“General Geology of Salt Range of Pakistan and BCL Mainwali”

Name: Adil Khan(Trainee Mining

Engineer )
Department: Mining & Auto
Submitted to: Manager Muhammad
Zahid
Date: November 2, 2022
Salt range general overview:

Salt Range, series of hills and low mountains between the valleys of the Indus and Jhelum rivers, located
in the northern part of the Punjab region of Pakistan. It derives its name from extensive deposits of rock
salt that form one of the richest salt fields in the world; they are of Precambrian age and range up to more
than 1,600 feet (490 m) in thickness. The range is approximately 186 miles (300 km) long from east to
west, and its width, in the central and eastern parts, is from 5 to 19 miles. Its average height is 2,200 feet,
and its highest altitude, at Sakesar mountain, is 4,992 feet (1,522 m). In addition to the salt deposits,
mined from ancient times, the Salt Range contains coal, gypsum, and other minerals.

The landform is that of a range of low mountains from which the top strata have been removed by
erosion. Forming the southern terrace of the Potwar Plateau (1,700 feet), southwest of Räwalpindi, it
consists of two unsymmetrical, parallel ridges divided by a longitudinal valley. The southern slopes of
both ridges are steep; the northern slopes are slanting. The northern ridge (a cuesta—i.e., a sloping plain,
culminating at the upper end at the crest of a cliff), with an average height of from 2,300 to 2,600 feet and
with very steep southern slopes, is the lower. In the west and east, the range divides into separate
mountain masses, or massifs. West of Sakesar the course of the range swings to the northwest, with low,
longitudinal ranges. The Indus River breaks through the ranges at Käläbägh, flowing between vertical
cliffs inaccessible to communication. The summits of the Salt Range are slanting, hilly, and plateaulike.
The highest peaks are Sakesar, in the west, and the massif Chel (Chail), 3,700 feet, in the east. On the
northern slope, a system of deep ravines (badlands) has developed.

Structurally, the Salt Range is a highly upheaved block of the northwestern part of the Indian Platform, or
Shield, raised to a significant height along the southern fracture, with the sedimentary strata sloping
uniformly to the north. The incline of the strata in the central part is around 10°, and in the western,
eastern, and northern parts it is up to 45°.

The climate of the Salt Range is continental and arid, changing from tropic to subtropic. Tropical air
prevails during all seasons of the year except the cold winter months, when the relatively cool polar air
penetrates at the tail end of high-pressure systems (cyclones). This is a cold, damp season. During
summer, precipitations are connected with the equatorial, moist, southwestern (Indian) monsoon, which
reaches the limits of its occurrence in West Punjab but brings the largest amounts of precipitation (more
than 50 percent annually).

Agriculture is limited because of the poverty of the soil and lack of water for irrigation. Small areas on
the slopes and in the longitudinal valleys are being terraced for irrigation using the water of lakes and
springs. In the valleys dry farming prevails.

In the flora of the Salt Range there are both African-Arabian and Mediterranean elements. Before the loss
of the natural vegetation, the area was covered in the south by xerophyte (drought-resisting) thin forests
and in the north chiefly by savannas. At present a small mass of thin forest has been preserved by
conservation on the southeast. Among the forest trees are acacia, pine, wild olive, and others. Other
characteristic vegetation includes spurge {Euphorbia) and camel thorn and other scrubs and brushwood.

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 Fig. 01

GEOLOGY OF THE SALT RANGE:

It represents an open book of geology with richly fossiliferous stratified rocks that include Cambrian
stratigraphy, a Permian carbonate succession with brachiopods, the Permian-Triassic boundary, Lower
Triassic ammonite bearing beds (the Mianwali Formation, formerly known as "Ceratite Beds") and Lower
Tertiary marine strata composed of age diagnostic foraminifera. 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 and attracts geologists from all over the world to study Cambrian
stratigraphy, the Permian-Triassic boundary, and Lower Tertiary foraminiferal biostratigraphy.

The area is rich in paleontological finds: large and small land mammals dating to some 18 million years
ago when the climate of this area was wet and humid; ichno fossil dinosaur trackways, which were
imprinted in the limestone in the upper most part of the Middle Jurassic ; a wealth of Cretaceous
belemnites in the form of a "graveyard"; the 14 million year old fossil remains of Deinotherium
discovered at Choa Saidan Shah; 12.3 million year old fossilized hipbone from a prehistoric ape named
Sivapithecus indicus and the 10 million year old Gigantopithecus. The fossil record of the Salt Range
represents a diverse range of floral and faunal fossils including well preserved complete body fossils of
invertebrate and vertebrate fauna, their skeletal grains, faunal molds and castes along with a large variety
of ichno fossils Hominidae remains have been found in and on the northern side of the Salt Range
reflecting the presence of the Old World Monkey Colobinae in Late Miocene deposits at Dhok Pathan,
Domeli and Hasnote and Middle Late Miocene fossil remains of Dryopithecinae at Chinji. The first

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evidence of human presence in the Salt Range is found in the Soan River valley where hundreds of edged
pebble tools were discovered dated to the Lower Palaeolithc (500,000 – 125,000 bp). Nearby at Khaur a
complete lower jaw is evidence of Rampithicus punjabicus living in the Potwar just north of the Salt
Range as recently as 8 million years ago.

Within the Salt Range there is a dense clustering of historical sites and places ranging in date from the 4th
c. when Alexander the Great fought his last battle with Raja Porus at the bank of Jehlum River, through
the Hindu Shahi period, the Mughal Empire to the era of Sikh rule and the British Colonial occupation.
Fortresses, monasteries and temple complexes such as Kafirkot and Malot (9th – 19th c.), Nandna, Tilla
Jogian and the World Heritage site of Rohtas perch on high mountain platforms overlooking important
passes through the Salt Range. Habitation sites and ancient centers of religious pilgrimage such as Katas
Raj and Mari Indus, early Mughal sites such as Takht-e-Babri, the throne of Emperor Babar and his
Baghe-Safa considered to be the first Mughal Garden in Asia, are found in Kallar Kahar in the middle of
the Salt Range. Step wells, stone lined tanks, sacred ponds and banyans (Ficus indica) and groves
spanning many periods are scattered across the landscape. However, the place which best illustrates the
interplay between culture and nature, man and the geology of the Salt Range, is Khewra, one of the
world’s richest salt deposits, where salt has been exploited for at least a thousand years. The Precambrian
salt reserves at Khewra were known when Alexander the Great crossed the Jhelum and Mianwali region
during his Indian campaign. During the Mughal era the salt was traded in various markets, as far away as
Central Asia. On the downfall of the Mughal empire, the Khewra mine was taken over by Sikhs and then
by the British who industrialized its running and it continues to function on a large scale today as a mine,
research and tourism center.

The Salt Range represents an open book of geology with richly fossiliferous stratified rocks. All strata
are clearly exposed and this quality of the exposure also provides excellent opportunities to appreciate
tectonic features in the field. The Salt Range is, therefore, of great international scientific and educational
value. “Geological World Heritage: A Global Framework” (IUCN 2005) identified 13 major thematic
areas in a broad conceptual framework for geological World Heritage. The Salt Range fulfils three of
these: 1. Tectonic and structural features Elements of global-scale crustal dynamics 2. Stratigraphic sites
Rock sequences that provide a record of key earth history events. 3. Fossil sites: The record of life on
Earth represented within the fossil record. This mountainous landscape has served as a backdrop to
thousands of years of historical events, religious ceremony and contemplation, marching armies and the
passage of new ideas and peoples. Throughout these millennia the salt at the heart of the mountain has
been tunneled and dug for use and trade by changing communities as the Khewra salt works have linked
nature to culture in the Salt Range.

The Salt Range is interpreted as the surface expression of the leading edge of the décollement thrusts over
northward offsets of the crystalline basement of the still-active fold and thrust belt of the Himalayas. The
Salt Range Thrust juxtaposes Late Precambrian to Mesozoic rocks on top of Early Tertiary rocks. The
overall stratigraphic sequence can be subdivided into three major units that are seismo-stratigraphically
distinguishable:

 Salt Range Formation, representing evaporate deposition of Precambrian age;

 Cambrian rocks from the Jhelum group to Lower Eocene rocks of the Chharat group, representing
stable platform conditions;

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  Post Lower Eocene rocks, representing deposition in an active tectonic setting.

The Salt Range is an east-northeast trending complex salt anticlinorium with a series of salt anticlines.
The range’s southern boundary is an escarpment, rising 800−900m above the plains, which marks the
southernmost extent of significant deFormation along the Himalayan Fold and Thrust Belt in Pakistan.

Fig. 02 (Geological map of Salt Range of Pakistan)

The northern slope of the Salt Range is gentle, gradually passing into the Potwar Basin. The Salt Range
and Potwar Basin form a large allochthonous block, which has been thrust and differentially rotated along
a decollement within, or at the base of an incompetent, evaporate-bearing sequence that directly overlies
the metamorphic basement. The Potwar Basin can be divided into 3 zones: the Northern Potwar
Deformed Zone, the Soan Basin, and the Southern Potwar Deformed Zone, which is the scarp slope of the
Salt Range, where a thick evaporite-clastic sequence is exposed along the Salt Range. The Salt Range
Formation evaporites have been interpreted as the decollement zone responsible for the anomalous
rotation of the Salt Range relative to the Himalayan trend.

All periods from Ordovician to Carboniferous are missing in central & eastern salt Range, which indicate
that deposition did not take place at that time. Glaciated boulders and pebbles of Permian age varying in
sizes are distributed in central and eastern parts of the Range. Rocks of early and late Permian age are
present in almost whole of the area. Rocks ranging in age from Triassic to Cretaceous periods do not
exist. Paleocene rocks crop out in isolated areas which are followed by rocks of Eocene age. Younger
rocks which make the Tertiary and Quaternary periods cover approximately whole of eastern and central
parts of the Range. Southern part of the Salt Range is covered with surficial deposits and alluvium.

Photo-geologic and satellite imagery interpretations show relationships of various tectonic features.
Dhariala well which has been drilled on the top of such a structure proves this hypothesis. Such structures

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can be observed in other parts of the area. As in the northwest a circular structure north of Gufanwala
which is broadened by a series of collapse grabens and tilt blocks, can be seen.

Stratigraphy of the Salt Range

The general stratigraphy of the Salt Range, with major times of non-deposition, is given in the following
table. The oldest exposed rocks in the Salt Range are the rocks of the Salt Range Formation. Based on
surface outcrops, the Salt Range Formation is divided into three members: • Sahiwal Marl Member,
consisting of bright red marl beds, with irregular gypsum and dolomite beds (associated with dolomitic
shale, bituminous shale and low-grade oil shale) and the Khewra Trap (weathered potassium-rich igneous
rock).

• Bandarkas Gypsum Member, consisting of massive gypsum, with minor beds of dolomite and clay.

• Billianwala Salt Member, consisting of red marl interlayered with thick seams of rock salt.

This division is not reflected in the geophysical logging in Formation from the holes Dhariala01 and
Nurpur-01, which suggests that the presence of rock salt is directly below the lower clay-rich part of the
Khewra Sandstone. Purplish-grey to dark grey shales, rich in fossils and interbedded with glauconitic
sandstone and pisolitic dolomite are represented by Cambrian Kussak Formation (70’-160’). These shales
are followed by cream to white, moderately fossiliferous, granular to well crystallized dolomite (Jutana
dolomite) of Cambrian period. Bright red flaggy sandstones, with intercalations of shales having salt
Pseudo morphs, are marked by Baghanwala Formation (0’-350’) of Cambrian age. Presence of
conglomeratic sandstone and shale with granite and metamorphic boulders of Tobra Formation (0’-100’)
and showing evidence of glaciations mark the stratigraphic variance and age gap of Middle Cambrian to
Upper Carboniferous.

Dandot Formation (0’-75’) of Permian age which overlies Tobra Formation consists of light grey to olive
green sandstone and shale overlain by subordinate sandstone of Sardhai Formation of Permian age. Rocks
of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous are not exposed in the project area. Lower Tertiary deposits are
marked by fossiliferous limestone, shales and sandstones of varying colours which also contain coal
seam. Geologically the area does not show any marked complication. Tertiary rocks outcrop throughout
the area, whereas presence of older rocks is confirmed by the Attock Oil Well drilled on the anticline.

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Geology of the Western Salt Range:

The Salt Range is an east-northeast trending complex salt anticlinorium with series of salt anticlines, bent
northwards at both ends. The Kalabagh Fault bounds it on the west and the Jehlum Fault on the east. The
western part of the Salt Range is best exposed in the Nammal Gorge near Nammal village of District
Mianwali.

In Nammal gorge we find mix lithology. 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 and
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.

Economically Nammal gorge is very important. Large quantities of limestone, clays and silica sand were
being extracted from the gorge. The quarries of limestone present here were fulfilling the needs of nearby
cement factories as well as construction purposes, however, in the year 2018, government imposed ban on
mining in this area due to ongoing expansion of Nammal knowledge city in close vicinity.

STRATIGRAPHY: The rocks units exposed in Nammal Gorge are present in following stratigraphic
sequence:

1. Wargal Limestone Wargal Limestone

2. Chiddru Formation
3. Mianwali Formation
4. Tridian Formation
5. Kingriali Formation
6. Datta Formation
7. Shinawari Formation
8. Samana Suk Formation
9. Chichali Formation
10. Hangu Formation
11. Lockhart Limestone
12. Patala Formation
13. Nammal Formation
14. Sakesar Limestone

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Wargal Limestone Wargal Limestone

The name “Wargal limestone” was approved by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan proposed by
Teichert (1966) to the unit formerly known as “Middle Products limestone” of Waagen (1879) and
“Wargal group of Noetling (1901). Its type section is Wargal village in the central salt range.

Lithologically the Formation is composed of limestone and dolomite of light grey to medium grey,
brownish grey and olive green colors. In Zaluch Nala the Formations lithology is divided into 10 parts
which shows alternate beds of sandstone, limestone and dolomite. The Formation is 183m thick in Zaluch
Nala while in Marwat and Khisor ranges it is about 174m. The contact of Wargal limestone with
underlying Amb Formation is confirmable while upper contact with Chiddru Formation is transitional.

Chiddru Formation

The name Chiddru Formation was introduced by Dunbar (1932) to the “Chiddru beds of Waagen (1891)
and “Chiddru group” of Noetling (1901).

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.

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.

Mianwali Formation:

Gee (in Pascoe, 1959) used the name” Mianwali Series” which was later modified by Kummel (1966)
into “Mianwali Formation”.

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.

The Formation is 121m thick in Zaluch nala while in Tappan Wahan section it ranges from 135m to
187m. Lower contact of the Formation is marked by the P-T boundary while 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.

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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.

The Formation is 1560m in Tappan Wahan section of the Khisor range and 76m in Zaluch sections of salt
range. 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.

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.

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).

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. 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 unconformably on the Kingriali Formation in Salt range and Trans Indus ranges
while in Hazara it rests unconformably over the Precambrian Hazara Formation. The upper contact with
Shinawari Formation is gradational.

Shinawari Formation:

The term “Shinawari Formation” was introduced by Fatmi and Khan (1966) to the “Lowest Samana
Beds” of Davies (1930), and “lower part of Kioto limestone” of Cotter (1933) after the village of this
name in western part of Samana Range in Kohat.

At the type locality the Formation consists of thin to well bedded limestone with nodular marl, calcareous
and non- calcareous shale and quartzose, ferruginous sandstone. The limestone is grey, brownish grey,
fine to coarse textured and contains sandy, oolitic and ferruginous beds. The shale is grey to dark grey,
splintery, calcareous and non-calcareous.

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The Formation has a transitional contact with the underlying Datta Formation and overlying Samana Suk
Formation.

Samana Suk Formation:

Davies (1930) introduced name “Samana Suk” for the Jurassic limestone in Samana range formerly
named as “kioto Limestone” of Middle miss (1896) and Cotter (1933) and “Daulatmar Limestone” of
Calkins and Matin (1968). The name Samana Suk is derived from the peak of this name in Samana
Range.

In the type locality the Formation consists of grey, medium to thick bedded limestone with subordinate
marl and shale intercalations. The limestone is oolitic and in Hazara and Kala Chitta it includes some
dolomitic and ferruginous sandy, oolitic beds but these are absent here in Nammal area.

The Formation is widely distributed in western salt range, Kohat, Trans Indus ranges, Hazara and Kala
Chitta. At the type locality thickness is 186m while in Bagnotar section Hazara it is 366m. The lower
contact is transitional with Shinawari Formation while upper contact with Chichali Formation is
disconformable.

Chichali Formation:

This Formation was established by Danilchick and Shah (1967) for rocks previously described as the
“Belemnite beds” from the salt range and Trans Indus ranges. The type section is Chichali pass in Surgar
range.

At the type locality the Formation consists of dark green, grey, weathering rusty brown glauconitic
sandstone with dark grey sandy, silty glauconitic shale in the lower part. In western salt range it has three
members. Lower member with glauconitic shale with some phosphatic nodules passing upward into dark
green glauconitic sandstone with abundant Belemnites. The upper member is glauconitic chamositic,
generally unfossiliferous sandstone.

In Chichali area the thickness is 55m to 70m while in southern Hazara on Haro River it is 33m. The lower
contact with the Samana Suk Formation is disconfirmable. The upper contact with Lumshiwal Formation
appears gradational.

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.

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.

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The Formation is 90m thick at the type section, 50m at Hangu and about 35m in Mandeha Banni in
Hazara. There is an unconformity and is underlain by Chichali Formation in Nammal while is
conformably overlain by Lockhart Limestone.

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.

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 the lower part.
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.

In salt range the Formation consists of shale and marl with subordinate limestone and sandstone. The
shale is dark greenish grey, selenite bearing, carbonaceous and calcareous at places and 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.

Thickness of Patala Formation at type locality is 90m while at Khewra it is 27m thick. Patala Formation
conformably overlies the Lockhart limestone and is conformably and transitionally overlain by Nammal
Formation in Salt range.

Nammal Formation:

The term “Nammal Formation” has been formally accepted by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan
for the “Nammal limestone and shale” of Gee (1935) and “Nammal Marl” of Danilchick and Shah (1967).
The section exposed in Nammal gorge is its type section.

The Formation comprises of shale, marl and limestone. In salt range these rocks occurs as alternations.
The shale is grey to olive green while the limestone is light grey to bluish grey. The limestone is
argillaceous in places. The marl is also light grey to bluish grey. In Surgar range lower part consists of
marl and shale with minor limestone.

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 The upper part has dominantly limestone. The Formation is 100m thick at Nammal gorge and thins out
westward to 60m at Khairabad. It is 30m thick in Khewra-Choa Saidan Shah road section in eastern Salt
range. The lower contact with Patala Formation and upper with Sakesar limestone are transitional.

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.

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 near the top. Near Daud Khail in western
salt range the limestone grades into white to grey massive gypsum. The Formation is widely distributed in
salt range where the thickness ranges from 70m to 150m. 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.

Economic Importance:

The Nammal area in the western Salt range is important for economic point of view. It acts as a source for
various economically important minerals which are used in different industries. As we enter the gorge we
see big quarries where limestone is being extracted from Wargal Limestone and Chiddru Formation. This
limestone not only feeds the cement and construction industries but also has very important use as
aggregate in roads and highways. Silica sand from Datta Formation is widely used in glass and ceramic
industry.

The Eocene succession also has its own significance as it fulfills all the basic requirements of a complete
Petroleum Play system. Shale, marl and limestone may act as source, reservoir and seal within the
Formation. Shale and marl of Nammal Formation is used in cement industry but its limestone is not good.
So Sakesar limestone is used for this purpose.

LIMESTONE BEARING FORMATIONS IN THE LEASE AREA

The Limestone lease comprising 2020.26 acres and lies near Pai Khel in district Mianwali and bears
limestone of Eocene, Paleocene & Permian ages. As per the surveys conducted, more than 100 years
resource is available in the lease boundary for production of 7200 TPD of cement. The detailed
description of the geological units bearing limestone is given below:

Sakesar Limestone

The term Sakesar Limestone was introduced by Dr. Gee for the most prominent Eocene limestone unit in
the Salt and Trans-Indus Ranges. Sakesar Peak in the Salt Range has been designated the type locality.

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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 to light grey and forms a persistent horizon near the top. Near Daud
Khel in the western Salt Range the limestone grades into white to grey and massive gypsum. In the
Surghar Range, the chert lenses increase in number.

The Formation is widely distributed in the Salt Range and the Surghar Range. In the Salt Range its
thickness varies between 70 m and 150 m. It is 220 mat Chichali Pass and about 300 m in other parts of
the Surghar Range. The lower contact with the Nammal Formation is conformable. In the eastern Salt
Range, the upper contact with the Chorgali Formation is conformable, whereas in the central and western
Salt Range and in the Surghar Range, the Rawalpindi or Siwalik Group unconformably overlie the
Formation.

The Formation has yielded a rich assemblage of foraminifers, molluscs and echinoids. These foraminifers
indicate an Early Eocene age of the unit. The Formation is equivalent to the Shekhan Formation and the
upper part of the Margala Hill Limestone in the Kohat, Kala Chitta and Hazara areas. It may also be
correlated with parts of the Laki, Kharan, Rakhshani, Ghazij Group and Saindak Formation in different
parts of southern Pakistan.

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Nammal Formation

The term Nammal Formation has been formally accepted by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan for
the ‘‘Nammal Limestone and Shale" of Gee and ‘‘Nammal Marl" of Danilchik and Shah (1967) occurring
in the Salt and Trans-Indus ranges. The section exposed in the Nammal Gorge is the type section. The
Formation, throughout its extent, comprises shale, marl and limestone; In the Salt Range, these rocks
occur as alterations. The shale is grey to olive green, while the limestone and marl are light grey to bluish
grey. The limestone is argillaceous at places. In the Surghar Range, the lower part of the Formation is
composed of bluish grey marl with subordinate interbedded calcareous shale and minor limestone. The
upper part consists of bluish grey to dark grey limestone with intercalations of marl and shale (Cheema et
al., 1977).

The Formation is well-developed in the Salt and Surghar ranges. It is 100 m thick in the Nammal Gorge
and thins out westward to 60 m at Khairabad. It is 40 m thick in the Khewra-Choa Saidan Shah Road
section in the eastern Salt Range. It is 130 m thick in the Chichali Pass and 35 m in Broach Nala of the
Surghar Range. Its lower contact with the Patala Formation and upper contact with the Sakesar Limestone
are transitional.

The limestone is hard at Nammal and softens a bit towards East. The nodular structure is clear throughout
its extent and Chert filling is also found at places in fractures or opened joints. Shale and Marl are present
in thin layers interbedded with limestone. A transitional zone comprising dark grey shale is encountered
at the lower contact of the Formation with Patala Formation. The limestone having a range (46-53% of)
Cao is considered pretty much suitable for production of Cement and is being used by all cement units in
the Central & Eastern Salt Range.

Abundant fossils, mainly foraminifers and molluscs, have been reported from the Formation. On the basis
of the fauna, an Early Eocene age has been assigned to the Formation.

Lockhart Limestone

Davies (1930a) introduced the term "Lockhart Limestone" for a Paleocene limestone unit in the Kohat
area and this usage has been extended by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan to similar units in other
parts of the Kohat-Potwar and Hazara areas. This unit thus represents the "Nummulitic Series" of
Middlemiss (1896), the lower part of "Hill Limestone" of Wynne (1873) and Cotter (1933), the
"Khairabad Limestone" of Gee (1934) "Tarkhobi Limestone" of Eames (1952) and "Marl Limestone"
ofLatif(1970a). A section exposed near Fort Lockhart in the Samana Range has been designated as type
locality of the unit.

Lockhart Limestone, in the Kohat area, is grey to medium grey, medium to thick-bedded, massive,
rubbly and brecciated in places. The basal part is dark grey to bluish grey and flaggy. Ln the Salt Range
and Trans-Indus ranges the limestone is grey to light grey, medium-bedded, nodular with minor amounts
of grey marl and dark bluish grey, calcareous shale in the lower part. In the Hazara and Kala Chitta areas
the limestone is dark grey and black in color and contains intercalations of marl and shale. The limestone
is generally bituminous and gives off fetid odor on a fresh surface.

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 The limestone is well developed throughout the Kohat-Potwar Province. It is 60 m thick in the type
locality, 36 m at Darsamand and 40 m at Thal in the Kohat area. lt is 70 mat Nammal Gorge in the Salt
Range, 260 m thick in Kala Chitta and 90 to 242 m in Hazara. The Formation conformably and
transitionally overlies and underlies the Hangu Formation and the Patala Formation, respectively.

The above-mentioned fossils indicate a Paleocene age. The Lockhart Limestone is correlated with the
Bara Formation, the lower parts of the Dungan and Rakhshani Formations of the Lower Indus Basin,
Axial Belt and Baluchistan Basin, respective]y.

The Lockhart Limestone, measured in Nilawahan Gorge, is mainly comprised of medium to thick-bedded
limestone having yellowish gray color on weathered surface and light grey to greenish gray color on fresh
surface. The limestone is prominently nodular and fractured. The size of the nodules of limestone is 8
to11 cm in diameter and at places 14 to 16 cm. The rocks are fractured and most of the fractures are filled
with calcite. The surrounding margins of the nodules are filled with fine grained material like clay and
shale. Marl occurs as interbedded with limestone having grey to dark grey color, is of bituminous nature
and gives off fetid odor.

Wargal Limestone:

Noetling coined the term "The Wargal group" to a predominantly calcareous unit overlying the Amb
Formation in the central Salt Range. The name Wargal Limestone, as approved by the Stratigraphic
Committee of Pakistan was introduced by Teichert. For the same rock unit, the name "Middle Products
Limestone” was used by Waagen. The type section is near Wargal Village in the central Salt Range.
Zaluch Nala in the western Salt Range has been designated by Teichert as the tentative standard section/
principal reference section.

The lithology comprises of limestone and dolomite of light to medium grey brownish grey and olive
grey. The detailed lithology of the Formation in Zaluch Nala is summarized with thickness as under:

10. Limestone, light to olive grey, argillaceous thin- to medium-bedded, rubbly, highly fossiliferous; 28 m

9. Limestone, light olive and yellowish grey with chert nodules towards the base and silicified fossils;
19 .5 m

8. Dolomite with crinoids and bellerophon; 4.4 m

7. Limestone, light grey to olive, thin- to medium-bedded, dolomitic in the lower half, with chert nodules
in the upper part; 40 m

6. Dolomite, pinkish grey and yellowish grey, brecciated and massive; 13 .5 m

5. Limestone, light grey to olive grey, medium- to thin-bedded, dolomitic in the middle, with chert layers;
14 m

4. Dolomite, finely crystalline to saccharide, massive to bedded; 59 .6 m

3. Limestone, argillaceous, finely crystalline, rich in brachiopods; 1.5 m

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2. Sandstone, greyish orange, fine grained; 1.5 m

1. Limestone, light brown, finely crystalline, sandy; 0.8 m

In the Khisor and Marwat ranges the average thickness is about 174 m. The lithology is similar to that in
the Salt Range. The contact of the Wargal Limestone with the underlying Amb Formation is well-defined
and is placed at the basal sandy limestone of the Formation above the uppermost shale unit of the Amb
Formation. The upper contact with the Chhidru Formation is transitional.

The fauna consists of abundant bryozoans, brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, nautili’s, am monoids,
trilobites and crinoids.

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