Geology of South Australia

South Australia is an Australian state, situated in the southern central part of the country, and featuring some low-lying mountain ranges, the most significant being the Mount Lofty Ranges, which extend into the state's capital city, Adelaide, which comprises most of the state's population. Adelaide is situated on the eastern shores of Gulf St Vincent, on the Adelaide Plains, north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, between Gulf St Vincent and the low-lying Mount Lofty Ranges. The state of South Australia, which stretches along the coast of the continent and has boundaries with every other state in Australia, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania. The Western Australia border has a history with South Australia, involving the South Australian Government Astronomer, Dodwell and the Western Australian Government Astronomer, Curlewis in the 1920s to mark the border on the ground.

The search for underground water and mineral wealth was the principal stimulus to the growth of geology of South Australia. The state's central position within the Australian continent gives the state the advantage of hosting rocks with a wide range of ages and lithologies which are all potential (and proven) targets for mineral exploration. South Australia featured some of Australia's most recent volcanic activity and is the location of dormant volcanoes, notably Mount Gambier, which last erupted approximately 6,000 years ago.

See also

• Geology of Australia