GEOLOGICAL FIELD REPORT ON SALT RANGE ,

PUNJAB ,PAKISTAN
NAME : AMNA SADIQ
SEAT NO : H1814006
Msc. (FINAL YEAR)
COURSE TITLE : FIELD GEOLOGY
COURSE NO : 602
TEACHER : DR. MUHAMMAD BILAL
DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI

1. Acknowledgment
2. Abstract
3. Background knowledge
4. Introduction
5. Study areas
6. Objective
7. Tectonics and Structure
8. Geology
9. Field equipments
Day 01 - Kirana Hills
Day 02 - Khewra George
Pre-Cambrian Rocks -

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Salt Range Formation
Billianwala Salt
Bandarkhas Gypsum
Sahiwal Marl
Cambrian Rocks -
Jehlum Group:
Khewra Sandstone
Kuzzak Shale
Jutana Dolomite
Bhaganwala Shale
Day 03 -
Khewra Salt Mine
Introduction
History
Geology
Reserves

Day 04
- Zaluch Nala
Permian Rocks
- Nilawahan Group
Tobra Formation
Complex facies
Fresh water facies
Tiltic facies
Dandot Formation
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Warcha Formation
Sardhai Formation
Permian Rocks
- Zaluch Group
Amb Formation
Wargal Formation
Chiddru Formation
Permo-Triassic Boundary
Triassic Rocks -Musa-Khel Group
Mianwali Formation
Khatwai Member
Mittiwali Member
Narmian Member
Tredian Formation
Landa Member
Khatkiara Member
Kingriali Formation

Day 05 - Namal George

Jurassic Rocks- Surghar Group
Datta Formation
Shinawri Formation
Samana Suk Formation
Tertiary Rocks - Makarwal Group
Hangu Formation
Lockhart Formation
Patala Formation
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Tertiary Rocks - Charat Group
Namal Formation
Sakesar Formation
Chorgali Formation

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
In the name of Allah the most Beneficent, the most Merciful who gives us the
strength to be a part of this informative and knowledgeable field trip which was
organized by the Department of Geology university of Karachi, Pakistan. I would
like to thanks our teachers Dr. Muhammad Bilal, Dr Sadaf Ismail ,Dr Adnan Khan
and Mr. Muhammad Arsalan for accompanying us to the field and sharing their
knowledge. thanks to the chairperson of the Department Professor Dr Erum Bashir.
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ABSTRACT
The Salt Range is one of the most important geological regions in Pakistan. It is
easily accessible and displays a wide variety of geological features and
paleontological remains. It has, therefore, been rightly called a field museum of
geology and paleontology. It represents an open book of geology with richly
fossiliferous stratified rocks that include a Permian carbonate succession with
brachiopods, Lower Triassic ammonite bearing beds (the Mianwali Formation,
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formerly known as "Ceratite Beds"). All the strata are excellently exposed due to
lack of vegetation. The quality of the exposure also provides excellent opportunities
to appreciate tectonic features in the field.
.
INTRODUCTION
The Salt Range of Pakistan forms southernmost part of the Sub-Himalayan
Mountains, which stretch for more than 180 km east-west between the Jehlum and
Indus rivers, along the southern margin of the Potwar Basin Within the Salt Range, a
thick sedimentary cover, consisting of Precambrian to recent deposits
unconformably overlies low-grade metamorphic and igneous rocks. The Permian
stratigraphy of the Salt Range is divisible into the Early Permian Nilawahan Group
and the Late Permian Zaluch Group. the Salt Range classified the Nilawahan Group
succession into four units: the Tobra Formation,the Dandot Formation, the Warchha
Sandstone,the Sardhai Formation. The ages assigned to these formations are in
accordance with the Stratigraphic Commission and the Geological Time Scale. Each
lithostratigraphic unit is interpreted to have accumulated under a distinct climatic
regime that progressively changed throughout the Early Permian in the Salt Range
region from very cold to cold (the Tobra Formation), to cold-cool (the Dandot
Formation), to cool-warm (the Warchha Sandstone) to warm-hot (the Sardhai
Formation)

Background Knowledge
The name Salt Range was first used by Elphinston, a British envoy to the court of
the Kabul. He visited this territory (1808–1815) and noticed the extraction of salt
from the Salt Range. Hence, historically, the Salt Range derives its name after the
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occurrence of gigantic deposits of rock salt embedded in the Precambrian bright red
marls that are stratigraphically known as the Salt Range Formation (formerly
Punjab Saline Series). Apart from the easily available roadside geology, here are
some prominent gorges cutting the Salt Range. Among these gorges, the most
famous are Khewra, Nilawahan, Warchha, Nammal, and Chichali gorges, which
provide the fantastic locations to study the sedimentary successions (Ghazi, et al.,
2014)

Study Areas:
The starting point of study area is the oldest known basement rock of Pre-Cambrian
age which is exposed as Kirana Hills. The Salt Range represents a longitudinal
east-west trough, bounded on the east by the Jhelum River and on the west by the
River Indus, between 32°15′–33°0′ N and 71°34′ – 73°45′ E. Beyond the River
Indus, it takes a hairpin bend to develop a north-south trend. The east-west
extension is the Salt Range, while the north-south segment is the Trans Indus Salt
Range. It is actuate and convex to the south with a general east-west trend but
turns to the north-west near the western end and to the north-east near the eastern
end. The average elevation of the Salt Range is about 800 m, and the highest peak
is Mount Sakesar which is are almost 1,570 meters height. The east-west extension
is the Salt Range, while the north south segment is the Trans Indus Salt Range The
Salt Range represents geology with richly fossiliferous stratified rocks that include
Cambrian stratigraphy, a Permian carbonate succession with brachiopods, the
Permo-Triassic boundary, the Mianwali formation, formerly known as "Ceratite
Beds" (lower Triassic ammonite bearing beds) and Lower Tertiary marine strata
composed of age diagnostic foraminifera.

Salt Range is divided into three geographical distributions:

1. Eastern Salt range: That ranges from Jhelum to Kalar kahar.
2. Central Salt range: That ranges from Kalar kahar to tilla jogian.

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3. Western Salt range: That ranges from Tilla jogian to Indus River.

Objectives
A field trip was arranged by Bahria University on 16 March, 2017. It was a four
day field trip to salt range. We left our university on Thursday at 9:30 am and came
back on Sunday at 5 pm. The main objective of this field was to study the regional
tectonics, Geology and geomorphological feature of the area. In the field the main
objective was to get familiar with different lithologies and their characteristics,
structures, and enable us for making the observations on the field and to record
them efficiently and to guess about the tectonic setting and of the area by using
these observations.
Tectonic and structures
The story of salt range begins with the collision of Indian plate with Eurasian
lithospheric plates. After the separation from Gondwanaland Indian plate continues
its northward motion towards the Eurasian plate with the rate of about 20 cm/y. And
later on Indian plate collided with the Eurasian plate. This collision resulted in
formation of youngest mountain chain “The Himalayas”. Because the both plates
are continental plates so the collision is followed by series of thrust fault and crustal
shortening. The series of thrust faults is present from north to south having the
older ones in north and youngest one in south and still forces are accumulating that
may give birth to a new thrust fault.
Following is the list of fault running from north to south.
(a). Main karakoram thrust
(b).Main mantle thrust
(c).Main central thrust
(d).Main boundary thrust
(e). Salt range thrust

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 Salt range is marked by Decolment structure that is very low angle fault i.e. less
than 10 degree. This structure is present because salt is incompetent lithology and
act as lubricant agent for the fault plane. Hence facilitating the motion along the
fault plane. The salt present in salt range marks the early stages of ocean basin.
Geology
The salt range is considered as the sub Himalayas or Himalayan foot hills and
is located between two major thrust faults the MBT and SRT. The eastern boundary
of salt range is marked by Jhelum dextral fault and its western boundary is marked
by Kalabagh sinistral fault.
Field equipments
There are the following instruments which are essential in almost every field work.
The equipments used in the field work of salt range are:
1. Geological Hammer
2. Measuring Tape
3. Brunton or Sliva Compasses
4. Acid
5. Geological Positioning System
6. Sampling Bags
7. Note book

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Day 01 - Kirana Hills:
Late Precambrian
Kirana hills are the rocks of Precambrian age exposed in the Upper Indus Basin of
Punjab province. Kirana hill is said to be the part of Indian shield located in Chiniot
district. An indication of mineralization in the form of quartz veins is also present in
the area. In this area there are highly fractured facies of blackish color without
layering, massive rocks, Agglomerate and basic igneous rock of olivine are found.
The area comprises of igneous and meta sedimentary rocks of the oldest known
basement.

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Day 02 - Khewra Gorge:
Pre cambrian
Age
The assigned age is late Precambrian to early Cambrian.
LOCATION
LAT 32’39’21’N
LONG 73’00’25’S

Salt range formation

The name salt range formation is given to it after the name of salt range
Punjab. It is also known as Punjab saline series.
Type Locality: punjab Khewra Gorge in the eastern Salt Range has been
designated as its type locality.
Lithology: The lower part of the Salt Range Formation is composed of red-
coloured gypseous marl with thick seems of salt while the beds of gypsum, dolomite,
greenish clay and low-grade oil shale are the constituents of the upper part. A highly
weathered igneous body known as “Khewra Trap” has been reported from the upper
part of the formation. It consists of highly decomposed radiating needles of a light-
colored mineral, probably pyroxene. The red-colored marl consists chiefly of clay,
gypsum and dolomite with occasional grains and crystals of quartz of variable size.
Thick bedded salt shows various shades of pink color and well-developed
laminations and colour bandings up to a meter thick. The gypsum is white to grey in
colour. It is about 45m thick, massive and is associated with bluish grey, clayey
gypsum. The dolomite is usually light grey in colour and flaggy.

Features
The salt range formation is composed of red coloured gypseous marl. Marl is
composed of angular grains of calcite, quartz and clays with some amount of
gypsum. The gypsum of white to greyish colour and a thick salt seem is also
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present. The gypsum was embedded in the marl in the form of lens because of
intense deformation caused due to thrusting. The salt was not seen because it was
consumed during the thrusting and is very susceptible to chemical weathering. The
minor amounts of potassium magnesium sulphate are also present. Billiawala salt
member is not exposed in khewra gorge but we observed it at khewra salt mine

Members
Marl, gypsum and salt in this formation are named as
(a). Sahwal Marl member
Sahiwal member overlies the bhandarkhas member. It consists of bright and dull
marl with irregular gypsum and dolomite.
(b).Bhandar kas gypsum
Bhandarkhas member overlies the billianwala member. It consists of massive
gypsum, dolomite and marl.
(c).Bilianwala salt member
It consists of ferruginous red marl with salt halite.

. Depositional environment
Depositional environment seems to be an enclosed basin in arid conditions.

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Cambrian
Jhelum Group
Khewra Sandstone:
Synonym:
The name was originally proposed by Noetling (1894) as ‘Khewra Group’. Prior to
that Wynne (1878) called the formation “Purple Sandstone Series” and this name
was continued until recently when the name of the formation was formalized as
“Khewra Sandstone” by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan.
Type Locality: The type locality is in Khewra Gorge near Khewra Town, Salt
Range.
Age:The age of Khewra Sandstone is early Cambrian.
Lithology: The formation consists predominantly of purple to brown and yellowish
brown fine grained sandstone. The lowermost part of the formation is red flaggy
shale. The sandstone is mostly thick bedded to massive. The Khewra Sandstone is
widely distributed throughout the Salt Range.
Location:
LAT 32 °39’ 52’’ N.
LONG 73 ° 00’ 15” S.
Contacts: Upper contact is with Kussak Formation which is gradational and lower
contact with Salt Range Formation.
Kussak Formation:
Synonym: Wynne (1878) applied the name ‘Obulus beds’ or ‘Siphonotreta beds’ to
a predominantly greenish grey, glauconitic, micaceous sandstone and siltstone.
Waagen (1895) used the name ‘Neobolus beds’ for the same unit. Noetling (1894)
proposed the name ‘Kussak Group’ and finally the Stratigraphic Committee of
Pakistan named the Formation as “Kussak Formation”.
Type Locality: The type locality lies near the Kussak Fort in the eastern part of the
Salt Range. Age: The age of the formation is either late early or early middle
Cambrian.
Lithology: The formation is composed of greenish-grey, gluconitic, micaceous
sandstone, greenish-grey siltstone, interbedded with light grey dolomite and some
oolitic, arenaceous dolomite. Numerous layers of intraformatinal conglomerate are
present. Pink gypsum lenses are present near the top. The general lithology
throughout the formation is uniform. However, thickness vary at different places.
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Location:
LAT 32 °40’ 10’’ N.
LONG 73 ° 00’ 15”S.
Contacts: Upper contact is with Jutana Formation which is conformable and lower
contact with Khewra Sandstone which is gradational.

Jutana Formation
Synonym: Fleming (1853) named this unit “Magnesian sandstone”. Noetling (1894)
described it as ‘Jutana Stage’. The Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan formalized
the name as “Jutana Formation”.
Type Locality: The type locality lies near Jutana Village in the eastern Salt Range
. Age:It is early middle Cambrian or late early Cambrian.
Lithology:At the type locality the lower part of the formation consists of light green,
hard massive, partly sandy dolomite and the 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 same rock.
Fossils: It contains Lingulellafushi, Botsfordia granulate, Redilchianoetlingi,
Pseudothecasubrugosa.
Location: 32 ° 40’ 14” N; 73 ° 00 ‘14 “ S.
Contact:The formation is conformably underlain by the Kussak Formation and
conformably overlain by the Baghanwala Formation
Baghanwala Formation:
Type Locality:It is near Baghanwala Village in the Eastern Salt Range.
Age: Early middle Cambrian
Lithology:The formation is composed of red shale and clay, alternating with flaggy
sandstone. The flaggy sandstone exhibits several colours including pink grey or
blue green, especially in the lower half of the formation.
Contact:The contact of the Baghanwala Formation with the overlying Tobra
Formation is unconformable, whereas the lower contact with the Jutana Formation
is conformable.
Location: 32 ° 40’ 27” N; 73 ° 00 ‘14 “ S.

Day 03 - Khewra Salt Mine:

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The Khewra Salt Mine is excavated within the base of a thick layer of highly folded,
faulted and stretched to early Cambrian evaporites of the Salt Range Formation.
This geological formation consists of a basal layer of crystalline halite , which is
intercalated with potash salts. This basal layer is overlain by gypsiferous marl,
which is covered by interlayered beds of gypsum and dolomite with infrequent
seams of oil shale
HISTORY
The salt reserves at Khewra were discovered when Alexander the Great crossed
the Jhelum and Mianwali region during his Indian campaign. The mine was
discovered, however, not by Alexander, nor by his allies, but by his army's horses,
when they were found licking the stones.[20] Ailing horses of his army also recovered
after licking the rock salt stones.During the Mughal era the salt was traded in various
markets, as far away as Central Asia

GEOLOGY
Salt Range Formation have been thrust southward over Neoproterozoic to Eocene
sedimentary rocks by many kilometers, which tectonically incorporated fragments of
the underlying younger strata within these evaporites. The Salt Range is the
southern edge of a well-described fold-and-thrust belt, which underlies the entire
Pothohar Plateau and developed south of the Himalayas as a result of ongoing
collision between India and Eurasia.

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rooms were mined during the Mughal era.
RESERVES
Estimates of the total reserves of salt in the mines range from 82 million tons [which?][10]
to over 600 million tons.[11] In raw form it contains negligible amounts of calcium,
magnesium, potassium, sulfates, and moisture; it also contains iron, zinc, copper,
manganese, chromium, and lead as trace elements.[28][29] Salt from Khewra, also
known as Khewra salt, is red, pink, off-white or transparent
Day 04 - Zaluch Nala:
Zaluch Nala is located near Sayeden Shah Road section which is nearly 16
kilometers away from the Pai Khel District, Mianwali area, and Chakwal region.
Rock units exposed in the Zaluch Nala are of Late Permian to the end of Triassic.
While the boundary is present between Permian and Triassic formation known as
"Permo-Triassic boundary" which is of great importance in geology. There are three
formations which are divided into members on the basis of lithologies and
characteristics. Zaluch is 25 kilometers away from Mianwali and 40 kilometers
inside to the road section.
NILAWAHAN GROUP
Tobra Formation:
Synonym: It was previously known in the literature as “Talchir Boulder Bed” or
“Talchir Stage” of Gee and “Salt Range Boulder Bed” of Teichert (1967).
Type Locality: The type locality is located near Tobra Village in the eastern Salt
Range. Age: Early Permian
Lithology: The Tobra Formation depicts a very mixed lithology in which the
following three facies are recognized Tilliticfacies exposed in the eastern Salt

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Range. This rock unit grades into marine sandstone containing Eurydesma and
Conularia fauna .Freshwater facies with few or no boulders. It is an alternating
facies of siltstone and shale containing spore flora. A complex facies of diamictite,
sandstone and boulder bed.
In the eastern Salt Range the Tobra Formation exhibits true trillite; the rock unit is
composed of boulders of granite with fragments of quartz, feldspar, magnetite,
garnet, clay stone, siltstone, quartzite, bituminous shale and gneiss. The matrix of
the conglomerate bed is generally clayey, sandy and at some places calcareous.
Location:32 ° 46’ 53” N; 71 ° 38 ’17 “S.
Contact: Upper contact with Dandot Formation which is gradational lower contact
with Cambrian rocks(Baghanwala Sandstone) which is disconformable.
Dandot Formation:
Type Locality: The type locality is near Dandot Village, eastern Salt Range.
Age: Early Permian.
Lithology: The lithology at the type locality consists of light grey to olive green
yellowish sandstone with occasional thin pebbly beds and subordinate dark grey
and greenish splintery shale.
Location: 32 ° 46’ 56” N; 71 ° 38 ’47 “S.
Contact: The formation has a gradational contact with the underlying Tobra
Formation and is terminated in sharp but conformable contact with the overlying
Warchha Sandstone.

WARCHHA SANDSTONE:
Lithology: This formation is mostly consisting sandstone of red to maroon colour
which indicates oxidizing conditions.
Thickness: 28 – 80m.
Contacts: Upper contact with overlying sardhai formation; confirmable. Lower
contact with underlying dandot formation; transitional and confirmable.
Location: 32 ° 46’ 59 “N; 72 ° 39 ‘ 27 “S.
Age: Early Permian.
Sardhai Formation:

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SLithology: This formation is mainly concist of bluish to greenish coloured clay
minor grey sandstone and gypsum and calcerous beds in theupper part.
Thickness: 42 – 65m
Contacts:
Upper formation: amb formation confirmable.
Lower: warchha sandstone which is also confirmable.
Fossils: Brachiopods are commonly found in this formation.
Location: 32 ° 48’ 33” N; 71 ° 38’ 51” S
Age: Early Permian.
ZALUCH GROUP

t is divided into three formations distinguished from each other by differences in

proportion of limestone. These are:
1. Amb Formation
2. Wargal Limestone
3. Chhidru Formation

1. Amb Formation
The Amb Formation overlies the Sardhai Formation disconformably. The type
section is 5km south west of the village of Amb in the western-central salt range.
The Zaluch Nala and Chiddru Nala in the western Salt Range are additional
reference sections.. The prevailing lithology is highly fossiliferous, calcareous shale.
Thin coal beds are developed in the vicinity of the Amb village. The formation is
much as 80m thick in the salt range and 40m-50m in the Khisor Range.
2. Wargal Limestone
The formation is mainly consists of grey, medium or thick bedded to massive, partly
sandy limestone and dolomite with few thin intercalation of dark grey to black
shale. The Wargal Limestone is highly fossiliferous. It contain abundance of
productus etc. The thickness of Wargal Limestone is 180m-200m in the Salt range.
15
3. Chhidru Formation

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The Chiddru Foration represents the Upper Productus Limestone respectively
overlies the Wargal Limestone with a conformable transitional contact. Its type
section is Chhidru Nala in the western Salt Range. It consist of dark grey sandy
shale at the base overlain by calcareous sandstone and sandy limestone. The total
thickness of the formation ranges from 75m to 85m
. Permo-Traissic Boundary
The Permian-Traissic Boundary has identified between the Chhidru Formation of
Permian age and Kathwai Member of Mianwali Formation of Traissic age.

Traissic Rocks - Musa-Khel Group:

There are the following formations of Musa-Khel group exposed in Zaluch Nay
belonging to Triassic time.
1. Mianwali Formation:
Station 20:
Longitude: 32° 47' 13" N
Latitude: 71° 38' 56" E
The formation consist mainly of marl, limestone, sandstone, siltstone and dolomite.
It is exposed in the western Salt Range. The Mianwali formation has been divided
into three members:
a. Kathwai Member
b. Mittiwali Member
c. Narmian Member
a. Kathwai Member:
The Kathwai member of Mianwali formation comprises of shale and dolomite, lies
just above the Ceratite bed.

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b. Mittiwali Member:
The Mittiwala member of Mianwali formation comprises of loose sand like particles
or earthy brown color lies on the top of Khatwai member.
c. Narmian Member:
The Narmian member of Mianwali formation comprises of dolomitic bed lies on the
top of Mittiwali member.
2. Tredian Formation:
Station 21:
Longitude: 32° 47' 15" N
Latitude: 71° 38' 59" E
It consist of non-marine sequence of thin to thick bedded micaceous sandstone with
ripple marks and slump structures, interbedded with shale. The upper part of the
formation contain Massive too thick bedded sandstone interbedded with thin
dolomite beds. It is widely exposed in the Khisor Range and the Salt Range and
contain spores and pollens.
This formation has been divide into two members:
a. Landa Member
b. Khatkiara Member
a. Landa Member:
The Linda member of Tredian formation comprises of sandstone lies on the top of
Namian member of Mianwali formation.
b. Khatkiara Member:
The Khatkiara member of Tredian formation comprises of clay lies on the top of
Linda member

Kingriali Formation:
Station 22:
Longitude: 32° 47' 08" N
Latitude: 71° 39' 04" E
The Kingriali Formation contain thin to thick bedded or massive, grey dolomite and
dolomitic limestone with dolomitic shale and marl. It is 76 to 106 metres thick.
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Fossils are rarely found in this member. The lower contact of the Kingriali Formation
is transitional with the Mianwali Formation and has disconformable contact with the
overlying Datta Formation.

DAY 5 CHAPRI GORGE

Chapri is a village and union council of the Mianwali District in the Punjab province
of Pakistan It is located in Isakhel Tehsil at 32°58′46″N 71°23′28″E to 32°58′46″N
71°23′28″E and lies about 17 km from Kalabagh and Qamar Mashani on two
separate roads.

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Day 06 - Namal George:
Namal George is located in Mianwali area. The rocks exposed in the Namal George
are of Jurassic to Paleocene ages. The george shows variation in elevation which is
due to the faults which are said to be Normal Faults. a variety of gastropods,
bivalves, cephalopods along with microfossils are present there. Rocks exposed in
the george are highly weathered. The rocks are divided into groups and members
on the basis of their characteristic features.
Jurassic Rocks -Surghar Group:
There are the following formations of Surgar grou exposed in Namal George
belonging to Jurassic time.
1. Datta Formation:
Longitude: 32° 39' 47" N
Latitude: 71° 47' 52" E
Datta formation consists of sandstone, shale, siltstone and mudstone. The type
section is in Datta Nala in the Surghar Range. The Datta Formation overlies the
Kingriali Formation unconformably. The thickness of this formation ranges from 150
to 400 metres. The sandstone of Datta is of gritty nature and marks the start of
Jurassic period.
2. Shinawri Formation:
Longitude: 32° 39' 47" N
Latitude: 71° 47' 32" E
Shinawri formation consist mainly of thin-bedded grey limestone, nodular marl, shale
and sandstone. It has transitional contact with overlying Samana Suk Formation. Its
thickness varies from 12 to over 400 metres.
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3. Samana Suk Formation:
Longitude: 32° 39' 47" N
Latitude: 71° 47' 52" E
Samana Suk formation lies over the Shinawri formation which includes medium to
thick bedded grey oolitic and shally or dolomitic limestone with interbedded marl
and calcareous shale. It contain most of the fossils like bivalves, gastropods and
ammonites. It is disconformabily overlain by the Hangu formation. The thickness
ranges from about 66 to 366 meters.
Figure 34: Samana Suk Formation of Namal George.
Tertiary Rocks - Makarwal Group:
There are the following formations of Makarwal group exposed in Namal George
belonging to Paleocene time.
1. Hangu Formation:
Longitude: 32° 39' 50" N
Latitude: 71° 47' 55" E
Hangu formation mark the start of Paleocene time Period and Makarwal group.
Hangu formation is mainly composed of shale. The color of shale ranges in different
shades of grey. It unconformably overlies many formations of Paleozoic to
Mesozoic age. The formation contains fossils of mollucs, corals and foraminifera.
The thickness of formation is about 15 to 150 metres. The type locality is Fort
Lockhart in the Samana Range.
2. Lockhart Formation:
Longitude: 32° 39' 57" N
Latitude: 71° 47' 52" E
The Lockhart limestone contains nodules of Calcium carbonates. It consist of grey
colored, medium to thick bedded limestone. Its thickness ranges from 30 to 240
meters. Its type section is exposed near Fort Lockhart and is said to be a good
reservoir rock.
3. Patala Formation:
Station 28:
Longitude: 32° 39' 59" N
Latitude: 71° 47' 53" E

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It consist largely of shale with marl, limestone and sandstone. It overlies the
Lockhart formation conformably. The sandstone is present in the upper part and
Marcasite nodules are found in the shale. The formation also contain coal and its
thickness ranges from 27 to over 200 metres. Its type section is in the Patala Nay.

Charat Group:
Longitude: 32° 39' 55" N
Latitude: 71° 48' 06"E
There are the following formations exposed in Namal George belonging to Eocene
time. 1. Namal Formation:
The Namal formations lies conformably on Patala formation. Namal formation
consist of shale, marl and argillaceous limestone. The lower part tend to be more
shaly and marly while the upper part is dominated by limestone. Its thickness
ranges from 35 to 130 metres. The formation contain molluscs and foraminifera.
The type locality is exposed in Namal George.
2. Sakesar Formation:
The Nammal Formation transitionally passes into the overlying Sakeasar formation
with the change in lithology. It consist of grey colored, nodular to massive limestone
which is cherty in the upper part. Its thickness ranges from 70 to 300 metres. The
type section is the Sakesar Peak.
3. Chorgali Formation:
This formation lies conformably on the top of the Sakesar limestone. It consist
largely, of thin bedded grey, partly dolomatized and argillaceous limestone in the
lower part and in the upper part it is composed of greenish, soft calcareous shales.
Its thickness ranges from 30 to 140 metres. It contain molluscs, ostracods and
foraminifera. The type locality is the Chorgali Pass.

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