very much Fault is outlined by a slight discordance in gravity
more dispersed because of the slaty nature of the trends, except for the region between Chillagoe and
rocks and in this respect is more like the Mount Garnet, where the fault has been overprinted
Appalachian thrust fold belt. Thrust faults, rather by younger granitoid intrusions. If the Palmerville
than forming sharp planes of detachment, have Fault were a transcurrent fault separating Iitho-
formed zones up to 2 km wide. Strain within the spheric plates it should show up as a marked
fault zone is extremely heterogeneous in magnitude boundary between different gravity domains. The
and type; high strain zones are commonly over negligible difference in gravity level across the fault
100 m wide and reach widths of over 1 km, and suggests that it is either a steep strike-slip fault in
strain ranges from nearly plane strain to a uniform basement and has produced insufficient
constrictional in type. Shortening of up to 50% vertical displacement to perturb the gravity field or
perpendicular to the cleavage is estimated in parts it is a shallow fault confined to the upper crust; the
of the area between the Palmerville Fault and the latter model is favoured in this paper. This
Mitchell Fault Zone. Significant shortening was conclusion is in agreement with the conclusion of
accomplished by solution transfer along stylolite Shirley (1979) that the Palmerville Fault has no
planes in a manner similar to that described by gravity expression originating at Moho depths and
Alvarez et al (1978). Another consequence of hence it may be restricted entirely to the upper crust.
pressure solution is that it would be expected to
facilitate sliding within the high strain zones (Elliott
1976). In the zone of most intense strain, an
CONCLUSIONS
elongation lineation is evident parallel to what is
interpreted to be the direction of transport. Strain The Palmerville Fault is the westernmost fault in
indicators such as deformed amygdales in myloni- a major zone of crustal weakness. Movement on
tized metabasalt tend to be cigar shaped and record the zone began before sedimentation in the
a constrictional type of deformation unlike that of Hodgkinson Province and comprised four main
many slate belts where a strong flattening phases (Fig. 14): (1) Precambrian, (2) Late Silurian,
component is more typical (Wood & Oertel 1980). during regional rifting, (3) the main movement in
the mid-Palaeozoic and, (4) minor post-Permian Palmerville Fault forms the principal fault in a
normal faulting. major imbricate thrust system and near-vertical
In the basement along the western edge of the orientation if ascribed to the combined effect of
Palmerville Fault two phases of movement are several processes, principally:
implied by the two distinct types of mylonitized (i) Oversteepening due to the motion of subsequent
rock. The first type, more obvious in the south, is underlying thrusts,
characterized by highly schistose gneiss and (ii) Constraining of earlier movements on the
mylonitic gneiss. It has a metamorphic grade and Palmerville Fault by an earlier parallel mylonite
geometry identical to, and hence may be coeval zone in the basement; and
with, the main belt of Precambrian amphibolite (iii) Subsequent folding and shortening.
facies deformation. The metamorphic grade In the Palmer River area (Fig. 3) much of the
precludes a Palaeozoic age. The second type is a thrust movement in the Palaeozoic sedimentary
retrograde greenschist facies mylonite, in which rocks is interpreted to have been taken up by
alteration is considered to have resulted from fluids underlying faults which formed an imbricate zone.
moving along the Palmerville Fault during These underlying faults have a complex pattern
Palaeozoic faulting. The greenschist facies basement which includes discontinuous and branching faults.
mylonite, and mylonite developed in some of the The main thrusting and folding probably began
Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks (e.g. adjacent to the in the Late Devonian or possibly Early
Mitchell Fault) show similar structural styles and Carboniferous and was completed by the mid-
metamorphic grades, and are considered to be Carboniferous. Unequivocal K-Ar geochronological
coeval, post-dating Palaeozoic sedimentation. At evidence indicates that the main faulting movements
least two fault related mylonite events are evidenced on the Palmerville Fault are older than 300 Ma old
by the presence of angular mylonite clasts in the granitoids that intrude and truncate the fault.
synorgenic Quadroy Conglomerate, which itself has The Palmerville Fault, rather than representing
been mylonitized adjacent to the Palmerville Fault. a Palaeozoic shore-line as suggested by de Keyser
At several localities northwest of Chillagoe, the and Lucas (1968), is the front of a major post-
Palaeozoic thrust direction is recorded by a down- depositional thrust-complex, which has undergone
dip stretching lineation in the younger basement tectonic transport of tens and perhaps hundreds of
mylonite. Elsewhere a weak, shallow stretching kilometres. The thrust complex may be the result
lineation at a few localities in the more gneissic of reactivation of a ?Precambrian deformed zone
older mylonite suggest that the earlier now represented by mylonitic gneisses.
(? Precambrian) fault movements may have had a The granitoids and volcanics making up the
strike-slip character, although more work is required Coastal Ranges Igneous Province are clearly
on this gneissic mylonite. younger than the principal movement on the
Although a single oblique-slip movement would Palmerville Fault and as such are predominantly
explain many of the features of the Palmerville Fault postorogenic. Despite the fact that some of these
(e.g. discontinuous 'fault' conglomerates) it cannot volcanics have calc-alkaline characteristics and trace
explain the close parallelism between bedding (So), element and rare earth abundances similar to
the regional cleavage (S^ and the trace of the fault. volcanics erupted on thin active continental margins
Nor could an oblique-slip fault explain the it is clear that the main tectonic cycle of the
concurrent conjugate wrench fault system and the Hodgkinson Province was completed and a
orientation pattern shown by the down-dip relatively thick crust established in the region of the
stretching lineation. The fault zone is, however, Palmerville Fault by the mid- or Late-
clearly complex and some oblique-slip movement Carboniferous. These granitoids and volcanics were
may have occurred as the faults progressively emplaced into the zone of weakness containing the
steepened. Palmerville Fault: a fundamental fracture zone
We conclude that the major movement on the originating in the Precambrian.
Palmerville Fault was due to thrusting from the
west. This movement is correlated with the first ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
folding phase in the sedimentary rocks of the
Hodgkinson Province during which pseudo- We wish to thank Tim Bell, Mike Etheridge and
conglomerate and mylonite were formed. The Cecil Murray for their considerable encouragement,
92 R. D. SHAW ETAL
stimulating discussion and help in enabling this BOYER S. E. & ELLIOTT D. 1982. Thrust systems.
collaborative study to eventuate. The manuscript American Association of Petrology and Geology,
was critically read in full by M. A. Etheridge, A. J. Bulletin. 66(9), 1196-1230.
Stewart, and P. G. Stuart-Smith. The contribution BRANCH C. D. 1966. Volcanic cauldrons, ring com-
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of R. D. Shaw is published with permission of the
Inlier, Queensland. Bureau of Mineral Resources,
Director, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra. Geology and Geophysics Australia, Bulletin 76.
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Chief Government Geologist, Geological Survey of tural zonation of southern Tibet, China. Nature
Queensland, Department of Mines, Brisbane. 311(5983), 219-223.
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On: 21 December 2014, At: 02:41

Australian Journal of Earth

The Palmerville fault system: A

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08120098708729394

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The Palmerville fault system: A major imbricate thrust system in the

Along part of the Precambrian-Palaeozoic boundary in northern Queensland adjacent Palaeozoic

INTRODUCTION margin of the Hodgkinson Province in the mid-

Burdekin River Fault Zone

Clarke River Fault

Balcooma Mylonite Zone

Millaroo Fault System

Mesozoic and Cainozoic

recognize a complex zone of faulting, and put OUTLINE OF GEOLOGY

Little River Coat Measures

Coastal Ranges Igneous Province

Silver Valley Conglomerate

Quadroy it Other 'Fault' Congloms.

"'"...'I Gneiss, schist

^CCCC Zone of intense deformation

Van Dyke Lithic greywacke, shale

Xso Dip of bedding

s Elongation lineation (L't-coverj

Fig. 3 Geology of the Palmer and Mitchell River areas.

Mount Garnet Formation

Mylonitised and metamorphically retrogressed rocks

Highly schistose gneiss

'*4 Age determination Younging direction

Fig. 4 Geology of the Chillagoe area.

amount of volcanic detritus in the sediments. consists mainly of conglomerate, feldspathic

LITTLE MITCHELL NWEST OF

(_JMMHI) fj_ iliJTjirinjT .

FORMATIONS !•:::::] Conglomerate, arkose, r v v v v ] Mafic volcanics (mainly metabasalt)

FC Fault-related Conglomerate W§sM Chert, jasper [ Quartz-intermediate greywacke

Fig. 5 Stratigraphic reconstruction.

(PF = Palmerville Fault) Type Axial Plane (AP) grade

and there appears to be a progressive decrease from

Both the regional cleavage and the main high strain

Table 2 Deformation sequence in sedimentary cover (Western Hodgkinson Province)

Event Main features Distribution Orientation Folding Metamorphic

These two cleavages (Sy and S2) are close to

Strain during D t in cover

Strain during Dj was extensively heterogeneous as

The results of a simple strain analysis (see Cloos

Most of the Dargalong Metamorphics are amphi-

in both S| and S m (S m is developed progressively

pressures less than 500 MPa, probably 300-500 MPa

Sedimentary cover High-strain and mylonite zones in the basement

SiO 2 51.61 3.929 37.75 2.979 58.83 2.632

to gently plunging, although plunges up to 50° mylonitic gneiss (commonly hornblende-bearing

Table 4 K-Ar analyses.

82091302B 6.27 35.810 0.986 303 ±2 Porphyritic microgramte

' ^'' Shelf facies (proposed)

MG Mt. Garnet Formation

j l l l l l l l Basalt and dolerite

L\\ j Chillagoe Formation

BWFZ Big Watson Fault Zone

1 '•": •':-'\ o ':^i\'i^iassaB8B^ v - i --": 1 '"'5r v .

by the mid-Late Carboniferous. regional cleavage (Sj) and bedding (So).

Table 5 Post-Carboniferous movements on the Palmerville Fault.

CAREY S. W. & BROWNE W. R. 1938. Review of the

Carpentaria Region Upper Mantle Project ity relations of Mg-Al pumpellyite

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