1

DEDICATION
This piece of work is dedicated
to the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W.W)
The real source of encouragement for me
And
The light of knowledge spread by him
beneficial for whole the creation.

And my parents and

grand parents who are the real source of
inspiration for me who’s sacrifices made every
thing possible

2
for me still.

3
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All praise to almighty Allah who is most beneficent and merciful.

Who enabled me to read and write, then to holy prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), who gave the light of Islam to mankind.

First of all I pay my deepest thank to Almighty Allah, who enabled

me to complete my field report successfully. I pay my deepest
gratitude to my superior, Professor M.Anwer Qureshi & Professor
Shahab Pervez Institute of Geology University of Azad Jammu&
Kashmir, Muzaffarabad.

I am greatly thankful to Prof Anwar Qureshi who gave sufficient

knowledge about the stratigrahy of Salt Range.i shall never forget
his ways of teaching in the field.

I am also very much thankful to Prof Shahab Pervez who guided us

very well and gave us a friendly company during all our field tour .

I express my cordial thanks for the valuable and unforgettable

discussion and supervision in preparation of this field report. It is
due to hard work and keen interest of our leader who leaded us
during the field report tour and delivered their valuable lectures by
mean which I am able to write this field report and describe various
rock and formation.

This flied work has made us memorable to understand the

theoretical study. I once again pay my thanks to my teachers whom
consider my self able for achieving my good goal and meet
succession

4
 ABSTRACT
On 15th April 2010 university of Azad Jammu and Kashmir institute
of geology arranged a study tour for geology fourth semester
evening-B for studying practical work regarding earth science.

According to the schedule of tour we studied the geological area of

Salt Range, its surrounding areas and Galiyat area.

During our field we studied various rock formations and geological

structures.

Geologically Pakistan is very fascinating country where rocks of all

ages from Precambrian to the recent age are found in the geological
sequence in its Punjab Province that is why the salt range is called
the world Geological Museum.

During this tour we visited the following geological sections

Geological section of Khewra Gorge.

Geological section of Chichali Gorge.

Geological section Nammal Gorge.

Galiyat section.

5
 LIST OF CONTENTS

1 Introduction Situation & extent of 4-5

the area

Accessibility or
Approach

Human setting

Important of salt range

2 Physiography Relief 6-13

Climate

Rain fall

Temperature

Drainage

Weathering

3 Geological Kewra Gorge 14-18

Successions Chichali Gorge

6
 Nammal Gorge

Salgun section

Galiyat section

4 Stratigraphy Geology of Khewra 19-49

Gorge

Geology of Chichali
Gorge

Geology of Nammal
Gorge

Geology Of Sulgran
Section

5 Structure Primary sedimentary 50-55

structures

organic structures
Tectonic structures

6 Visit to memorable Khewra salt mine 56-57

place
Chashama Berrage

7 Refrences 58

7
 CHAPTER- NO-01
INTRODUCTION
SITUATION &EXTENT OF THE AREA:

Salt range is situated in district Jehlum of Punjab province. It is of

low Flat Mountain rising abruptly from the Punjab plains and
extended with east west.

HUMAN SETTING:

Majority of them uneducated due to less educational facilities

especially when we meet with people near Chichali Gorge.

Population is mainly concentrated in village and their standard of
living is poor. Majority of people work in the fields to earn their
living, however some people work in different mills and factories,
while other depends on Govt. services.

The land of this area is very fertile. Wheat, maize, sugarcane, cotton
etc are the main crops of the area. Generally the people are
hardworking and cooperative.

8
IMPORTANCE OF SALT RANGE:
Following points show the importance of the salt range area.

Complete succession of rocks (i.e. Precambrian to recent) is present

without much disturbance.

Abundant fossils are distributed throughout the area.

It contains economic deposits such as Rock salt, Coal, Gypsum,

Iron, Limestone etc.

Khewrite a typical igneous material with radiating needles is found

here.

Khewra mine is also important for tourism which is also called

museum of geology.

ACCESSIBITY OR APPROCH:

Salt range is accessible in all weathers through following roads.

Rawalpindi to Khewra via motorway.

Pind dadan khan to Chakwal via Choa Saiden Shah.

Chakwal to Mainwali via Khoshab Kalabagh road.

Moreover small tracks are commonly looking in different villages of

areas.

The area selected for this trip was the salt range because of the fact
here we find complete geological sequence of rock i.e. Precambrian
to recent. However Galiyat area had also studied.

9
 CHAPTER-NO-02
PHYSIOGRAPHY
RELIEF:

General relief of the area is very low ranging from 850to 2084 feet
above sea level. The maximum height of salt range is sakesar peak,
which is 4292 above sea level

Salt range is given to this area because of fact that its lowest
exposed rocks contain large quantity of pure common rock salt.

In the salt range there is continuous drainage of low flat-trapped

mountains rising abruptly above of the Punjab plains. The relief
extended from longitude 7 to 74 with an approximately east west
strike from the Jehlum, west word from the Indus to long distance.

CLIMATE:

Climate is defined as the study of condition atmosphere at the

definite time and under the definite conditions under the two topics
the subheading discussed.

Rain fall.

Temperature.

RAIN FALL:

Rainfall is very low in the field areas. The average rain fall recorded
in august is 2.75 inch but some in winters receives no rain fall at all.
Due to the rainfall water is in less quantity in the field area.

TEMPARETURE:

The field area is semiarid max. Temperature is 109 f in the month of

june.max temperature in the mouths of January is 39.05f winter
season is cold as summer is hot.

10
DRAINAGE:

The high cliffs are intersected by number of deep gullies and river.
Extrusive heaps pebbles and screw deposit are seen along the foot of
area due to lithology, drainage is well developed with generally
dendrite pattern.

WEATHERING:

Under the influence of force of climate i.e. precipitation and

temperature, the rock go on decaying and breaking at their position,
this is known as weathering. There are two types of weathering.

PHYSICAL WEATHERING:

The physical agents of weathering which disintegrate the rock of the

field area are as under.

Thermal expansion.

Frost action.

Contraction and expansion.

THERMAL EXPANSION:

In some areas the rocks expand due to high temperature so these

breaks down.

FROST ACTION:

Water is the pores of rocks freezes due to decrease in temperature.

Thus the fracture present in the rocks become wide and the rock
break down.

CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION:

In the rainy season the rain water gets entered into the joints and
fracture of the rocks. at night this water freezes into ice and the
rocks expand, while during the day , this water melt down and the
rocks contract .due to this contraction and expansion the rock break
down.

11
CHEMICAL WEATHERING:

Chemical weathering is defined as the decomposition of the rock

masses due to different chemical agents, which are stated below

SOLUTIONING:

This process washes many minerals out of the rocks so that their
chemical composition changes and rock start decomposing. It is
occurred in the salt range formation.

HYDRATION:

Hydration is very important for decomposition.

CARBONATION:

When the rain water mixed with co enters into the pores of the
rocks and reacts with the mineral and causes decomposition.

OXIDATION:

Oxygen mixed with the rainwater reacts with the iron present in the
rocks and causes rusting, so the rocks decompose. This type of
weathering is also found in the field areas

VEGITATION AND CULTIVATION:

The land is more or less barren and the tributaries of fountains

irrigate sandy, clay part of area.

Shrub, berks, kerkar and Philae trees are found in the areas .maize,
barley, bajra and wheat are cultivated in the area.

12
 Chapter-No-03
Geological Successions
Geological succession of Khewra Gorge
S Name Age
No

7 Sakesar Limestone Eocene

6 Tobra Formation Permian

5 Baghnwala Formation Cambrian

4 Jutana Formation Cambrian

3 Kussak Formation Cambrian

2 Khewra Sandstone Cambrian

1 Salt Range Formation Pre-Cambrian

Geological Sequence Of Chichali Gorge

13
S.No Name Age

11 Siwalik Group Pliocene to

Pleistocene

10 Sakesar Limestone Eocene

9 Nammal Formation Eocene

8 Patala Formation Paleocene

7 Lokhart Limestone Paleocene

6 Hangu Formation Paleocene

5 Lumshiwal Formation Cretaceous

4 Chichali Formation Cretaceous

3 Samana Suk Formation Jurassic

2 Shinawari Formation Jurassic

1 Datta Formation Jurassic

14
Geological Sequence Of Nammal Gorge

S. Name Age
No

14 Siwalik Group Pliocene to

Pleistocene

13 Sakesar Limestone Eocene

12 Nammal Formation Eocene

11 Patala Formation Paleocene

10 Lokhart Limestone Paleocene

9 Hangu Formation Paleocene

8 Saman Suk Formation Jurassic

7 Datta Formation Jurassic

6 Kingriali Formation Triassic

5 Tredian Formation Triassic

4 Mianwali Formation Triassic

3 Chhidru Formation Permian

2 Wargal Limestone Permian

1 Amb Formation Permian

15
Geological Succession Of Galiyat Section
S. Name Age
No

14 Coquina bed Miocene

13 Murree Formation Miocene

12 Kuldana Formation Eocene

11 Chorgali Formation Eocene

10 Margala Hill Limestone Eocene

9 Patala Formation Paleocene

8 Lokhart Limestone Paleocene

7 Hangu Formation Paleocene

6 Kawagarh Formation Cretaceous

5 Lumshiwal Formation Cretaceous

4 Chichali Formation Cretaceous

3 Saman Suk Formation Jurassic

2 Datta Formation Jurassic

1 Hazara Slates Pre-Cambrian

16
 Chapter-No-04
Stratigraphy

Geology Of Khewra Gorge

a).Introduction:
In Khewra Gorge there is direct contact of the Cambrian
rocks with Permian rocks, while Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian and
carboniferous rocks are missing due to unconformity. Image.1.
shows rock formation.

b).Type Locality:
Eastern Salt Range district, Jehlum Punjab province.

c).Geological Sequence:

7.Sakesar Lime Stone.

6.Tobra Formation/ Patala Formation?.

5.Baghnwala Formation.

4.Jutana Formation.

3.Kussak Formation.

2.Khewra Sand Stone.

1.Salt Range Formation.

d)Description:
1. Salt Range formation:

Type Locality:

Khewra Gorge Eastern salt Range Punjab

17
Lithology:

Salt, purple color marl, gypsum, dolomite, oily shale, this

lithology is trapped by an igneous body known as khewrite or
khewra trap shown in image.2.

Members:

It has three members

Beliyan Wala Salt member

Bandar Kass Gypsum member

Sahwal Marl member

Environment of deposition:

Lagonal environment, and called evoporite

Fossils:

Unfossiliferous

Age:

Pre-Cambrian

2. Khewra Sand stone:

Type Locality:

Khewra village, eastern salt range, Punjab.

Lithology:

Purple maroon colored (radish, brown) sand stone,The

lower part of the Rock Formation is thinly bedded, shally and
folded, dragging effect can be seen. Middle part medium to thick
bedded and upper part is thickly bedded to massive.

Sedimentary structures:

18
 Ripple marks, cross bedding, graded bedding, rain pits,
flaggy behavior etc.

Fossils:

Fossiliferous

Age:

Cambrian.
3.kussak formation:
Type Locality:

Kusak fort, eastern Salt Range, Punjab.

Lithology:

The Formation is composed of greenish-grey, glauconitic,

micacious sand stone, greenish-grey silt stone, inter-bedded with
light grey dolomite and dolomatic sand stone.

Intra-formational conglomeratic bed, which mark local break

in deposition within the Rock Formation, is also present.

Fossils:

This rock formation is fossiliferous and has following fossils;

Botsfordia granulata, Redlichia noethlingi, Lingula lella fuchsi,

Hyolithes species.

Age:

Cambrian.

19
4. Jutana Formation:
Type Locality:

Jutana village, eastern Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

The formation is composed of sandy dolomite and dolomatic

sandstone(magnesium sand stone), thickly bedded to massive.

Fossils:

Calcareous unite is fossiliferous. The same Cambrian fossils

are present as in Kussak Formation.

Age:

Cambrian.

5. Baghnwala Formation:
Type Locality:

Near Baghnwala village, eastern Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

Thinly bedded, meroonish, brownish also yellowish and

greenish colored sandy, silty and clay beds.

The Diagonestic charecter is the presence of salt pseudo

morphs, which are the salt cube present on the bedding plane.

Environment Of Deposition:

The presence of salt pseudo morphs indicates the lagoonal

environment, shows arid climatic conditions.

Fossils:

Unfossiliferous.

20
Contact:

The contact of Baghnwala Formation with overlying Tobra

Formation is unconformable whereas lower contact with Jutana
Formation is conformable.

Age:

Cambrian.

6. Tobra Formation:
Type Locality:

Tobra village, eastern Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

This rock formation is boulder conglomerate having

variegated and mixed lithology. shown in inage.5.

This mixed lithology of Tobra Formation has following three

facies.

Tillitic facies:

It is exposed in eastern Salt Range. This rock unit grades

into marine sandstone.

Fresh water facies:

It is exposed in central Salt Range. It contains few or no

boulder. It is and alternating facies of siltstone and shales.

Diamictite facies:
its thickness increases in western Salt Range. It contains
sandstone and boulder beds.

21
Environment Of Deposition:

Continental environment and glaciofluvial deposite.

These are non-stratified rock, glacier’s striations are also present

which shows the direction of movement of glaciers.

This formation marks unconformity.

Contact:

The lower contact with Baghnwala Formation is

unconformable and the upper contact with Sakaser Limestone in
Khewra Gorge is also unconformable.

Fossils:

Fossils are; Glossopteris, Gangamopteris, fresh water bivalves

and ostracods etc.

Age:

Permian.

Patala Formation?:

Type Locality:

Patala Nala eastern Salt Range.

Lithology:

oily shales, The coal is also present in eastern Salt Range.

This Patala Formation is not found at some places.

Age:

Paleocene.

22
8. Sakesar Limestone:
Type Locality:

Sakesar Peak, eastern Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

Pure nodular limestone, greenish whitish in color, at some

horizon it is cherty.

Importance:

Economically it is used as a raw material in different factories,

cement factories, soda ash factories, and fertilizer factories.

Due to its best porosity and permeability this limestone proves

to be good reservoir rock in the sub surface.

Fossils:

Nummulites species, Assilina and Alveolina species.

Age:

Eocene.

23
 Geology Of Chichali Gorge:-
a).Type Locality:

Surghar Range near Kala Bagh district Mianwali

b).Geological sequence:

11. Siwalik Group

10. Sakesar Limestone

9. Nammal Formation

8. Patala Formation

7. Lockhart Limestone

6. Hangu Formation

5. Lumshiwal formation

4. Chichali Formation

3. Samana Suk Formation

2. Shinawari Formation

1. Datta Formation

24
c).Description:
1. Datta Formation:

Type Locality:

Datta Nala in the Surghar Range.

Lithology:

The formation is mainly composed of variegated color (red,

maroon, grey green and white) sandstone, shale, silt stone, and
mudstone.

Importance:

It has three zones which are economically important.

Silica sand horizon

Iron ore horizon

Fire clay horizon

Environment of deposition:

Continental environment

Fossils:

Poorly fossiliferous, pollen and spores are reported.

Base of Datta Formation marks unconformity.

Age:

Jurassic.

2. Shinawari Formation:
Type Locality:

Shinawari village, western Samana Range Kohat, Khyber

Pakhton Khwa province.

25
Lithology:

It is composed of limestone,sand stone and shally beds.

Fossil:

Fossil, Booleiceras (mega fossil), which is the index fossil.

Age:

Jurassic.

3. Saman Suk Formation:

Type Locality:

NE of shinawari,Samana Range, Khyber Pakhton Khwa

province.

Litholgy:

It is well bedded oolitic limestone with hard ground or uneven

surfaces at interval. The lime stone is fine grained or micritic and
coarse grained dolomatic and shally also. Nodulation is absent while
oolites is the diagnostic feature of it.

Fossils: Brachiopods, Bivalves, Gastropods and crinoids etc.

Age: Jurassic.

4.Chichali Formation:
Type Locality:

Chichali pass, Surghar Range.

Lithology:

It is glaconatic,ferrogenous shalls, with sub-ordinate sand

stone, iron pyrite nodules are also present in the rock formation.

Fossils:

Highly fossiliferous, fossils are dominantly Belemnite and

Ammonides particularly Goniatides.

26
At the base of Chichali Formation there is unconformity.

Age:

Cretaceous.

5.Lumshiwal Formation:
Type Locality:

Lumshiwal Nala, Salt Range

Litholgy:

Brownish, whitish and pinkish, also glauconitic and

ferruginous sand stone, thickly bedded to massive.

Fossils: Belemnites, and Ammonides.

Age:

Cretaceous.

6.Hangu Formation:
Type Locality:

Fort Lockhart, Saman Range, Khyber Pakhton Khwa province

Kohat.

Litholgy:

Hangu Formation in Chichali Gorge is dominantly composed of

carbonaceous shalls and coal.

There are coal mines present in Hangu level right from Chichali
Gorge to Khisor Marwat Range including Makkerwal, Miranwal and
Lumshiwal coal mines.

Envirement of deposition:

This rock Formation was deposited in reducing environment.

Fossils:

Unfossiliferous.

27
Age:

Paleocene.

7. Lockhart Limestone:
Type Locality:

Fort Lockhart, Samana Range,Kohat, Khyber Pakhton Khwa

province.

Lithology:

Nodular lime stone, grey to medium grey, medium to thick

bedded with subordinate marl

Fossils:

Highly fossiliferous, forams, corals, mollusks and Lockhartia,

Haimei which is the guide fossil of this formation.

Age:

Paleocene.

8.Patala Formation:
Type Locality:

Patala Nala, Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

Shalls and marls with subordinate limestone beds and sandstone

shalls of Patala Formaton are highly fossiliferous and these
fossiliferous shalls are the source rocks for hydrocarbons.

Fossils:

Fossils are Forams, Mollusks and Ostracodes

28
Age:

Paleocene.

9.Nammal Formation:
Type locality:

Nammal Gorge, Salt Range, Punjab.

Lithology:

Alternation of shalse, marl and limestone. Shales are

calcareous and fossiliferous. Limestone of this formation is well
bedded, whitish and marly having cherty nodules also.

Fossils:

Fossils of Eocene are present, e.g; Forams, Mollusks, Assilina

etc.

Age:

Eocene.

10. Sakesar Limestone:

Type Locality:

Sakesar Peak, eastern Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

Pure nodular limestone, greenish whitish in color, at some

horizon it is cherty.

29
Importance:

Economically it is used as a raw material in different factories,

cement factories, soda ash factories and fertilizer factories.

Due to its best porosity and permeability this limestone proves

to be good reservoir rock in the sub surface.

Fossils:

Nummulites species, Assilina and Alveolina species.

Age:

Eocene.

11.Siwalik Group:

It is the loser stuff on the Sakesar Limestone.This group

contains following formations.

4.Soan Formation

3.Dhok Pathan Formation

2.Nagri Formation

1.Chinji Formation

Lithology:

The group is mainly composed of alternating beds of sandstone

and argillaceous material, maroon color sand stone in Chinji
Formation, sand stone is dominant and less clay and shalls in Nagri
Formation, sahlls and clay are in equal percentage in Dhok Pathan
Formation and in Soan Formation sand stone is thick, greyish color
and conglomeratic beds.

Fossils:

30
 Fossils are vertebrates includes mammals, reptiles birds and
fishes.

Age:

Pleistocene.

Chingi Formation:
Type Locality:

Chingi, Campbell Pur.

Lithology:

The chingi formation consists of clay which is red in color

with inter bedded ash and gray soft sand stone.

Contact relationship:

Its lower contact is with Kamlial formation whereas upper

contact is with Nagri formation which is conformable.

Fossil:

Vertebrate fossils are found from this formation.

Age:

Pliocene.

Nagri Formation:
Type Locality:

Nagri village.

Lithology:

Nagri formation consists of sand stone essentially of greenish gray

color, massive and coarse grained with beds of brown sand stone.
Brownish, Reddish, grayish colored clay is also present.

31
Contact relationship:

The lower contact is with chingi formation whereas upper

contact is with DHOK PATTAN FORMATION. Both contacts are
conformable.

Fossils:

Mostly vertebrate fossils are found from this formation.

Age:

Pliocene

Dhok Pathan Formation:

Type Locality:

Dhok Pathan village in Campblepur District.

Contact relationship:

The formation conformably over lays the Nagri formation and

underlies the Soan formation.

Lithology:

This formation is composed of an alternation of sand stone

and clay. The sand stone beds are hard as compare to Nagri sand
stone beds. The clay is Orange brown is color.

Fossils:

Vertebrate fossils are found from this formation.

Age:

Early to Middle Pliocene

32
Soan Formation:
Type Locality:

Soan River in campblepur district.

Lithology:

It consists of compact massive conglomerates with

subordinate inter-beds of variegated sandstone, silt stone and clay.
Conglomerates contain pebbles and boulders of Margala hill
limestone in Kohat Potowar area.

Contact relationship:

The lower contact is with Dhok Pattan formation and is

disconformable while upper contact with Lei Conglomerates.

Fossils:

Vertebrate fossils, Mastodon sinalensis, Stegodon clifti,

Elephan.

Age:

Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene.

33
 Geology of Nammal Gorge:
a).Type Locality:

Nammal Gorge, western Salt Range, disttric Mianwali.

b).Geological Sequence:

14. Siwalik Group.

13.Sakesar Limestone.

12.Nammal Formation.

11.Patala Formation.

10.Lockhart Limestone.

9.Hangu Formation.

8.Samana Suk Formation.

7.Datta Formation.

6.Kingriali Formation.

5.Tredian Formation.

4.Mianwali Formation.

3.chhidru Formation.

2.Wargal Formation.

1.Amb Formation.

C).Description:

Amb Formation:

Type Locality:

Amb village, central Salt Rang Punjab.

34
Lithology:

This is also called lower productus limestone.This formation is

predominantly consist of sandy facie; it is whitish sand stone, sandy
lime stone, rare dolomite and calcareous shalls.

Fossils:

The calcareous shalls are highly fossiliferous, fossils are all

Phyla particularly Brachiopods, Gastropods and Fusinelidia.

Age:

Permian.

Wargal Limestone:
Type Locality:

Wargal village, central Salt Range Punjab.

Lithology:

This is also called middle productus limestone. This formation

is predominantly consist of well bedded pure limestone with
subordinate calcareous shales and rare dolomite beds.

Fossils:

Calcareous shales are highly fossiliferous, Fossils are

Brachiopods, Crinoids, Echinoids and some microfossils.

Age:

Permian.

Chhidru Formation:
Type Locality:

Chhidru Nala, Salt Range.

35
Lithology:

This is also called upper productus limestone. This formation

is predominantly consisting of graded towards sandy facie. Its lower
part is limestone bed with intercalation of shales and the top most
part is whitish sand stone bed and 1/2km thick yellowish dolomite
bed.

Fossils:

Fossils are, Brachiopods, Ammonites etc

Age:

Permian.

Mianwali Formation:
Type Locality:

Not designed

Lithology:

It is composed of shaley, sandy, and dolomatic facies. Greenish

shall, sand and clays, yellowish brown dolomite and lime stone. This
type of lithology is called heterogeneous lithology. This Meanwali
Formation is only present in Western Salt Range, it wedges toward
central Salt Range and is absent in eastern Salt Range.

Diagnostic characteristic:

Presence of Ammonits dominantly Ceratites.

Permo-triassic boundary controversy between Meanwali and

Chhidru

Formation, this mark paraconfirmity this is parallel to bedding

plane.

Fossils:

Fossils are Ammonites, few Bivalves, Brachiopods, Forams etc.

36
Age:

Triassic.

Tredian Formation:
Type Locality:

Not designed.

Lithology:

This is composed of sandy facies. Sand stone, ferruginous,

brownish and yellowish sand stone.

It has two parts:

Lower part which is called Landa member.

This is thickly bedded brownish and more ferruginous and on this

well developed ripple marks are found.

Upper part which is called Khatkiara member.x

This is thickly bedded to massive, coarse grained, cross bedded

arkosic sand stone.

The environment of deposition is Continental.

Fossils:

Poorly fossiliferous some pollens and spores have been noted.

Age:

Triassic.

Kingriali Formation:
Type Locality:

Not designed

Lithology:

37
 This is composed of dolomite, dolomatic shales and dolomatic
limestone. These are very hard and compacted rocks. This dolomite
is used as a catalyst in steel industries for purpose of smelting.

Fossils:

The calcareous unit is fossiliferous. Fossils are; brachiopods,

bivalves and crinoids.

Age:

Triassic.

Datta Formation:
Type Locality:

Datta Nala in the Surghar Range.

Lithology:

the formation is mainly composed of variegated color (red,

maroon, grey green and white) sandstone, shale, silt stone,and
mudstone.

Importance:

It has three zones which are economically important.

Silica sand horizon

Iron ore horizon

Fire clay horizon

In Nammal Gorge and adjoining areas thick sucession of Datta

Formation are found.

Envirement of deposition:

Continental environment

Fossils:

Poorly fossiliferous, pollen and spores are reported.

38
Base of Datta Formation marks unconformity.

Age:

Jurassic.

Saman Suk Formation:

Type Locality:

NE of shinawari,Samana Range Khyber Pakhton Khwa.

Lithology:

It is well bedded oolitic limestone with hard ground or uneven

surfaces at interval. The lime stone is fine grained or micritic and
coarse grained dolomatic and shally also. Nodulation is absent while
oolites is the diagnostic feature of it.

Fossils:

Brachiopods, Bivalves, Gastropods and crinoids etc.

Age:

Jurassic.

Hangu Formation:
Type Locality:

Fort Lockhart, Samana Range Khyber Pakhton Khwa, Kohat.

Lithology:

Hangu Formation in Chichali Gorge is dominantly composed of

carbonaceous shales and coal.

There are coal mines present in Hangu level right from Chichali
Gorge to Khisor Marwat Range including Makkarwal, Miranwal and
Lumshiwal coal mines.

39
Environment of deposition:

This rock Formation was deposited in reducing environment.

Fossils:

Unfossiliferous.

Age:

Paleocene.

Lockhart Limestone:
Type Locality:

Fort Lockhart, Samana Range,Kohat Khyber Pakhton Khwa

province.

Lithology:

Nodular lime stone,grey to medium grey,medium to thick

beded with subordinate marl

Fossils:

Highly fossiliferous, forams, corals, mullascs and Lockhartia

Haimei which is the guide fossil of this formation.

Age:

Paleocene

40
Patala Formation:
Type Locality:

Patala Nala, Salt Range Pujab.

Lithology:

Shales and marls with subordinate limestone beds and

sandstone shales of Patala Formaton are highly fossiliferous and
these fossiliferous shales are the source rocks for hydrocarbons.

Fossils:

Fossils are Forams, Mullascs and Ostracodes

Age:

Paleocene.

Nammal Formation:
Type Locality:

Nammal Gorge, Salt Range, Punjab.

Lithology:

Alternation of shales, marl and lime stone. shales are

calcareous and fossiliferous, lime stone of this formation is well
bedded, whitish and marly having chert nodules also.

Fossils:

Fossils of Eocene are present,e.g; Forams, mullascs, Assilina etc.

Age:

Eocene.

Sakesar Limestone:
Type Locality:

Sakesar Peak, eastern Salt Range Punjab.

41
Lithology:

Pure nodular limestone, greenish whitish in colour, at some

horizon it is cherty. shown in image.5.

Importance:

Economically it is used as a raw material in different factories,

cement factories, soda ash factories, fertilizer factories.

Due to its best porosity and permeability this limestone proves

to be good reservoir rock in the sub surface.

Fossils:

Nummulites species, Assilina and Alveolina species.

Age:

Eocene.

14.Siwalik Group:

It is the loser stuff on the Sakesar Lime stone. This group

contain following formations.

4.Soan Formation

3.Dhok Pathan Formation

2.Nagri Formation

1.Chinji Formation

Lithology:

The group is mainly composed of alternating beds of sandstone

and argillaceous material, maroon color sand stone in Chinji
Formation, sand stone is dominant and less clay and shales in Nagri
Formation, shales and clay are in equal percentage in Dhok Pathan

42
Formation and in Soan Formation sand stone is thick,greyish colour
and conglomeratic beds.

Fossils:

Fossils are vertibrates includes mammals,retiles birds and

fishes.

Age:

Pleistocene.

Chingi Formation:
Type Locality:

Chingi, Campbell Pur.

Lithology:

The chingi formation consists of clay which is red in colour

with inter bedded ash and gray soft sand stone.

Contact relationship:

Its lower contact is with Kamlial formation whereas upper contact is

with Nagri formation which is conformable.

Fossils:

Vertebrate fossils are found from this formation.

Age:

Pliocene.

Nagri Formation:
Type Locality:

Nagri village.

43
Lithology:

Nagri formation consist of sand stone essentially of greenish

gray colour, massive and coarse grained with beds of brown sand
stone. Brownish, Reddish, grayish colored clay is also present.

Contact relationship:

The lower contact is with chingi formation whereas upper

contact is with DHOK PATTAN FORMATION. Both contacts are
conformable.

Fossils:

Mostly vertebrate fossils are found from this formation.

Age:

Pliocene

Dhok Pathan Formation:

Type Locality:

Dhok Pathan village in Campblepur District.

Lithology:

This formation is composed of an alternation of sand stone

and clay. The sand stone beds are hard as compare to Nagri sand
stone beds. The clay is Orange brown is colour.

Contact relationship:

The formation conformably over lies the Nagri formation and

underlies the Soan formation.

Fossils:

Vertebrate fossils are found from this formation.

Age:

Early to Middle Pliocene

44
Soan Formation:
Type Locality:

Soan River in campblepur district.

Lithology:

It consists of compact massive conglomerates with

subordinate interbeds of variegated sandstone, silt stone and clay.
Conglomerates contain pebbles and boulders of Margala hill
limestone in Kohat Potowar area

Contact relationship:

The lower contact is with Dhok Pattan formation and is

disconformable while upper contact with Lei Conglomerates.

Fossils:

Vertebrate fossils, Mastodon sinalensis, Stegodon clifti,

Elephan.

Age:

Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene.

45
 Geology Of Sulgran section:
a).Geological sequence:

4.Coquina bed

3.Kuldana Formation

2.Chorgali Formation

1.Margala Hill Limestone

b).Description:

1. Margala Hill Limestone:

Type Locality:

Shahdara section, Margala Hills, South eastern Hazara, NWFP.

Lithology:

Limestone with subordinate marl and shale. Limestone is grey

to pale grey,fine to medium grained,nodular,medium to thick
bedded, subordinate marl grey to brownish grey, shale greenish
brown to brown.

Fossils:

Fossils are Forams, bivalves,Gastropods,Assilina etc.

Age:

Eocene.

2. Chorgali Formation:
Type Locality:

Chorgali pass,Khair-e-Murat Range, Potwar, Punjab.

46
Lithology:

At type locality this formation composed of Shale and

limestone. Uper part consists of shale, greenish grey,red,varigated
and calcareous. While lower part consists of dolomatic limestone
and shale.

Fossils:

Fossils are Forams and Mollask etc.

Age:

Eocene.

3. Kuldana Formation:
Type Locality:

Kuldana villege, Murree Hill, Hazara, Khayber Pakhtonhawa.

Lithology:

This is composed of varigated colour and lithology; shale, marl,

sandstone, limestone.

Fossils:

Fossils are Bivalves, Ostrapods, and Vertibrates.

Age:

Eocene.

4.Coquina bed/Fatah Jung Zone:

Description:

This bed is in between Eocene and Miocene rocks and is also

present in Kala Chita Range. This is the marker bed between marine
environment and continental environment.This is highly
fossiliferous bed i.e grave yard of fossils.

47
Fossils:

Fossils are longer Forams dominantly; Assilina and

Nummulities.

Age:

Eocene.

48
 Chapter-No-05
STRUCTURE

This chapter is discussed under following headings.

Primary sedimentary structures.

Organic structure.
Tectonic structure.
PRIMARY SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES:
Primary sedimentary structures are those which are formed
before, during and after deposition of sedimentary rocks.

Types of sedimentary structure are as given below.

Cross bedding:

Cross bedding is the internal structure preserved in the strata.

Current bedding is the genetic name of cross bedding. Cross
bedding is the characteristic of sand stone. But is also can be
observed in any type of elastic sedimentary rocks .it is also an
important criterion for the determination of to bottom of
overturned strata.

In khewra sandstone cross bedding is observed at many

stratigraphic levels.

Ripple marks:

Ripple marks are small scale directional structure of elastic

sedimentary rocks, preserved on the stratification planes.

Ripple marks constitute low ridges and roughs and be the results of
wind currents, water currents or wave action. Wind currents ripple
marks can be easily distinguished by their gentle strata. Side slopes.
Water current and wave action ripple marks can be recognized
because of their symmetry current ripple’s marks are symmetrical.

49
Mud craks:

Mud and clay when dried by the sun rays for a sufficiently long
time, the mud or clay shrink and crack in a network of fissures
which enclose polygonal areas.

Rain spots:

During deposition due to rain fall, small spots are appears.

When these are preserved they form sedimentary structure called
rain spots. These are formed in softer rocks.

ORGANIC STRUCTURES

These are formed by living organism.

Worm tracks:

Some terrestrial animals have records of their existence in the form

of their existence in the forms of their foot prints and trails on fine
grained sediments. if these prints left on marine sand or mud of low
tide they are generally though not always washed by next incoming
tide.

Worm tracks are found in khewra sandstone and kussak formation.

TECTONIC STRUCTURE

The structure that are formed due to the forces in the earth crust,
are known as tectonic structures.

There are three types of tectonic structure.

Fold

Fault

Joints
50
Folds:

Folds are tectonic dislocation break of continuity of strata. Folds are

best displayed by sedimentary rocks and that is why the salt range is
rich in these structures folds may be a few miles in width or few
mm. Regional folds are hundreds of miles. Across folding at gorge
was noticed in khewra sandstone.

A plunging fold was observed in Nammel gorge in the chhidru

formation .these are regional extent.

Faults:

Faults are the rupture or fracture in the rock strata, produced

due to tectonic forces. Along which appreciable displacement take
place .faults are formed due to different forces in the earth crust,
mostly by tensile and stress.

In slat range, sakesar limestone makes a thrust contact with

underlying formation due to faulting.

Joints:-

A joints is a fracture or crack in body of strata without any displaced

of the rocks parallel to the fracture plane. At the surface the joints
often become open fissure due to weathering. They are close and
tight. Joints develop in a rocks mass either due to contraction or
expansion. Joints vary size in different rocks strata. in salt range
series of rocks are well joined and generally bedding joints, dip
joints strike joints and diagonal joints are notices.

51
 Chapter-No-06
Visit to memorable places

Introduction:

This chapter includes the visit of memorable places which are

also geologically important, they includes;

Khewra salt mine

Chashma barrage

Khewra Salt Mine:

Introduction:
Khewra salt mine is a salt mine located in Khewra, Jhelum
District, Punjab, about 160 kilometres (99 mi) from Islamabad. It
attracts up to 40,000 visitors per year and is the second largest salt
mine in the world. Situated in the foothills of the Salt Range, the
Khewra Salt Mines are the oldest in the South Asia. Khewra salt
mine has estimated total of 220 million tones of rock salt deposits.
The current production from the mine is 325,000 tons salt per
annum.

The mine-head buildings have 19 stories, with 11 below ground. Only

50% salt is extracted and 50% is left as pillars to keep the mountain.
The salt-mine is 288 meters (945 ft) above sea level and extends
around 730 meters (2,400 ft) inside the mountains from the mine-
mouth. The cumulative length of all tunnels is more than
40 kilometers (25 mi).

Salt occurs in a Pre-Cambrian deposit in the form of an irregular

dome-like structure. There are seven thick salt seams with a
cumulative thickness of about 150 meters. At places the rock salt is
99% pure. Salt is transparent, white, pink, reddish to beef-color red.
There are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt.

Discovery of the mine:

Salt has been mined at Khewra since 320 BC. It is said that when
Alexander visited South Asia, coming across the Jhelum and

52
Mianwali region, Khewra Salt Mines were discovered. The discovery
of the mines, however, was not made by Alexander nor his "allies",
but by his horse. It is stated that when Alexander's army stopped
here for rest, the horses started licking the stones. One of his
soldiers took notice of it and when he tasted the rock stone, it was
salty thus leading to the discovery of the mines.

Afterwards this mine was wholly purchased by a local Raja and from
that era to Independence of Pakistan this mine remained property
of locally living Janjua Rajas who were sons of Raja Mal.

They are linked to the nearest place called Malot Fort constructed
by Raja Mal Janjua.

Tunnel design and layout:

The original design and layout of the tunnels inside the mines
was prepared by Chaudhry Niaz Ali Khan, a professional civil
engineer then serving as Sub-Divisional Officer in the Mines
Department, in the first quarter of the 20th century, from 1896 to
1900.

Our Visit in the Mine:

Before entering into the mine we are first instructed by an

instructor, who describe some history and recent mining in the
mine which has been described above. So it was an evening time
when we just came back from the peaks of mountain of Khewra
gorge and we were very tired but our excitation about to see the
nature and human interaction in the mine made us comfortable.

So, when we entered into the mine the cool air of the mine made
Us very happy because the outside environment was very hot. In the
mine we observed the Nature and human development. And we also
toke some images which will always remind us this field work.

Chashma Barrage:

Introduction:

Chashma Barrage wetland site is located Indus Monsoon Forest,

some 25 km southwest of Mianwali, Punjab.

53
The site comprises a large barrage, a water storage reservoir and a
series of embankments (serving as flood bounds) which divide the
reservoir into five shallow lakes at low water levels.

Our visit:

We visited to Chashma barrage at the end of evening and the

start of night, due to which we cannot fully enjoy the site. Anyhow
it also remains as a fossil in our mind whenever we studied by a
psychologist. .

It’s all about our visit to memorable places concerned with our
field work.

54
 Chapter No-7
References:

Internet,www.google.com/Khewra gorge

Memoirs of geological survey of Pakistan volume.12, edited by S.M

Ibrahim Shah. Geological survey of Pakistan 1977.

field geology FREDERIC H.LAHBE, PH.D Fourth

edition/sedimentary structures.

55