Himalyan Tectonostratigraphic Basin

Higher Himalayas
Location
 North of Peshawar Basin (Malakand, Chakdara
Swat)
 North: MMT
 South: MCT

Stratigraphy: Dipietro et al., 1999

Age Formations
Triassic Saidu Formation/Nikanai Ghar Formation
Alpurai
Group

Kashala Formation
(Karapa Green Schist)
Carboniferous-Triassic? Marghzar Formation
Pre-Cambrian/Cambrian Jobra Formation
? Manglaur Formation
1. Manglaur Formation
 Kazmi et al., 1984, Manglaur Schist
 Diepitero et al., 1990, Manglaur Formation

Type Locality
 6km ENE of Mingora, Swat near Village Manglaur by Kazmi et al.,
1984

Lithology
 Mainly Schist varieties having granitic intrusions
 Schists: quartz-feldspar schist, quartz-mica-Kyanite schist, quartz-
mica-garnet schist, other includes thin layers of graphitic and
hornblende schist (para-amphibolite).
 Granitic intrusion; Swat Granitic Gneiss and Swat Granite/Malakand
Granite (PPAIP)
 At Narbatawal: 13km of Mingora Diepitero et al., 1990 define the
lithology as two units, one composed of garnetiferous schist,
micaceous quartzite, amphibolite and marble, other unit contains
thick interlayers of quartzite, fine grained feldspathic quartzite and
marble
 Two episode of metamorphism occurred within the formation with
retrograde metamorphis
Thickness/Distribution
 Exposed from near the afghan border, through
swat up to the Besham area
 At Narbatawal area it is 1500m thick

Fossils

Age
 Uncertain; by various correlation of lithology, with
Tanawal formation and Manshehra Granite
Complex said to Precambrian age

Contact
 Basement not exposed; upper contact with Jobra
conformable
2. Jobra Formation
 Dipietero et al., 1990, Jobra Formation

Type Locality
 Jobra Village

Lithology
 Calcium silicate rocks interlayered with tremolite marble, garnet-biotite
schist, quartzite and amphibolite

Distribution
 Restricted to Loe Sar dome, west of Paacha.

Fossils

Age
 Dipietero et al., 1992, 1993 with occurences of xenoliths of Calc-silicate
marble, similar to the Jobra Marble, within Swat Gneiss, considered it to be
Precambrian.

Contact
 Upper: unconformable with Murghazar Formation
 Lower: conformable with Swat Granitic Gneiss of Manglaur Formation
 Alpurai Group
 Kazmi et al., 1984, Alpurai Schist
 Dipietro et al., 1990, 1993, 1999, Alpurai Group
 Named after village Alpurai, east of Mingora,
Swat. The metasedimentary seuqnce
 Dipietro et al., 1990, divided the Alpurai Group
into Four Formations namely
 Saidu Formation/Nikanai Ghar Formation
 Kashala Formation (including the Karapa member)

 Marghzar Formation
3. Marghzar Formation
 Dipietero et al., 1990, Marghzar Formation

Type Locality
 Marghzar locality near Saidu, Swat.

Lithology
 Schist, Marble, amphibolite, pebbles of granitic rocks
 Schist: biotite schist, psammatic schist, garnet mica schist, interbedded with
abundace of amphibolite and is present near the top of the formation except
at the area Dosara. Marble is also present within these layers of the schist

Distribution
 Flanks of Loe Sar dome, extended from near Manglaur southward upto
Jawar, westward it may be seen as far as 7km east of Chakadarra.

Age
 Carboniferous to Triassic

Contact
 Upper: Swat Granitic Gneiss
 Lower: Kashala Formation
4. Kashala Formation
 Pogue et al., 1992, introduces the name
 Martin et al., 1962, Lower Swat-Buner Schistose Group
 Kazmi et al., 1984, included this formation in Manglaur Schist, Alpurai Schist and
Saidu Schist

Type Locality
 North of Rustam

Lithology
 Calcareous Schist, garnet Schist, Shistose marble with Brownish grey Marble; Marble
contains fossils of conodonts

Thickness/Distribution
 Swat and Mardan area
 North of Rustam, it is 1500m thick

Age
 Late Triassic on basis of fossil conodont

Contact
 Upper: with Saidu Formation/Nikani Ghar Formation
 Lower: with Marghzar Formation/Jafar Kandao (Krapa Green Schist of Kashala
Formation)
Krapa Green Schist: Pogue et al., 1992, called it as
the member of Kashala Formation (due to
restricted exposure), seqeuence overlying the Jafar
Kandao Formation

Type locality/Type Section

 Karapa village, 30km northeast of Broach village.
 The type section is designated along the south
facing slope of Gumbat Sar between Villages of
Karapa and Sonigram.

Lithology
 Metamorphosed tholeiitic basalt

Age
 Carboniferous-Triassic
5. Saidu Formation
 Kazmi et al., 1986, Saidu Schist
 Dipeitero et al., 1990, Saidu Formation and included it in Alpurai Group

Type Locality
 Saidu Sharif, Swat

Lithology
 Schist: dark grey to grey Pelitic, Calcareou, Chloritic and graphitic along with
amphibolite

Distribution
 South of MMT, in the vicinity of Saidu and in thrust contact with melanges of
Indus Suture Zone
 About 30km south of Saidu, it is replace by Nikanai Ghar Formation

Age
 Triassic

Contact
 Upper: thrust zone
 Lower: Kashala Formation
6. Nikanai Ghar Formation
 Ahmad et al., 1987, name was introduce
 Martin et al., 1962, Lower Swat-Buner Schistose Group

Type Locality/Section
 Nikanai Ghar Mountain in Southern Swat

Lithology
 White to grey thick bedded or massive, finely to coarse crystalline marble
and dolomitic marble.
 the sequence also contains thin beds of calcarerous schist, schistose marble
and dolomitic marble and calcareous quartzite.

Distribution
 Southern swat

Age
 Triassic (Late)

Contact
 Lower: Kashala Formation