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IBRAR B.S 4TH GEOLOGY
FIELD REPORT BKUC 2016
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IBRAR B.S 4TH GEOLOGY
FIELD REPORT BKUC 2016
CONTENTS
1. ACKNOWLEGDEMENT
2. ABSTRACT
I.CHAPTER NO.01
INTRODUCTION
1.1 OBJECTIVES
1.2 SIGNIFICANCE
1.3 METHODOLOGY
II.CHAPTERNO.02
STRAITIGRAPHY
III.CHAPTER NO.03
FIELD OBSERVATIONS
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IV.CHAPTERNO.04
CONCLUSION
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Almighty Allah for giving me the sense and strength to be a part of this field trip
which was organized by the Department of Geology Bacha Khan University Charsadda. I would like to
thank Mr. Fahad Ali who besides his serious illness accompanied us to the field and shared his knowledge
with us. I am also thankful to Mr. Imran Ahmed, who despite having other commitments joined us in the
field and shared his knowledge with us. At last but not the least my thanks go to Mr.Taqveem Ul Haq who
made all this possible and arranged a trip that was recreational and knowledgeable at the same time.
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ABSTRACT
This field report describes the litho-stratigraphy as well as sedimentary structure of the Nammal
Gorge,Khewra Gorge,Zaluch Nala and Siwalik Group. All these areas contain important geological and
plateontogic localities with having outstanding field areas. In fact these areas present open book of Geology
where various richy fossiliferous stratified rocks are very well exposed due to lack of vegetation and trees.
In Nammal gorge the strata from late Permian Wargal Limestone to Eocene Murree Formation are exposed.
The area is structurally characterized by features like cross bedding, ripple marks; plumose structures, flute
casts, burrows and some joints and fractures are present. In Khewra gorge the overlying Khewra sandstone
is of early Cambrian age, therefore the salt range formation is assigned an Early Cambrian to Late
Precambrian age Sedimentary features such as ripple marks and mud cracks are common in the formation.
The age of Zaluch group is range from the early Permian to late Permian. The zaluch group is further
divided in to three formations which include Amb formation and Wargal limestone and Chhidru
formation.Siwalik group is composed of molasse sediments, which were derived from the rising Himalaya
in the north. The group along the Kankai River section is lithological divided into the Lower, Middle and
Upper Siwaliks, in ascending order based on increasing grain size and lithology. In our trip we focused on
the geological study of sedimentary structure, stratigraphy, tectonic and others geomorphological features
of Nammal Gorge,Khewra Gorge,Zaluch Nala and Siwalik Group.
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CHAPTER NO.1
INTRODUCTION
1.1Objectives
A field trip was arranged by the department of Geology Bacha Khan University on 26th
April, 2016. It was a four day field trip to to Khewra Gorge,Nammal Gorge,Zaluch Nala and Siwalik
group which is approximately120-130 km from Islamabad. We left for trip on Tuesday 26th April, 2016
at 8:30am and arrived back to Charsadda on Friday 29th April, 2016 at 3:30 pm. The main objectives of
the trip was to study the sedimentary Structure, stratigraphy, tectonic, regional geology
and geomorphological features of these areas.
1.2 Significance
The basic purpose of the field was to complete the degree requirement of three credit
hours field work under the instructions of our visionary and hardworking course instructor honourable
Mr.Fahad Ali . This was our second field, first we did in the Malakand,Swabi and Nezampur areas. In this
present field the main objectives were to get familier ourselves with the faults, folded areas, trusted shields
and complex lithologies due to deformation and to get some idea about the complex paleotectonic
mechanisms and salt diapirs which acted in the area, making complex structures and lithologic contacts.
1.3 Methodology
We applied different methods in our field to recognize the lithology, dipping directions
and our position etc. so these methods are given below:
i. Global Positioning System (GPS) was used for finding the geographical locations of different
stations where we worked.
ii. Brunton Compass was used for measuring the dip and strike of the rocks.
iii. Geological Hammer was used for collecting samples and differentiating between fresh and
weathered surface of rocks. It is also used a scale.
iv. Hand lens were used for study of fossils and grain sizes.
v. Measuring tape was used to measure different lithological sections.
vi. Acid was used to easily recognize the lithologys like limestone, dolomites and weathered
surfaces.
1.4 Nammal Gorge
The Nammal Gorge is located in the western Salt range situated south of Islamabad at
a distance of about 200km. from Charsadda it is present at a distance of approximately 300km. the exact
coordinates for Nammal gorge are 323954 North and 714807 East.
The area is easily accessible as it is located on the Grand Trunk Road from Peshawar to Karachi. It took
about 5 hours to reach Nammal from Charsadda . The path in the gorge is rocky, bushy, and unsteady and
is along the water channel that comes from the spill of the Nammal Dam.
Climate of the area is hot and dry with very low precipitation; average rainfall is about 70-80mm per annum.
Maximum rains fall in Monsoon months of July and August. In winter months of December, January and
February there is minimum rainfall which makes it best time to visit the Nammal gorge.
In Nammal gorge we find mix lithologies. The Late Permian Zaluch Group is mainly limestone having
abundant fossils of brachiopods. The famous Permo-Triassic Boundary (P-T Boundary) separates the
Chiddru Formation of Zaluch group from Mianwali Formation of Triassic. Tredian Formation is of
sandstone while Kingriali Formation largely consists of Dolomitized limestone. The variegated Datta
Formation underlies the Shinawari Formation above which Samana Suk Formation is present which
comprises of limestone. After the unconformity Hangu Formation is present. The sandstone of Hangu
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Formation underlies the nodular limestone of Lockhart Formation. Shales of Patala Formation are present
above which Nammal Formation and Sakesar Limestone are present.
Economically Nammal gorge is very important. Large quantities of limestone, sandstone and silica sand
are being extracted from the gorge. The quarries of limestone present here are fulfilling the needs of cement
factories as well as construction purposes.
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The name of the zaluch group is drived from the zaluch nala which are present in the
western of the salt range which was proposed by Teichert in 1966.
The age of the group is range from the early Permian to late Permian.
1. Amb Formation
2. Wargal Limestone
3. Chhidru Formation
The Tobra Formation contains ostracizes, and fresh water bivalves, pollen, spores, microplanktons as
well as flora remains including Glossopteris and Gangamopteris . On the basis of fauna the age is
considered as Early Permian Warchha sandstone Formation consists predominantly of sandstone. The
sandstone is red,purple or lightershades of pink color. It is medium to coarse-grained and is pebbly,
friable and arkosic. Thepebbles are of mostly of pink granite, quartzite and feldspar. The sandstone is
thick bedded. Itis highly jointed and is locally speckled. The Chiddru formation at the base is composed
of shale unit of yellowish grey to medium dark grey color with small phosphatic nodules. Above shale
beds of calcareous sandstone with few sandy limestones are present. The top most part is a white
sandstone bed which is medium to fine grained with subordinate shale partings and contains abundant
fossils.The formation has a transitional contact with underlying Wargal formation while its upper contact
is marked by a major unconformity the P-T boundary above which is the Mianwali formation of Triassic
age.
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CHAPTER NO.2
STRATIGRAPHY
Medlicott (1864) was the first who introduced the term Siwaliks for the fresh water deposits of Late
Tertiary age from Siwalik Hills in the Indian held Kashmir. Later on Wynne (1879) extended it to similar
rocks of the Potwar Plateau, North-West Frontier Province, Kashmir, Baluchistan and Sindh areas of
Pakistan. The constituent sediments were produced as a result of the high uplift rates of the Himalayan
orogenic belt during Miocene time (Zeitler, 1985) that exposed different types of rocks for denudation,
and transported by the Himalayan drainage system analogous to the present day river systems of Indus,
Ganges andthe mentioned belt into their respective basins.
(Abid et al., 1983; Abbasi and Friend, 2000).
Brahmaputra that started flowing axially through The Siwalik Hills consisting of sandstones, mudstone
and conglomerates, form the sub-Himalayan lithotectonic unit of the Himalayan tectonic system and
extend for over 2000 km from Kohat Plateau (northern Pakistan). The Siwalik Group of rocks consists of
5000 to 5500 m thick clastic sediments, The Siwalik Group clastic sediments are assumed to have been
eroded from the metamorphic rocks of the Himalayan orogen (Najman et al., 1997; DeCelles et al., 2001).
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a. Lower siwalik:
The Kamlial and Chinji formations form the lower Siwaliks consists of a sequence of sandstone-
mudstone couplets with a marked dominance of the mudstones over the sandstones. The paleosol
horizons are also fairly frequent in their developments. The Lower Siwaliks have height approximately
4,000 feet with life span about 18 to 11.2 million years.
it is further divide in two formations
1. Kamlail formation
2. Chinji formation
b. Middle siwalk:
c. Upper siwalik:
1. Chinji formation
The terms Chinji Zone of Pilgrim (1913) and Chinji Stage of Pascoe (1963)
for stratigraphic units consisting of interbedded sandstone, silty clay and siltstone were later on
reformed as Chinji Formation. The type section is exposed near the Chinji village.
Contact:
Pilgrim recognized two divisions of the Chinji, namely a lower and an upper division. At type
locality the lower contact of the Chinji Formation is gradational with Kamlial Formation, while the upper
contact is conformable with the Nagri Formation. Fossils range is pretty well throughout the thickness of
the Chinji deposits, and the upper and lower horizons recognized by Pilgrim really represent levels of
unusual abundance of fossils rather than zones of faunal differences. An unconformity, the only specific
break in the Siwalik series, separates the Chinji from the lowest of the siwalik zone.
Age
Fossil:
Environment of deposition:
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2. Nagri formation
PILGRIM (1913) identified Nagri zone which was formalized by LEWIS (1937) as Nagri Formation,
which is known from the type section the village Sethi Nagri. The Nagri Formation is conformable with
the underlying Chinji Formation and overlying Dhok Pathan Formation.
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Age:
Middle Miocene
Fossil:
Environment of deposition:
Fluvial.
Salt range formation is the oldest in the world which is expose in the pakistan at khewra.
The Salt Range is a hill system in the Punjab province of Pakistan, deriving its name from its
extensive deposits of rock salt. The range extends from the Jhelum River to the Indus, across the
northern portion of the Punjab province. The Salt Range contains the great mines of Khewra,
Kalabagh and Warcha which yield vast supplies of salt. Coal of a medium quality is also found.
The term Salt Range Formation has been introduced by Asrarullah (1962) after theSalt Range
in the Punjab Province. Previously it was named as "Saline Series by
Wynne(1878) and Punjab Saline Series by Gee (1945). Khewra Gorge in the Eastern Salt Rane,
Jhelum district, Punjab Province, has beendesignated as the type section (Shah,1977).
Division of salt range formation
1. Billianwala salt member
2. Bhandar khas gypsum member
3. Sahiwal marl member
Salt Range Formation is widely distributed in the southern parts of the area, but it is
onlyrestricted in the nalas. Its thickness was not measured because base of the Formation isnot
exposed.
Contact :
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Base of the Formation is not exposed anywhere including the study area. The uppercontact
with the Khewra Sandstone is transitional
The Salt Range Formation is devoid of fossils. Due to its position below Lower Cambrian sediments
and above the metamorphic Precambrian basement, it is considered as Late Neoproterozoic. This is in
accordance with the results of sulphur-isotope measurements carried out on gypsum samples from the top
of Salt Range Formation which indicate an age of about 600 m.y. (H.A. RAZA).
Environment of deposition :
Evaporatic environment.
Cambrian sequence is collectively known as the Jhelum group. Jhelum series, Pascoe in 1959.
Because it is expose in district Jhelum so it is called Jhelum.
1. Khewra sandstone
2. Kussak formation
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3. Jutana formation
4. Baghanwala Formation
5. Khisor formation
Khewra Sandston
The Khewra Group of Noetling (1894) was formalized as Khewra sandstone after
its main type section of the Khewra town in the Punjab Province. Khewra Gorge
having latitude 3240N and longitude 7300E in the Eastern Salt Range Punjab
Province, was designated as the type locality.
Lithology:
The basal part consists of thin-bedded, fine to medium-grained sandstone, partly shaly,
passing upward into massive, thick-bedded, purple, occasionally buff-colored, jointed sandstone
with thin bands of clay. Upper part is dominantly reddish brown and yellowish brown
sandstone, becoming pale towards the top. The sandstone is well sorted, cross bedded and has
abundant ripple marks and mud cracks and also shows convolute bedding in the lower part .The
Khewra Sandstone can be divided into 4 units: (Saqib et. al 2009)
1. The lower unit, often called the Maroon Shale Group, consists of thin bedded, dark red to
brown, argillaceous siltstone, with intercalations of dark purple shales. Occasionally argillaceous
sandstones are present
2. The middle unit is a thin bedded to flaggy, purple to brick red sandstone. It is generally
micaceous, fine grained and silty at the base; the grain size increases towards the top.
Sedimentary structures like ball and pillow, climbing ripples, parting lineation, tabular and trough
cross bedding are present.
3. The upper unit consists of light red to yellowish white sandstone which is medium hard to
friable. It gets coarser towards the top. Wedge planar cross bedding, large scale trough cross
bedding, honey comb weathering are prominent feature of this.
4. The topmost unit of the Khewra sandstone is yellowish white, friable, medium grained,
sandstone which shows high percentage of quartz. The sandstone is ferruginous; cross bedded and
contains calcareous lenses.
Khewra Sandstone is widely distributed in the southern parts of the area, but it is only
restricted in the nalas. More than 200 m in Khewra gorge.
Contacts:
The contact of Khewra Sandstone with the underlying Salt Range Formation is
conformableand gradational. Its upper contact with Kussak Formation is sharp.
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The Khewra Sandstone does not contain well-preserved fossils but possesses evidence
of organic remains and trace fossils which have been interpreted as diggings of trilobites (Schin
dewolf and Seilacher, 1955). Because of its position between the Late Proterozoic Salt Range
Formation and the fossiliferous Early Cambrian Kussak Formation,in the Eastern Salt Range the
Khewra Sandstone is thought to represent the basal part of the Lower Cambrian.(Schmdewalf and
seilachaclass
Kussak Formation
Lithology:
Kussak Formation contains shale with thin bands of glauconitic sandstone. Shale 1sgrey,
greenish grey and purplish in color. Sandstone is micaceous.
In the Mapped Area were found greenish grey shales and thinly bedded micaceous sandstone. In
the upper part sandstone becomes calcareous. Ripple marks worm tracks were observed.
At type locality it is thick while in Mapped Area its thickness is 10 feet. It is outcroppedalong
west facing scarp in Khewra gorge.It has sharp, conformable contact with Khewra Sandstone
while upper contact with JutanaFormation is transitional.
The Jutana Group of Noetling (1894) is formalized as Jutana Formation after Jutana
Villagein eastern Salt Range.Magnesium Sandstone of Fleming (1852) "Jutana Group"
ofNoetling(1894)".Jutana village, District Jhelum Eastern Salt Range, Punjab Province.
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Lithology:
Jutana Formation is composed of dolomite, shale and sandstone. In the Mapped Area
thisFormation can be divided into three units, lower sandy dolomite, middle shaly portion(similar
to Kussak) and upper pure dolomite characterized by chop board weathering.
The Formation is widely distributed in southern part ofthe Mapped Area. Typical cliffs
of Jutana Formation can be seen in Khewra gorge.At type locality the thickness is 240 ft whereas
it is 300 feet thick while in Mapped Area it isabout 60 m thick.The contact with underlying
Kussak Formation is transitional and with overlyingBaghanwa!a Formation is sharp.
Baghanwala Formation
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Nammal Gorge
Nammal gorge is present in the western salt range. It is located close to the main wali
rawalipindi highway. There is a small village nearby so it is called nammal gorge.
In this gorge we will studied the following groups
1. Nilawahan group
2. Zaluch group
3. Musa khel group
4. Makarwal group
Nilawahan Group
The name Nilawahan series was proposed by Gee . the rock is conformable underlying with
zaluch group but disconformably underlying Cambrian salt range.
1. Tobra formation
2. Dandot formation
3. Warccha limestone
4. Sardai formation
Tobra Formation
The term Tobra Formation has been introduced by Gee (written communication, 1964),
for the lowest unit of the Nilawahan Group. "Talchir Series" of Blanford (1856),"Talchir
Conglomerate", "Talchir Stage" of Gee (in Pascoe, 1959), "Talchir Boulder Beds" of Pascoe
(1959), "Salt Range Boulder Bed" of Teichert (1967) were known in previousliterature. Tobra
village Eastern Salt Range, Jhelum district,Punjab Province.
Lithology:
It is only present in the southern part of the Mapped Area, along nalas. The Formation hasa
thickness of 10m
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Contacts:
The lower contact of the Tobra Formation is a widespread unconformity with baghanwala
Formation while The upper contact with the Dandot Formation is
(gradational)conformable. The contact can be recognized with change in lithology from black and
dark brown shale to greenish sandstone of Dandot Formation
The Tobra Formation contains ostracizes, and fresh water bivalves, pollen, spores,microplanktons
as well as flora remains including Glossopteris and Gangamopteris (Reed1936). On the basis of
fauna the age is considered as Early Permian (Shah, 1977).
Warchha Sandstone
The name Warchha Sandstone was coined by Hussain (1967), prior to this other terms
wereWarchha Group by Noetling (1901) after the Warchha Gorge in the Salt Range in
Mianwalidistrict, Punjab Province. "Middle Speckled Sandstone" of Waagen (1889-91) and
"SpeckledSandstone" of Gee (1945) were also prevalent in literature. The type section of
WarchhaSandstone is Warchha Gorge (lat. 3227N; long. 7158E), in Central Salt Range,
PunjabProvince.
Lithology:
The Formation is widely distributed in the southern and south western part of the
mappedarea. It is mainly present along the nalas; Khewra gorge upper portion of the Khewra
scarp.. It is57m thick in the Mapped Area.
Contacts:
The lower contact with Dandot Formation is conformable and sharp. The upper contact
withthe Sardhai Formation is transitional which is placed at the top of the highest
massivesandstone.
Fossils:
No diagnostic fossils are known from this Formation except from worm- casts and
petrifiedwood (Fatmi, 1973).
Age:
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Sardai formation
History :
The upper part of the warccha by Noelting (1901) is named as levander clay or sardai
formation by Gee and Pascoe in 1959.
Lithology:
This formation is mainly is composed of bluish to greenish colored clay minor gray sandstone
and gypsum , and calcareous beds in the upper part
Environment of deposition :
Thickness:
This The formation is 50m in Khisor Range, 65m in W. Salt Range, at type locality i.e.,
Fossil:
Limestone beds well developed at Khisor Range having brachiopods and bryozoans
Zaluch Group
The name of the zaluch group is drived from the zaluch nala which are present in the
western of the salt range which was proposed by Teichert in 1966.
The age of the group is range from the early Permian to late Permian.
4. Amb Formation
5. Wargal Limestone
6. Chiddru Formation
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Warchha Sandstone
The name Warchha Sandstone was coined by Hussain (1967), prior to this other terms
wereWarchha Group by Noetling (1901) after the Warchha Gorge in the Salt Range in
Mianwalidistrict, Punjab Province. "Middle Speckled Sandstone" of Waagen (1889-91) and
"SpeckledSandstone" of Gee (1945) were also prevalent in literature. The type section of
WarchhaSandstone is Warchha Gorge (lat. 3227N; long. 7158E), in Central Salt Range,
PunjabProvince.
Lithology:
The Formation is widely distributed in the southern and south western part of the mappedarea.
It is mainly present along the nalas; Khewra gorge upper portion of the Khewra scarp.. It is57m
thick in the Mapped Area.
Contacts:
The lower contact with Dandot Formation is conformable and sharp. The upper contact
withthe Sardhai Formation is transitional which is placed at the top of the highest
massivesandstone.
Fossils:
No diagnostic fossils are known from this Formation except from worm- casts and
petrifiedwood (Fatmi, 1973).
Age:
Chiddru Formation
The name Chiddru formation was introduced by Dunbar (1932) to the Chiddru beds of Waagen
(1891) and Chiddru group of Noetling (1901).
Lithology:
The formation at the base is composed of shale unit of yellowish grey to medium dark grey
color with small phosphatic nodules. Above shale beds of calcareous sandstone with few sandy
limestones are present. The top most part is a white sandstone bed which is medium to fine
grained with subordinate shale partings and contains abundant fossils.
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Contacts:
The formation has a transitional contact with underlying Wargal formation while its upper
contact is marked by a major unconformity the P-T boundary above which is the Mianwali
formation of Triassic age.
Musakhel Group
1. Mianwali Formation
2. Tredian Formation
3. Kingriali Formation
Mianwali Formation
Gee (in Pascoe, 1959) used the name Mianwali Series which was later modified by
Kummel (1966) into Mianwali Formation.
Lithology:
The formation represents a great wedge of varied facies consisting of marl, limestone,
sandstone, siltstone and dolomite which is thickest in the west and wedges out towards the east.
The formation was divided into three members in the Salt range and Trans Indus ranges by
Waagen which were also recognized by Kummel (1966). These members are not recognized in
Kala Chitta area.
Thickness:
The formation is 121m thick in Zaluch nala while in Tappan Wahan section it ranges from
135m to 187m.
Contacts:
Lower contact of the formation is marked by the P-T boundary wile its upper contact with
Tredian formation is sharp and well defined.
Tredian Formation
The name Tridian formation was introduced by Gee (in Kummel, 1966) to replace his
earlier name Kingriali sandstones. The Tredian formation is generally non-marine unit that
succeeds the Mianwali formation.
Lithology:
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The formation consists of two members the lower Landa member and the upper Khatkiara
member. The Landa member consists of sandstone and shale. The sandstone is micaceous and
varies in color from pinkish, reddish grey to greenish grey and is thin to medium bedded. The
Khatkiara member is massive, thick bedded white sandstone with inclusions of some dolomite in
the upper part.
Thicknees:
The formation is 1560m in Tappan Wahan section of the Khisor range and 76m in Zaluch
sections of salt range.
Contacts:
The contact with underlying Mianwali formation is sharp while with overlying Kingriali
formation is gradational.
Kingriali Formation
The name Kingriali formation was given to the Kingriali Dolomite of Gee (1945). The
name originates from the Kingriali Peak of the Khisor range.
Lithology:
The formation consists of thin to thick bedded, massive, fine to coarse textured, light grey to
brown dolomite and dolomitic limestone with interbeds of greenish dolomitic shale and marl in
the upper part. The formation is widely developed in the Salt range, Trans Indus ranges, part of
Kala Chitta, Kohat and southern Hazara.
Contact:
The upper contact with Datta formation is disconfirmable and shows development of Ferruginous
dolomite and uneven surface at the contact. The lower contact with Tridian formation is
confirmable.
Datta Formation
The name Datta formation was introduced by Danilchick and Shah (1967) for the variegated
stage of Gee (1945).
Lithology:
The formation is mainly of continental origin and consists of variegated colored sandstone,
shale, siltstone and mudstone with irregularly distributed calcareous dolomitic, carbonaceous,
ferruginous glass sand and fireclay horizons. The fireclay is present mainly in the lower part.
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At type locality the formation is 212m thick but increases to 230m in Punnu nala to the west
and over 400m in Sheikh Badin Hills. In Nammal gorge area the thickness is 150m which reduces
further as we move towards east.
The formation overlies unconfirmably on the Kingriali formation in Salt range and Trans Indus
ranges while in Hazara it rests unconfirmably over the Precambrian Hazara formation. The upper
contact with Shinawari formation is gradational.
Makarwal Group
Type locality is suggested at Makarwal (lat. 320 51 00N & long. 710 09 00E).
Makarwal group well developed all over the KohatPotwar province with gradational pinching of
lower part of the group in eastern Salt Range.
3. Patala Formation
2. Lockhart Limestone
1. Hangu Formation
Hangu Formation
The Hangu Shale and Hangu sandstone of Davies (1930) from Kohat area have been
formalized by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan. A section south of Fort Lockhart is designated as
its type section.
Lithology:
The Hangu formation consists of sandstone with grey shale intercalations in upper part. The sandstone
is white, light grey and reddish brown, weathers dark rusty brown, fine to coarse grained and medium to
thick bedded. In Nammal area the sandstone is dark colored and variegated rarely, shale, carbonaceous
shale and some nodular argillaceous limestone.
Thickness:
The formation is 90m thick at the type section, 50m at Hangu and about 35m in Mandeha Banni in
Hazara.
Contact:
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Lockhart Limestone
Davies (1930a) introduced the term Lockhart Limestone for Paleocene limestone unit in Kohat area
formerly known as Nummulitic Series of Middle miss (1896). A section near Fort Lockhart in Samana
range is designated as a type section.
Lithology:
At type locality the limestone is grey, medium to thick bedded, massive, rubbly and brecciated at
places and flaggy at basal part. In salt range Nammal area the limestone is grey to light grey, medium to
thick bedded, nodular with minor amounts of grey marl and dark bluish grey calcareous shale in he lower
part.
Thickness:
The limestone is well developed and 60m thick at type locality. It is about 70m thick in Nammal
gorge and 242m in Hazara area.
The formation conformably and transitionally overlies and underlies the Hangu formation and the Patala
formation respectively.
Patala Formation
The term Patala formation was formalized by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan for the
Patala shale of Davies and Pinfold (1937) and Nummulitic formation of Waagen and Wynne (1872).
Patala nala in Salt range is its type section.
Lithology:
In salt range the formation consists of shale and marl with subordinate limestone and sandstone. The shale
is dark greenish grey, selenite bearing. In places carbonaceous and calcareous acd also contains marcasite
nodules. The limestone is white to grey and nodular and occurs as interbeds. Subordinate interbeds of
yellowish brown sandstone are present in the upper part. Coal seams of economic importance are present
locally.
Patala formation conformably overlies the Lockhart limestone and is conformably and transitionally
overlain by Nammal formation in Salt range. Thickness of Patala formation at type locality is 90m while
at Khewra it is 27m thick.
Sakesar Limestone
The term Sakesar limestone was introduced by Gee (in Fermor, 1935) for the most prominent Eocene
limestone in the salt range and Trans indus ranges. Sakesar peak in the Salt range has been designated as
its type locality.
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Lithology:
The unit consists dominantly of limestone with subordinate marl. The limestone throughout its extent
is cream colored to light grey, nodular, usually massive with considerable development of chert in the
upper part. The marl is cream colored and forms a persistent horizon nea the top. Near Daud Khail in
western salt range the limestone grades into white to grey massive gypsum.
Thickness:
The formation is widely distributed in salt range where the thickness ranges from 70m to 150m.
Contacts:
The lower contact with Nammal formation is confirmable. In eastern salt range upper contact with
Chorgali formation is confirmable while in central and western part, Rawalpindi group overlies it
conformably.
CHAPTER NO.3
FIELD OBSERVATIONS
Station-1
Siwalike group is our first stop or station where we observe the lithology, color and the stratigraphy
features of the two formations ( chinji and nagri ) of the the siwalike group because at that area these two
formations are exposed. First we observed the chinji formation where we study the lithology color and the
upper and lower contacts of the chinji and aslso we observe different type of fossil.
In chinji we observe beds of pseudo-conglomerates with typical Lower Siwalik fauna and bright red
clays, interbedded with grey, soft sandstones. Sandstones are medium to coarse grained and thick bedded
to massive.we can also study that the lower contact of the Chinji Formation is gradational with Kamlial
Formation, while the upper contact is conformable with the Nagri Formation.
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After the study of chinji formation we observe the nagri formation in which we also studied the color,
lithology and contact of the the nagri formation. In lithology we observe The Nagri Formation is
conformable with the underlying Chinji Formation and overlying Dhok Pathan Formation. The Formation
is composed of tens of meters of bluish grey, massive and coarse sandstones with purple and orange
clays and thick brown multistoried sandstone layers, forming normal to paleoflow channels which have
lengths for kilometers. The Nagri Formation have approximately age about 8.5-11 million years with the
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thickness of 650m is characteristics of both salt and pepper texture, in which grey sandstones are mainly
deposited in braided channels of paleoflow.
Nagri formation
After the observation of siwalik group we stay in youth hostel katas Raj for one night
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Station-1
At second day our first stop is salt range formation where we observe the pre Cambrian age of
different rocks for example
In the khewra gorge first we study the billianwalan salt member which is largely composed of
hematitic, dull red, gypsiferous marly beds with thick seams of salt.
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After the study of the Billianwala salt member we study the Massive gypsum with minor beds of
dolomite and clay. Bandarkas Gypsum Member contains marl and huge deposits of crystalline
and non crystalline gypsum.
After the study Bander khas gypsum we observe the sahiwal marl member which is divide in two
unites
Bright red marl beds with irregular gypsum, dolomite beds and khewra trap
Dull red marl with some salt seams and 10m thick gypsum beds on top
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Station -2
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gorge. The lower contacts with sahwal marl member of salt range formation have been observed
gradational.
We also observed some sedimentary structure like Ripple marks, mud crack, Rain pets Ball and
pillow structure and some cross bedding.
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Khewra sandstone
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Crossing Bedding
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Our third stop was on the type locality of Kussak formation where we study greenish grey,
glauconitic, micaceous sandstone ,greenish grey siltstone interbedded with light grey dolostone
and some oolitic, arenaceous dolomite. Numerous layers of intraformational conglomerate are
present. Pink gypsum lenses are present near the top
Kussak Formation
At forth stop we observed light green, hard, massive partly sandy dolomite and upper part is
composed of light green to dirty white massive dolomite. In the upper part, brecciated dolomite is
also present with matrix and fragments consisting of the same rocks. We also study primary and
secondary dolomites. Primary dolomite is formed by the direct deposition of Mg and Ca. and
secondary is formed by replacement of Ca by Mg.
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Jutana Dolomite
At this stop we observed Baghanwala Formation Mud stone, Siltstone and thin bedded flaggy
sandstone. The flags are purple, grey or blue green. We observed salt pseudo morph at bedding
planes, which is a distinguishable criterion of the formation.
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Baghawalanwala Formation
Station-3
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Tobra Formation
The sandstone is red, purple or lighter shades of pink color. It is medium to coarse-grained and is
pebbly, friable and arkosic. The pebbles are of mostly of pink granite, quartzite and feldspar. The
sandstone is thick bedded.
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Warccha Sandstone
The bluish to greenish colored clay minor gray sandstone and gypsum , and calcareous beds in
the upper part. Lavender clay
Sardai Formation
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Station-4
Limestone, dolomite of light to medium grey, brownish grey and olive grey colors.
The unit was observed in Nammal gorge. Fossils of Trilobites, Gastropods and Bivalves we are
observed. The fauna consist of abundant bryozoans, brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, nautiloids,
Ammonoids, trilobites and crinoids.
Wargal Limestone
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After the study of wargal limestone we observe the Mainwali formation in which we studied the three
members
1. Kathwai Member
In this member we observe the dolostone in the lower part and limestone in upper part.
The dolomite isfinely crystalline and includes fossil fragments and quartz grains. The upper unit
is grey tobrownish glauconitic limestone.
2. Mittiwali Member
We studied at this member the grey, fine grained, non-glauconitic limestone with
abundant ammonites.
3. Narmia Member
grey to black shale with interbeds of sandstone and lenticular limestone and dolomite.
The top most bed is a grey to brown, massive dolomite.
After this we observed the Tredian formation in which we studied two member of the Trendian.
1. Landa Member
We observe in this member the sandstone is micaceous and varies incolour
from pinkish, reddish grey to greenish grey. It is thin to thick bedded with rile marks and
slump structures.
2. Khatkiara Member
We studied in this the massive, thick bedded, white sandstone that grades
into the overlyingKingriali formation.
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Hangu Formation
2. Patala formation
In this formation we observed the shale and marl with subordinate limestone
andsandstone. The shale is greenish grey and containing carbonaceous material. The
limestone iswhite to grey and nodular. Coal seems of economic value are present in upper
part.
3. Lockhart formation
In this we studied the limestone and marl, shell
grey to medium grey
medium to thick bedded
lower part being dark grey to bluish grey, flaggy and splintery
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Lockhart Formation
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CHAPTER NO.4
CONCLUSION
In Nammal gorge we find mix lithologies. The Late Permian Zaluch Group is mainly limestone having
abundant fossils of brachiopods. The famous Permo-Triassic Boundary (P-T Boundary) separates the
Chiddru Formation of Zaluch group from Mianwali Formation of Triassic. Tredian Formation is of
sandstone while Kingriali Formation largely consists of Dolomitized limestone. The variegated Datta
Formation underlies the Shinawari Formation above which Samana Suk Formation is present which
comprises of limestone. After the unconformity Hangu Formation is present. The sandstone of Hangu
Formation underlies the nodular limestone of Lockhart Formation. Shales of Patala Formation are present
above which Nammal Formation and Sakesar Limestone are present.
Khewra sandstone is of early Cambrian age, therefore the salt range formation is assigned an Early
Cambrian to Late Precambrian age.The formation consists predominantly of purple to brown, yellowish
brown, fine grained sandstone. The lower most part of the formation contains red flaggy shale. Sedimentary
features such as ripple marks and mud cracks are common in the formation. The thickness at the type
locality is 150 meters and in western salt rangeits thickness is 200 meters. It is distributed throughout salt
range. The contact of Khewra Sandstone with underlying Salt Range formation is controversial due to
which problem of age aroused. Sahni (1947) regardedage of formation Tertiary and postulated a thrust at
the contact between Salt Range formation and Khewra sandstone. Gee (1945) mapped the entire salt range
and concluded that the contact between Khewra sandstone with underlying formation is sedimentary. The
upper contact with Kussak formation is conformable. Khewra Sandstone has been observed in Khewra
Gorge during our field work. Sand grains of medium size have been observed at the type locality.
Sedimentary features such as cross bedding are observed in Khewra gorge. The lower contacts with sahiwal
marl member of salt range formation have been observed gradational. The formation contains only few
trace fossils which has been interpreted as trilobite trails by Schinde wolf and Seilacher (1955) and are not
indicative of particular age. Sahni (1947) regarded age of the formation Tertiary but the age of Khewra
sandstone is early Cambrian because overlying Kussak formation is not older than late early Cambrian.
The Siwalik Group was deposited in the Himalayan foreland basin system during the Middle Miocene
to Early Pleistocene ,and now occupies the southern frontal part of the Himalayan fold thrust belt.It consists
of a 4-6 km thickness of fluvial sediments laid down in the pale-foreland basin situated above the
downwardly Indian plate in a basin formed by the rising Himalaya. The Siwalik Group is bounded to the
north by the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and to the south by the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT), which over
thrusts Quaternary deposits. The Siwalik Group has been the focus of numerous lithostratigraphic,
sedimentologic and chronostratigraphic studies because of its great potential for elucidating the tectonic,
climatic and erosional histories of the Himalayaand the surrounding area. The faunal zones correspond to
lithofacies. The tripartite division consists of the Lower Siwaliks (Kamlial and Chinji Formations), Middle
Siwaliks (Nagri and Dhok Pathan Formations), and the Upper Siwaliks , Lithostratigraphy of the Siwalik
Group, Karnali River section, far-west Nepal Himalaya. Other work established a lithostratigraphy based
on proportions of mudstone, sandstone and conglomerate and dened the Kamlial, Chinji, Nagri, Dhok
Pathan, Tatrot, Pinjor and Boulder Conglomerate Formations, along with several magnetostratigraphic
studies. These divisions are now used as the standard stratigraphic nomenclature in Pakistan. In India, the
classication from the Potwar Basin has been broadly applied. Several studies have, however, dened
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different stratigraphy for some areas of the Indian Siwaliks. The Geologists divided the succession into the
Arung Khola, Binai Khola, Chitwan, and Deorali Formations, in ascending order. The upper siwalik was
divided into two formations.
The name of the zaluch group is drived from the zaluch nala which are present in the western of the salt
range which was proposed by Teichert in 1966.
The age of the group is range from the early Permian to late Permian.
1. Amb Formation
2. Wargal Limestone
3. Chhidru Formation
The Tobra Formation contains ostracizes, and fresh water bivalves, pollen, spores, micro planktons as
well as flora remains including Glossopteris and Gangamopteris. On the basis of fauna the age is considered
as Early Permian Warchha sandstone Formation consists predominantly of sandstone. The sandstone is red,
purple or lighter shades of pink color. It is medium to coarse-grained and is pebbly, friable and arkosic. The
pebbles are of mostly of pink granite, quartzite and feldspar. The sandstone is thick bedded. It is highly
jointed and is locally speckled. The Chiddru formation at the base is composed of shale unit of yellowish
grey to medium dark grey color with small phosphatic nodules. Above shale beds of calcareous sandstone
with few sandy limestones are present. The top most part is a white sandstone bed which is medium to fine
grained with subordinate shale partings and contains abundant fossils. The formation has a transitional
contact with underlying Wargal formation while its upper contact is marked by a major unconformity the
P-T boundary above which is the Mianwali formation of Triassic age.
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REFERENCES
1. "geology". Online Etymology Dictionary.
Dalrymple, G.B. (1991). The Age of the Earth. California: Stanford University Press
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