TAG 166 - Geological Society of Australia

the influence of the Messinian salt onstructuring. Surprisingly there is a recentpaper in Geological Society of London SpecialPublication 363 devoted to strain in theLevant Basin associated with four majorhalite detachments, which are interpretedfrom 3D seismic data.Geology discussed in the volume covers theoffshore Levant Basin (eastern corner of theMediterranean) and the adjacent platform onthe Arabian and African Plates, and it dealswith late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic basindevelopment and late Cretaceous–Cenozoicdeformation associated with the closure ofTethys. The Mesozoic eastern margin of thebasin and its shelf edge are identified nearthe present-day Israeli coastline as a narrowtransition zone extending from northernEgypt to western Lebanon. Late Cretaceousconvergence of Afro–Arabia with Asiaresulted in the north-dipping subductionzone at present-day Cyprus and southernTurkey. This event is marked in the LevantBasin by inversion of existing normal faultsand local deformation with pronouncedpaleorelief, also the development ofsyndepositional basins and swells resultingfrom growth faulting. There is thus a widerange of sedimentary environments rangingfrom outer shelf to deltaic–fluviatile deposits.The last major tectonic event is recorded asthe breakup of the African and Arabiancratons with the development of the DeadSea transform. Sinistral movement on thisboundary amounts to about 100 km. In brief,the Levant Basin is a structure of considerableinterest due to its tectonic setting andthe influence of major plate interactionssince the breakup of Gondwana.R DALGARNObdalgarno@internode.on.netShaping a Nation: a geologyof AustraliaR Blewett (Chief Ed)Geoscience Australia & ANU Press, 2012,571 pages, $70.00ISBN 9781922103437If the 34th IGC in Brisbane (August 2012)achieved nothing except the related writingof this book, we should be grateful. Theunusual structure of the book probably owesits form to the Editorial Board and ChiefEditor, Richard Blewett. The 11 chapters werewritten by 57 authors, some making multiplecontributions.This large tome (hard cover printed on artpaper, weighing almost 8 kg) is, at the sametime, both fascinating and annoying. Thelandscape format is well adapted to its manyfine maps, photos and figures, although thelocalities of some photos are not identified.The editors state, “this book is not anothergeology of Australia with the rocks, mineralsand fossils catalogued through time”. Ratherit deals with “Australian geology: thefoundation that shapes the people”. Thisconcept is imaginatively brought out inFigure 1.1, and is presented again in adifferent form, encircled by ‘Earth SystemScience’, in Figure 11.1.The titles of the 11 chapters, too, give an ideaof the book’s ‘philosophy’: Australia and theAustralian people; Australia in space andtime; Living Australia; Out of Gondwana;Old, flat and red — Australia’s distinctivelandscape; Living on the edge — waterfrontviews; Groundwater — lifeblood of thecontinent (perhaps the most accessibletechnical chapter); Foundations of wealth —Australia’s major mineral provinces;Sustaining Australia’s wealth — economicgrowth from a stable base; the interesting‘speculative’ Deep heat — Australia’s energyfuture?; and Advance Australia Fair.The relationship to the Australian people isstrongly maintained, most notably throughmentions in chapters one, two, seven andeleven. Recognition is given in places to thecontribution of the Aboriginal people, notablyin their respect for country.An important topic discussed is the questionof the age of Australian landscapes. Whilethere seems to be agreement that manyAustralian landscapes presently visible areold, opinions differ, even within a singlechapter as to: (1) whether they haveremained exposed since formation,weathering slowly and eroding even slower;or (2) they have been protected by thick coverand owe their appearance today largely touplift and exhumation. In chapter 6 (p 289)there is mention of “minimal landformerosion, … a strong feature of the dry, flatregions of southern Australia”. What does onemake then of the discussion of apatite fission(p 260 and Box 5.5), which is said to provide“estimates of denudation over large areas”?Figure 5.23 presents the results of suchcalculations, Australia-wide. This figureseems to call for almost catastrophic activityto remove 4 km of rock adjacent to areasfrom where only 2 km has gone. SouthAustralia, as depicted, is one such region. Thelocalities in all states and territories (notablyQueensland) showing nearly zero removal,often sit somewhat uncomfortably close toregions of claimed extreme denudation.Figure B5.5b by Scott and Pain (2008) seemsto absolutely contradict Figure 5.23. For thepresent I will stick with S & P!Editing and proof-reading have been verywell done, but in a volume of this size andcomplexity, a few errors have escaped notice.Box 2.2, p 67 incorrectly credits EdgeworthDavid and his party with reaching the SouthMagnetic Pole. Box 4.3 (p 196) uses‘palaeography’ for ‘palaeogeography’.Figure 5.10a (p 240) suggests that Pain(1985) ‘defined’ the ‘Great Escarpment’, butit is surely Ollier (1982), as referred to onseveral figures. Box 5.2 (p 246) puts theMurray–Darling headwaters all in CentralQueensland, but they are not.A new matter for me was the appearance ofcaveats accompanying some illustrations.The small print accompanying the data onFigure 4.11 (similar for other figures) puts theonus on the reader to check the informationbefore using it, presumably for economicpurposes. Has the legal world gone over thetop?In terms of grammatical use, the volumeproves that the ‘infinitive is well and trulysplit’!Geologists of all levels will gain much fromthe book, although perseverance will oftenbe needed. Local terminology will appeal toAustralian readers, but overseas readersmight well be puzzled by some material,including occasional typical Australianself-deprecating remarks.The book is a fine, if demanding volume,showing how important geology has been,and continues to be, for the Australianpopulation. Although somewhat too proselytisingat times, it deserves wide circulation.Martin Ferguson, the present Minister forResources, Energy and Tourism, endorsesthe volume enthusiastically, writing, “Thisexciting book demonstrates the fundamentalimportance of the study of Earth Sciences toour society.” Well said, sir!DAVID BRANAGANR E F E R E N C EScott K & Pain CF (eds) 2008. Regolith Science, CSIROPublishing, Melbourne.TAG March 2013| 47