Salt Range

Introduction

Stratigraphy of Salt Range (Upper Indus Basin)

 Precambrian Stratigraphy
1. Salt Range Formation
 Wynne 1878, Saline Series
 Gee 1945, Punjab Saline Series
 Asrarullah 1967, Salt Range Formation

Type Locality/Section
 Khewra Gorge, in eastern Salt Range is type section

Lithology
 Lower part of the salt range formation composed of;
 Red colored gypseous marl with thick seam of salt
 Upper part constitutes
 Beds of gypsum, dolomite greenish clay and low grade oil shales
 Highly weathered igneous body known as “Khewra trap” has
been reported from the upper part of Formation, also known as
“Khewrites”
 Khewrites: highly decomposed radiating needles of light colored minerals
probably pyroxene
 Asrarullah 1967, carried out detail study of the
formation and divided the salt range into; 3 members
 A. Sahiwal Marl Member
 B. Bhandar Kas Gypsum Member
 C. Billianwalan Salt Member
A. Sahwal Marl Member
 Lower part of salt range

 Can be divided into two units as

 Unit 1
 Bright red marl beds with irregular gypsum, dolomite beds and
khewra trap
 Thickness (~3-100m at places)
 Unit 2
 Dull red marl with some salt seams and 10m thick gypsum beds on
top (~ more than 40m)
B. Bhandar Kas Gypsum Member
 Massive gypsum with minor amount of dolomite and clay (~ more than 80m
thickness)

C. Billianwalan Salt Member

 Ferrogenous red marl with thick seams of salt (~more than 650m thickness)

Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in all salt range
 Thickness at type section 830m, drilling more than 2000m at Dhariala

Fossils
 Devoid of fossils

Age
 Precambrian age, due to law of superposition (controversial age description)

Contact
 Base of salt range formation only known at “Karampur Well” overlies
metamorphic rocks
 Upper contact with Khewra Sandstone conformable
Environment of Deposition
 Evaporitic Environment

---------------------------------------------
Cambrian Stratigraphy
Jehlum Group
 After the district Jhelum
 Jhelum Series, Pascoe 1959
 Includes the following formations
 4. Baghanwalan Formation
 3. Jutana Formation
 2. Khussak Formation
 1. Khewra Sandstone

1. Khewra Sandstone
 Noetling 1894, Khewra Group, prior to that
 Wynne 1878, Purple sandstone series
 Name was formalized by SCP (Fatmi, 1973) as Khewra Sandstone

Type Locality
 Khewra Gorge near Khewra Town, Salt Range
Lithology
 Predominantly sandstone;
 Purple to brown, yellowish brown
 Fine grained sandstone, mostly thick bedded to massive
 Lower most of formation is red flaggy shale
 Sedimentary features like, ripple marks, mud cracks, ball and pillow structures are common

Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in upper Indus basin
 The formation is sandstone predominantly in Khewra Gorge
 In Khisor Range; the upper part of the formation grades upwards into glauconitic sandstone;
 Which marks the upper contact of “Khussak Formation”
 Widely distributed in salt range through out
 Thickness at
 150m at type locality
 200m western salt range
 60m in Khisor Range

Fossils
 Trace fossils of “Trilobites”

Age
 Early Cambrian due to Trace of Trilobites

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Salt Range Formation
 Upper: gradational (conformable) with Khussak Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Deltaic

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 2. Khussak Formation
 Wynne 1878, Obolous beds or Siphonotrata beds
 Waagan and Wynne 1895, Neobolus beds
 Noetling 1894, Khussak Group
 Then SCP formalized the name Khussak Formation

Type Locality
 Khussak Fort, eastren part of salt range

Lithology
 Sandstone: greenish grey, glauconitic micaceous sandstone
 Siltstone; greenish grey, interbedded with light grey dolomite and some
oolitic arenaceous dolomite
 Thin gypsum layer are present at the top having pink colour
 Numerous layers intraformational conglomerate are also present

Thickness/Distribution
 Upper Indus basin, Salt Range with best exposures in the eastern part
 Also distributed in Khisor Range; the lithology througout is the same
 The thickness;
 At type locality is 70m
 Khisor Range is 55m
Fossils
 Brachiopods (Neobolus), Trilobites (Redlichia, Lingulella)

Age
 Early-Middle Cambrian

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Khussak Formation

 Upper: conformable with Jutana Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Marine to Deltaic (Complex)

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3. Jutana Formation
 Fleming 1853, Magnesian Sandstone

 Noetling 1894, Jutana Stage

 SCP, Jutana Formation

Type Locality
 Lies near Jutana village, eastern salt range

Lithology
 Lower part:
 Light green, hard, massive partly sandy dolomite
 Upper part:
 Light green to dirty white, massive dolomite, brecciated at places

Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in eastern salt range and dies out at the western salt range
 Further west at Khisor range it is distributed
 Thickness at type locality 80m and varies at places, whereas thickness at
Khisor range is 50m

Fossils
 Trilobites, Brachiopods, Gastropods

Age
 Middle Cambrian
Contact
 Lower: conformable with Khussak Formation
 Upper: conformable with Baghanwalan
Formation, at eastern salt range but at Khisor
range is conformable with Khisor Formation
(equivalent to the Baghanwalan
Formation)

Environment of Deposition
 Tidal Flats (Peritidal Environment)
 Marine to Lagoonal
-----------------------------------------
4. Baghanwala Formation
 Wynne 1878, Pseudomorph salt crystal zone
 Noetling 1894, Baghanwala Group
 Holland 1926, Salt Pseudomorphs Beds
 Pascoe 1959, Baghanwala Stage
 Then SCP formalized the name Baghanwala Formation
Type Locality/Section
 Baghanwalan village, eastern salt range

Lithology
 Red shale, clay and alternate beds of flaggy sandstone
 Sandstone
 Exhibits several colors including pink grey or blue green, especially in the lower half of the
formation
 Sedimentary structures like, ripple marks, mud cracks are common
 Numerous Pseudomorphic casts of salt crystals is the diagnostic feature of this formation

Thickness/Distribution
 Well developed in eastern salt range and disappears as we move to west, but reappears at
different localities at central salt range
 Thickness in subsurface at Karampur village, near Baghanwalan is 100-116m, at Khewra Gorge
by erosion reduces to 40m

Fossils
 Unfossiliferous, some trace fossils present

Age
 Middle to Late Cambrian; can be correlated with Khisor Formation at Khisor Rnage

Environment of Deposition
 Casts of salt Pseudomorphs represent the lagoonal environment (Arid Condition)

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 Nilawahan Group
 Nilawahan Series, Gee
 Then SCP formalized the Nilawahan Group
 Group contains the following formations
 4. Sardai Formation
 3. Warccha Formation
 2. Dandot Formation
 1. Tobra Formation

1. Tobra Formation
 Talchir Boulder beds and Talchir Stage, Gee (in Pascoe 1959)
 Salt Range Boulder beds, Teichert 1967

Type Locality
 Near Tobra Village in eastern Salt Range

Lithology
 Composed of conglomerate, siltstone, sandstone and shale etc
 The formation has been divided into three facies by Teichert 1967 as;
 A. Tillitic Facies
 B. Fresh Water Facies
 C. Complex Facies (Tillitic + Fresh Water)
A. Tillitic Facies
 Eastern salt range
 unit composed of coglomerate:
 having matrix of clay and siltstone, calcareous at places
 Clast: having boulders, pebbles mainly granite, quartzite, magnetite, garnet, claystone
and siltstone. Few pebbles are polished and scratched
B. Fresh Water Facies
 Central salt range
 Alternation of siltstone and shale
 Fossils like glossopteris and gangmopteris
 Environment is lacustrine, due to less composed of clast etc
C. Complex Facies
 Western salt range
 Divided into three units
 i. Lower Part
 Brownish green, massive unit consisting of unsorted clastic material including clay, silt,
sand and boulders

ii. Middle Part

 Medium to coarse grained, thick bedded, dark to light, olive grey sandstone containing
conglomeritic beds

iii. Upper Part

 Similar to lower one and consists of dark green, grey clay and sandstone with pebbles
and boulders
Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in salt range, having tillitic facies in eastern, fresh water
facies in central and complex facies in western salt range
 At Khisor Range, the lithology is same as western salt range (Zalauch Nala)
 Thickness; maximum recorded at western at Zalauch Nala: 113m, eastern
salt range: 33m and central salt range: 0-25m varies)

Fossils
 Pollen and spores (Plants Fossils)

Age
 Early Permain

Contact
 Lower: disconformable with Baghanwalan Formation at Salt Range, but
disconformable with Khisor Formation in Khisor Range
 Upper: conformable with Dandot Formation (gradational) in eastern salt
range, but in west and Khisor Formation is disconformable with
Warccha Formation

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 2. Dandot Formation
 Wynne 1878, Olive Series, Eurydesna Beds and
Conularia Beds
 Waagen 1879, Speckled Sandstone
 Noetling 1901, Dandot Group

Type Locality
 Dandot Village, eastern Salt Range

Lithology
 At the type locality;
 Light grey, olive grey, yellowish sandstone with occasional
thin pebbly beds
 Subordinate dark grey and greenish splintery shales
Thickness/Distribution
 Well developed and exposed in eastern salt range, thins out west ward
 Not developed in western and Khisor Range
 Maximum thickness at Makrach Valley 50m

Fossils
 Brachiopods, bryozoa, ostracodes

Age
 Early Permian to Middle Permian

Contact
Lower: conformable (gradational) with Tobra Formation
Upper: conformable with Warccha Sandstone

Environment of Deposition
 Deltaic

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 3. Warcha Sandstone
 Noetling 1901, Warcha Group (witch includes the sardai
formation)
 Gee 1945, Speckled Sandstone
 Hussain 1967, Warcha Sandstone proposed by him

Lithology
 Medium to coarse, cross bedded sandstone, conglomeratic at
places, interbeds of shales present
 Sandstone;
 red, purple shows lighter shades of pink
 Sandsotne is arkosic
 Pebble mostly of granite of pink colour and quartzite
 The formation is locally spekeled
 Economic importance; wester salt range contains carbonaceous
shales with impersistent coal seam,the only permian coal in
pakistan

 Quality is poor
Thickness/Distribution
 Widely distributed in salt range and Khisor Range
 Thickness range from 26 to 180m

Fossils
 Root casts

Age
 By law of Superposition, early Permian

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Tobra Formation in Zalauch Nala
 Upper: conformable (transitional) with Sardai Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial (Flood Plain)

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 4. Sardai Formation
 Gee (in Pascoe), Lavender Clays Stage
 Wynne 1878, Lavender Clays
 Noetling 1901, Upper Part of Warcha Group
 Then SCP approves the Sardai Formation as name proposed by Gee

Type Locality/Section
 As suggested by Gee Sardai Gorge in eastern Salt Range

Lithology
 Purplish, reddish, bluish and greenish grey with minor amount of sand and siltstone
 The clay predominantly display lavender colour
 Also contains some carbonaceous shale
 Clay contains some copper minerals like chalcopyrite, minor amount of Jarosite,
chert and gypsum
 The upper part is calcareous

Thickness/Distribution
 The sardai formation changes facies form predominantly Lavender colour clays in
salt range, to black shale and brownish argillaceous limestone in Khirsor Range
 The formation is 50m in Khisor Range, 65m in W. Salt Range, at type locality i.e.,
eastern salt range 42m
Fossils
 Plants remains and fish scales have been
reported
 Limestone beds well developed at Khisor Range
having brachiopods and bryozoans

Age
 Early to Middle Permian

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial dominated Delta (Fluvial to Marine;
transitional environment)
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 Zaluch Group
 Name introduced by Tiechert 1966.

 Zaluch Group derived from Zaluch Nala,

western part of Salt Range.

 Zaluch Group contains the following late

permian formations:
3. Chhidru Formation
2. Wargal Limestone
1. Amb Formation
 1. Amb Formation
 Waagen 1891 called it as “Amb Sandstone
beds”.
 Tiechert 1966 called it as “Amb Formation”.
 The term was formalized by the Stratigraphic
Committee of Pakistan.

Type Locality/Section
 Named derived from the village of “Amb” in
central Salt Range, also designated as type
section for this formation.
Lithology
 Lithology: (sandstone+limestone+shale)
 Sandstone: found in lower portion of formation,
brownish grey, medium grained, calcareous, medium
to thick bedded.
 Limestone: sandy, brownish grey, medium bedded
 Shale: upper portion and is dark grey.

Thickness/Distribution
 In Khisor Range, the lower part of formation contains
dark colour shales with thin bands of limestone,
Hussain 1967, named it as Saiyiduwali member, a
transitional between Sardai-Amb Formations.
 Thickness:
 Saiyiduwali member: 33m
 Over all, at W. Salt Range: 80m
at Khisor Range: 47m
Fossils
 Highly fossiliferous, brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves,
echinoders, etc. Important one Fusilinids
 Sandstone: Fusilinids
 Limestone: Productus
 Shales: Gamopteris, Glossopteris (Plant Fossils).

Age
 Due to index fossils of Fusilinids, age is assigned as Late
Permian.

Contact
 Lower: conformable (Transitional) with Sardai Formation

 Upper: conformable with Wargal Limestone.

Environment of Deposition
 Shelfal (Marine)
 2. Wargal Limestone
 Noetling 1901 called it as a part of “Wargal
Group”.
 Waagen 1876 called it as middle productus.
 Tiecher 1966, proposed the name “Wargal
Limestone” as approved by Stratigraphic
Committee of Pakistan.

Type Locality/Section
 Type locality lies near village “Wargal” central
Salt Range.
 Type section given by Tiecher 1966 as “Zalauch
Nala”, western Salt Range.
Lithology
 Lithology: (limestone+dolomite+sandstone)

 Limestone and dolomite, light-medium grey, brownish

grey and olive grey in colour.
 Limestone at some places sandy, having chert nodules
at upper part.
 Dolomite is brecciatted and massive at places.

 Sandstone is greyish orange, fine grained.

Thickness/Distribution
 In Khisor and Marwat Ranges the lithology is same as
the Salt Range.
 Thickness: Khisor/Marwat Ranges: 174m

Salt Range: 180m

Fossils
 Abundant fossils; bryozoans, brachiopods, bivavles,
gastropods, trilobites and crinoids, conodonts also
pollen and spores.

 Age
 Late Permian

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Amb Formation

 Upper: Transitional with Chhiddru Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine (Shelfal)
 3. Chhidru Formation
 Waagen 1879, “Productus Limestone”
 Waagen 1891, “Chhidru Beds”
 Noetling 1901, “Chhidru Group”
 Dunbar 1933, introduces the name “Chhidru Formation”.

Type Locality
 Chhidru Nala,western Salt Range.

Lithology
 Basal Part contains:
 Shale: Pale yellowish, grey to medium dark grey in colour, contains
phosphatic nodules.
 Overlies with calcareous sandstone with few sandy limestone.
 Upper Part contains:
 White sandstone with oscillation ripple marks, medium to fine grained
with sub-ordinate dark shales.
Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in Salt Range and Khisor Range.
 Thickness at Chhidru Nala is 64m.

Fossils
 Highly fossiliferous, brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves and
Ammonoids etc.

Age
 Late Permian

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Wargal Limestone
 Upper: Unconformable, Paraconformity, marking the P-T
boundary with Mianwali Formation.

Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine
 Musakhel Group
 Shah 1980 introduces the term.
 Type locality, Nammal Nala (lat. 320 40’ 00’’ N
and long. 710 48’ 00’’ E) 4km east of Musakhel.
 Group contains the following Triassic
Formations:
3. Kingriali Formation
2. Tredian Formation
1. Mianwali Formation
----------------
 1. Mianwali Formation
 Waagen 1879, 1895; “Ceratite beds”
 Gee (in Pascoe 1959) “Mianwali series”
 The Kummel 1966, “Mianwali Formation”

Type Locality/Section
 Nammal Gorge at lat. 320 40’ 00’’ N and long. 710 48’
00’’ E, western Salt Range,
 Tapan Wahan near Paniala in the Khisor Range, D.I.
Khan district is designated as the principle reference
section.

Lithology
 Includs the following members;
 A. Kathwai Member
 B. Mittiwali Member
 C. Narmia Member
A. Kathwai Member
 Lower Part: dolomite, the dolomite is finely crystalline and
includes fossil fragements (mainly of ammonoids and
echinoderms) and quartz grains
 Upper part: limestone, grey to brown and glauconitic.
 Thickness of member is 124.7m in Type Section.

B. Mittiwali Member
 Lower part: Limestone, The limestone is grey, fine grained
and nonglauconitic with abundant ammonoids
 Upper Part: shale, greenish to greenish grey with some
sandstone+limestone. Having fossils.
 Thickness of member is 98m in type section.

C. Narmia Member
 Lower part: Limestone, dark grey to brown
 Upper part: shale, grey to black with sandstone+limestone
inter beds. The top most bed is dolomite.
 Thickness of member is 23m in type section.
Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in Khisor and Salt Ranges. It is thick at the west and thins
out at the east of the Salt Range.
 It is exposed in Zalauch Nala in Salt Range and Tapan Wahan in Khisor
Range.
 Thicness at Zalauch Nala: 121m and Tapan Wahan Section: 135-187m.

Fossils
 Ammonoids, brachiopods, conodonts, fish teeth etc.

Age
 Early Triassic

Contact
 Lower: unconformable, Paraconfomity marking the P-T boundary with
Chhidru Formation
 Upper: conformable with Tredian Formation.

Environment of Deposition
 Marine (Open-Deltaic)
 2. Tredian Formation
 Gee 1945, “Kingriali Sandstone”
 Gee (in Kummel 1966) called “Tredian
Formation”

Type Locality/Section
 Zalauch Nala, W. Salt Range.

Lithology
 Fatmi 1977, divides the formation into two
members
A. Landa Member
B. Khatkiara Member
A. Landa Member
 Lithology: (Sandstone+Shale)
 Sandstone: micaceous, varies in colour from pinkish to
reddish grey to greenish grey, thick bedded having
ripple marks & Slump structures.
 Thickness at Zalauch Nala: 19m and Tapan Wahan
Section 29m.

B. Khatkiara Member
 Sandstone, massive, thick bedded, white sandstone.
 Thickness at Zalauch Nala: 38m and Tapan Wahan
Section: 59m.

Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in Salt Range and Khisor Range.
 Thickness at Zalauch Nala: 76m
Fossils
 Palynomorphs (Pollen and Spores).

Age
 Middle Triassic

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Mianwali Formation

 Upper: Kingriali Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial (Non-Marine).
 3. Kingriali Formation
 Gee 1945, Kingriali dolomite.
 Later on Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan approves it to be
Kingriali Formation.

Type Locality/Section
 After Kingriali peak in Khisor Range.

 Good Section, that is reference section, are Zalauch Nala, W.

Salt Range
Landa Nala, Surghar Range
Tapan Wahan, Khisor Range

Lithology
 Anwar et al 1992, divided the formation into two members
 A. Doya Member
 B. Vanjari Member
A. Doya Member
 After village Doya (lat. 320 27’ 16’’ N & long. 710 09’
59’’ E).

Lithology
 Sandstone: Light grey to greenish white, pinkish, on
weathering brownish grey, fine to medium grained,
thick bedded, soft, micaceous, dolomitic friable and
cross bedded.
 Dolomite: brownish grey to brown, coarse grained,
hard, sandy, jointed and fractured.
 Limesotne: grey to brownish grey, medium bedded,
dolomitic, sandy and hard.
 Shale: black, carbonaceous and micaceous.
 Thickness at Trakai Nala: 34m, Narmia Nala: 30m and
Landa Nala: 40m.
B. Vanjari Member
 After village Vanjari, Surghar Range.

Lithology
 Mainly dolomite

 Lower Part: brown, purple to purplish grey,

coarse grainedm massive, hard, highly
brecciated, jointed, fractured.
 Upper Part: whitish to light grey, micritic, thin
bedded, medium hard, fractured and marly.
 Thickness at Trakai Nala: 58m, Narmia Nala:
78m and Landa Nala: 64m.
 Thickness/Distribution
 Formation widely distributed in Salt Range,
Trans Indus Ranges, Part of Kala Chitta, Kohat
and SE Hazara.

 Thickness at Trakai Nala: 92m, Narmia Nala:

108m and Landa Nala: 104m.

Fossils
 Doya Member: Spirifera, Crinoids, echinoids,
gastropods and other benthic fossils.
 Vanjari Member: Poorly preserved but
brachiopods, bivalves are reported.
Age
 Doutfully Late Triassic

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Tredian Formation in
Salt Ranges, Trans Indus Ranges.
& with Chak Jabbi Limestone in
Kala Chitta Ranges.
 Upper: Disconformable with Datta Formation.

Environment of Deposition
 Tidal Flats
 Broach/Surghar Group
 The Surghar Group was proposed by Shah in
1980.
 Formation includes in this group from Jurassic to Middle
Cretaceous by Shah (1980).
 In 1986 Fatmi et al., divided the Surghar Group in
two Group.
 The Lower Group Called as Broach Group of Jurassic
age and Upper Group retained the same name as
Surghar Group for Cretaceous age.
6. Kawagrh Formation
Surghar
5. Lumshiwal Formation
Group
Surghar 4. Chichali Formation
Group by 3. Samana Suk Formation
2. Shinawari Formation Broach
Shah 1980 Group
1. Datta Formation
 Most of the Formations have type section in Surghar
Range.
 1. Datta Formation

 Name Introduced by Danilchik and Shah 1961 & 1967

 Gee 1945 named it as “Varigated Stage”

Type Locality/Section
 Type section is located in Datta Nala (lat. 330 00’ 00’’N &

long. 710 19’ 00’’ E) in Surghar Range.

Lithology
 Lithology contains sandstone, siltstone & shales.

 Lithologies give varigated colours of red, maroon, grey, green

and white.
 Formation also contains the economic minerals like silica sand,
fire clay, sulphur, coal etc.
Thickness & Distribution
 The formation is well developed in Trans-Indus
Ranges (Khisor, Surghar, Shinghar) and Salt
Range.
 It is also reported from the Samana Range &
Kala Chitta Range.
 Thickness at type locality 212m and increases
at Pannu Nala to west.
 In SW of Khisor Range it is 150m.

 In Salt Range 150m in Nammal Nala and

decreses further east.
 In Kala Chitta it is upto 10m.

 In Samana Range it is 272m.

Fossils
 No diagnostic fossils reported, some carbonaceous
remains are there.

Age
 By Law of super position, Early-Jurassic

Contact
 The lower contact is unconformable with Kingriali
Formation.
 The upper contact is conformable (gradational)
with the Shinawari Formation at Surghar Range,
but unconformable with samana suk in Salt Range.
Environment of Deposition
 Deltaic

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2. Shinawari Formation
 Not exposed in the Salt Range.

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 3. Samana Suk Formation
 Davis 1930 introduces the name “Samana Suk”
in Samana Range.
 Gee 1945 named as “Broach limestone” in Salt
Range and Trans-Indus Range.
 Cotter 1933 named it “Upper part of Kioto
Limestone” in Kala Chitta Range
 Middlemiss 1896 named it as “Kioto
Limestone”, Calkins & Matin 1968 called it as
“Daulatmar Limestone” and Latif 1970 called as
“Sikhar Limestone” in SE Hazara.
Type Locality/Section
 Name derived from a mountain peak “Samana Suk”
(lat. 330 33’ 50’’ N & long. 700 50’ 13’’ E) in Samana
Range.
 Fatmi 1968 designated a type section northeast of
Shinawari (lat. 330 31’ 13’’ N & long. 700 48’ 06’’ E) in
the western part of the Samana Range.

Lithology
 The lithology contains (limestone+marl+shale).

 At type locality limestone: grey to dark grey,

medium to thick bedded with subordinate marl and
interclation of calcareous shale, limestone is
oolitic.
 In Salt Range & Trans Indus Range the limestone is
lighter in colour, medium to thin bedded and is marly
and shaly in the lower part.
 In Hazara, Kala Chitta and eastern Kohat it is thin to
thick bedded and includes some dolomitic and
ferruginous, sandy, oolitic beds.

Thickness/Distribution
 The Formation is well distributed in Salt Range, Trans
Indus Ranges, Kala Chitta Range, Kohat and Hazara
area.
 Thickness at type locality 186m, Kohat and Hazara
area, Kala Chitta Ranges the thickness varies from
170-366m, at Surghar Range it is 66m.
Fossils
 brachiopods, gastropods, ammonoids and crinoids and foot
prints of dinosaurs.

Age
 Middle Jurassic.

Contact
 Lower contact: conformable with Shinawari Formation
(Transitional) at Surghar Range, Hazara, Kohat and Kala Chitta
Range but disconformable with Datta Formation at Salt Range.
 Upper Contact: coformable with Chichali Formation at Surghar
Range, and disconformable with Hangu Formation at Salt
Range.

Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine
4. Chichali Formation
Not exposed in Salt
5. Lumshiwal Formation Range/ Exposed in
6. Kawagrh Formation Trans Indus Ranges

------------------------------------------------------------
Makarwal Group
 Shah 1980, who named and described this group.

 Type locality is suggested at Makarwal (lat. 320 51’

00’’N & long. 710 09’ 00’’E).
 Makarwal group well developed all over the Kohat-
Potwar province with gradational pinching of lower
part of the group in eastern Salt Range.
 Makarwal Group consists of the following formation
 3. Patala Formation
 2. Lockhart Limestone
 1. Hangu Formation
 1. Hangu Formation
 The “Hangu Shale” and “Hangu Sandstone” of
Davies in 1930.
 “Dhak pass beds” of Davies and Pinfold in
1937.
 The “Langrial iron ore horizons” of Khan and
Ahmad in 1966.
 The “Dhak Pass Formation” of Danilchik and
Shah in 1967.
 “Mari Limestone” of Latif in 1970 .
 The name has been formalized by the
Stratigraphy Committee of Pakistan in 1973 as
Hangu Formation.
Type Locality
 A section south of the Lockhart Fort (Lat. 330 33’ 40’’ N & long.
710 03’ 00’’E) &
 Dhak Pass located on Lat. 320 40’ 00’’N and Long. 710 44’ 00’’ E
has been designated as principal reference for this Formation.

Lithology
 Lithology contains (sandstone+shale+limestone)

 At type locality

 dominantly of sandstone
 which is silty,rich in ferruginous material in the lower part.
 highly fossiliferous shale and calcareous sandstone in the upper part.
 The sandstone is light grey, reddish brown, weathering to dark rusty
brown, fine to coarse grained (few beds are conglomeratic), medium to
thick bedded with some massive horizons which are current bedded.
 At principal reference section
 comprised variegated sandstone, carbonaceous shale and some
limestone.
 In the Salt Range
 sandstone, dark grey, a ferruginous pisolitic sandstone bed
occurs at its base
 sandy carbonaceous shale with intercalation of nodular,
argillaceous limestone.
 In the Surghar Range
 Sandstone in the lower part & argillaceous limestone of dark
grey colour in the upper part.
 The sandstone is light yellowish grey, very fine grained,
thick bedded, and has dark grey to black, laminated, silty
and carbonaceous shale in the lower part which develop into
coal seams at places.
 In western Kala Chitta and Hazara area
 The formation is mainly represented by ferruginous
sandstone, siltstone and shale, which are oolitic and pisolitic.
Thickness/Distribution
 The formation is widely distributed in Salt
Range, Trans Indus Ranges, Kohat, Kala Chitta
and Hazara areas.
 It is 90m thick in the type section.
 It is 45m in the reference section.

 It is 30m in the Surghar Range.

 In the Samana Range, the thickness is 50m.

 Western Kala Chitta, the formation is less than 15m

thick.
 In southern Hazara is recorded to be 35m near
Mandeha Banni, 1.5 miles of Mari Rest House.
Fossils
 Forams, corals, gastropods, bivalves.

Age
 Early Palaeocene.

Contact
 Lower contact: disconformable with
 Samana Suk Formation at W. Salt Range.
 Cambrian Group at E. Salt Range.
 Kawagarh Formation at Kohat, Kala Chitta and SE Hazara
areas.
 Upper contact: conformable with Lockhart Formation
 3. Lockhart Limestone
 Middlemiss in 1896, “Nummulitic Series”
 Wynne in 1873 and Cotter in 1933, The lower part of
“Hill Limestone”
 Gee in 1933, the “Khairabad Limestone”
 Eames in 1952, “Tarkhobi Limestone”
 Latif in 1970, used the term “Mari Limestone” for the
Lockhart Limestone in SE Hazara.
 Davies 1930, introduces the term “Lockhart
Limestone” in Kohat area and Stratigraphic Committee
of Pakistan in 1977 apply the term to elsewhere.

Type Locality
 A section exposed near Fort Lockhart (Lat. 33° 26´ N:
Long. 70° 30´ E) in the Samana Range has been
designated as the type locality.
Lithology
 Lithology contains (limestone+shale/marl)
 At type section
 limestone:
 grey to medium grey
 medium to thick bedded
 lower part being dark grey to bluish grey, flaggy and splintery
 Elsewhere in Kohat area, the limestone gets rubbly and brecciated with the
overall lithology remaining the same
 In the Salt and Surghar Ranges
 Limestone:
 is grey and light grey, weathering light brown to yellow
 medium grained
 medium bedded and nodular with nodules of four to eight inches in diameter
 Some grey marl and dark bluish grey shale is also present as minor
intercalations especially in the lower part
 In Hazara and Kala Chitta
 limestone:
 dark grey to even black
 medium grained
 thick to medium bedded and nodular
 with interclations of dark grey marl and shale
Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed throughout the Kohat-Potwar Porvince (Upper Indus Basin).
 Type locality: 60m
 Darsamand (Kohat): 36m
 Thal (Kohat): 40m
 Nammal Gorge: 70m
 Kala Chitta Range: 260m
 Hazara Area: 90-242m
Fossils
 Forams, corals, mollusks, echinoids, algaes etc.

Age
 Middle Palaeocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Hangu Formation
 Upper: conformable with Patala Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine
 3. Patala Formation
 Waagen and Wynne in 1872, Nummulitic Formation
 Wynne in 1873 and Cotter in 1933,
Hill-Limestone
 Middlemiss in 1896, Nummulitic Series
 Davies and Pinfold 1937, Patala Shales
 Eames in 1952, Tarkhobi Shales
 Latif in 1970, Kuzagali Shale
 The term was formalized by the Stratigraphy
Committee of Pakistan in 1977.

Type Locality/Section
 Patala Nala (Lat. 320 40’ N: Long. 710 49’ E) in the
western Salt range, Mianwali district, Punjab province.
Lithology
 Salt Range
 Shale: dark greenish grey, at places carbonaceous and
calcareous.
 Limestone: white to light grey, nodular occurs as inerbeds
with shale at lower part.
 Sandstone: interbeds of yellowish brown, calcareous
sandstone present at upper part.
 Kohat Area
 Shale of dark grey, at places carbonaceous and includes
light grey argillaceous limestone.
 Hazara Area
 Shale of green and brown to buff colour with interbeds of
nodular limestone.
 Kala Chitta
 Light brown grey marl with thin interbeds of limestone.
Thickness/Distribution
 Upper Indus Basin, Hazara, Kala Chitta.
 Khewra: 27m, Patala Nala: 90m, Surghar Range: 30-75m
 Kohat area: 30-180m, Hazara: 182m, Kala Chitta: 20m

Fossils
 Abundant forams, mollusks, ostracodes, bivalves.

Age
 Late-Palaeocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Lockhart Formation
 Upper: conformable with Nammal Formation (Salt Range/TISR)
Margalla Hill Limestone (Kala Chitta/SE Hazara)
Bahadurkhel Salt/Panoba Shale (Kohat)

Environment of Deposition
 Shelfal (Marine)
 Cherat Group(Chharat Group)
 Pinfold 1918, cherat series
 Then Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan formalized it as
“Cherat Group”
 Type locality after Cherat village, Attock District, Punjab
 Group Consists of Eocene Formations of
 Salt Range/Trans Indus Ranges
 Chorgali Formation
 Sakessar Limestone
 Nammal Formation
 Kohat Area
 Kohat Formation
 Kuldana Formation
 Jatta Gypsum/Sheikhan Limestone
 Bahadurkhel Salt/Panoba Shale
 Kala Chitta, Hazara, Eastern Kohat
 Kohat Formation
 Chorgali Formation
 Margalla Hill Limestone
 1. Nammal Formation
 Gee (in Femor 1935) “Nammal Limestone and Shale”
 Danilchik and Shah (1967) “Nammal Marl”

Type Locality/Section
 Nammal Gorge (lat. 320 40’ N & 710 07’ E)

Lithology
 (Shale+Marl+Limestone)
 Salt Range
 Alternating sequence of shale/marl & limestone
 Shale: grey to bluish grey.
 Limestone: Argillaceous at places.
 Surghar Range
 The Lower part of formation is bluish grey marl with
subordinate interbedded calcareous shale and minor
limestone.
Thickness/Distribution
 Distributed in Salt Range and Trans Indus Ranges
 Salt Range
 Nammal Gorge: 100m
 Khewra-Choa Saidan Shah Road: 40m
 Surghar Range
 Chichali Pass: 130m
 Broach Nala: 35m

Fossils
 Abundant forams, mollusks

Age
 Early Eocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Patala Formation
 Upper: conformable with Sakessar Limestone

Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine
 2. Sakessar Limestone
 Term introduces by Gee (in Femor 1935)

Type Locality
 Sakessar Peak (lat 320 31’ N and long. 710 56’ E) in
Salt Range.

Lithology
 (limestone+Marl; through out its extent)
 Dominantly limestone with marl of cream light grey,
nodular, massive and having chert nodules in upper
part.
 Salt Range
 In Salt Range (Western) at Daud Khel limestone grades into
white grey massive gypsum.
 Surghar Range
 Chert lenses increase in No.
Thickness/Distribution
 Salt Range/Surghar Range
 Salt Range: 70-150m
 Surghar Range: 220m

Fossils
 Echinoids, mollusks, forams

Age
 Early Eocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Nammal Formation

 Upper: conformable with Chorgali Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine
 3. Chorgali Formation
 Term used by Pascoe 1920, Chorgali beds
 Formalized by Stratigraphic Committee of
Pakistan
 Pinfold 1918, in Attock area, Passage beds
 Gee and Evans (in Davies and Pinfold 1937),
Badhrar beds
 Latif 1970, Lora Formation in Hazara area

Type Locality/Section
 Chorgali Pass (lat. 330 26’ 30’’ N and long. 720
41’ E)
 Khair-e-Murat Range has been a type section
Lithology
 Salt Range
 Divided into two units
 Lower: shale; greenish grey/buff and calcareous limestone; light grey
and argillaceous
 Upper: limestone; white & cream, well bedded
 Hazara
 Limestone+marl
 Thinly bedded, light pale grey, on weather surface yellow to cream
 Kala Chitta
 limestone+marl
 Thin-medium bedded, grey limestone with subordinate marl
 Limestone slightly nodular and contains chert
 Khair-e-Murat Range
 Divided into two units
 Lower: dolomitic limestone; white to light grey and yellowish grey,
medium bedded. Shale; grey to greenish grey, calcareous and interbeds
in upper unit.
 Upper: shale; greenish grey and red occasionally varigated and
calcareous with one thick bed of limestone; that is nodular and
argillaceous
Thickness/Distribution
 Salt Range, TISR, Khair-e-Murat Range and Hazara.
 Chorgali pass: 150m, Tarki (Salt Range): 30m
 Bahadurkhel: 15m and SE Hazara: 45m

Fossils
 Forams, mollusks, ostracodes

Age
 Early-Middle Eocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Sakessar Limestone
 Upper: unconformable with Rawalpindi Group (Salt Range)
conformable with Kuldana Formation (SE Hazara, Kala
Chitta and elsewhere)
Environment of Deposition
 Shallow Marine
 Rawalpindi Group
 Term was introduced by Pinfold 1964,
approved by Stratigraphic Committee of
Pakistan
 Group was named after Rawalpindi District
 Group contains the following miocene
formations;
 Kamlial Formation
 Murree Formation
 1. Muree Formation
 Mari Group, Wynne 1874
 Muree beds, Lydekker 1876
 Muree series, Pilgrim 1910
 Then Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan approved the name Muree
Formation.

Type Locality/Section
 Derived from the Murree Hills, in the Rawalpindi District.
 North of Dhok Maiki (lat. 330 25’ N and long. 720 35’ E) in Cambellpur
District is a type section.

Lithology
 Clay and sandstone with subordinate intraformational conglomerates.
 Clay is Red, purple and sandstone is grey and greenish grey in colour.

Thickness/Distribution
 Widely distributed in Upper Indus basin, Hazara and Kashmir area.
 3030m in Potwar basin
 Thins out to western kohat upto 9m
 180-600m in Salt Range
Fossils
 Poorly Fossiliferous, few plant remains, fish remain
frog and mamal bones

Age
 Early Miocene

Contact
 Lower: unconformable with Chorgali Formation

 Upper: conformable with Kamlial

Environment of Deposition
 River Deposits (Alluvial Plain)
 Due to colour, fossils
 2. Kamlial Formation
 Kamlial Stage, Pascoe 1963
 Kamlial beds, Pinfold 1918
 Stratigraphic committee of Pakistan formalized the name
“Kamlial Formation”

Type Locality/Section
 SW of Kamlial (lat. 330 15’ N and long. 720 50’ E), Cambellpur
District as type section.

Lithology
 Sandstone with interclation of shale and intraformational
conglomerates.
 Sandstone; is puple grey, brick red, medium to coarse grained
 Shale; is purple and hard
 Colour of conglomerates yellow, purple
 Formation is distinguished from Muree Formation by Spheroidal
weathering
Thickness/Distribution
 Widely distributed in Upper Indus basins, Hazara,
Kashmir.
 90m at Kamlial (type section)
 580m at Kaur
 650m at Soan Gorge

Fossils
 Plant remains, frog, mamals, fishes having species
difference from Muree Formation

Age
 Middle to late Miocene

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial
 Siwalik Group
 Term first used by Meddlicot 1868 for the upper part
of “Sub Himalayan System” of Siwalik and Simla Hills
of India
 Siwalik Series and Siwalik System of Oldham 1893 and
Holland et al 1913
 Pilgrim 1913 divided the Siwalik Systme into faunal
zones
 1. Lower Siwaliks; Kamlial, Chingji
 2. Middle Siwaliks; Nagri, Dhokh Pattan
 3. Upper Siwaliks; Tatrot, Pinjor and Boulder Congl.
 Danilchik and Shah (1967) established the Siwalik
group for the following formation:
 4. Soan Formation
 3. Dhokh Pattan Formation
 2. Nagri Formation
 1. Chingji Formation
 1. Chingji Formation
 Chingji Formation by Lewis 1937, accept by SCP

Type Locality/Section
 South of Chingji village (lat. 320 41’ N and long. 720 22’ E) in Cambellpur
District.

Lithology
 Clay with interclation of sandstone and intraformational conglomerate.
 Clay red in colour, sandstone; ash grey, brownish grey, fine to medium grained
occationaly gritty, cross bedded and soft.
 sandstone+clay interclation vary at places

Thickness/Distribution
 Widely distributed in Upper Indus and Lower Indus Basins
 Type section 750m
 Shinghar range 1800m

Fossils
 Abundant vertebrate fossils, crocodile, lizards, turtles aquatic birds

Age
 Early Pliocene
Contact
 Lower: conformable with Kamlial Formation

 upper: conformable with Nagri Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial with pond condition, due to crocodile(Swamps)

-----------------------------------------------
2. Nagri Formation
 Nagri Stage, Pilgrim 1913, 1926

 Nagri Formation, Lewis 1937, accept by SCP

Type Locality/Section
 Village Nagri (lat. 320 45’ N and long. 720 14’ E) at Cambellpur
district (Upper Indus basin)

 Gaj River (lat. 260 51’ N and long. 670 17’ E) in Lower Indus
basin
Lithology
 Sandstone+clay and conglomerate
 Upper Indus Basin
 Sandstone; greenish grey, medium to coarse grained, cross
bedded and massive
 Clay; is sandy/silty, choclate brown or redish grey and pale
orange.
 Conglomerate: varies in thickness, composed igneous
pebbles and eocene limestone in the Upper Indus basin.
 Lower Indus Basin(Suleman-Kirthar)
 Clay has nodules and sandstone is soft.

Thickness/Distribution
 Widely distributed in Upper Indus basin and lower
indus basin
 Thickness ranges from 300 to 2000m at places
 1100m Sibi area (Suleman)
 940m Gaj River (Kirthar)
Fossils
 Rich in Vertebrate assemblages, crocodile,
chelorians, rhinoceras
Age
 Early to Middle Pliocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Chingji Formation

 Upper: conformable with Dhokh Pattan

Formation

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial
 3. Dhokh Pattan Formation
 Term introduce by Pilgrim 1913
 Dhokh Pattan Foramtion, by Cotter 1913 and accepted as such by SCP

Type Locality/Section
 Village Dhokh Pattan (lat 330 07’ N and 720 14’ E) Cambellpur basin of
Upper Indus basin
 Spintangi (lat. 290 57’ N and long. 680 03’ E) Quetta district

Lithology
 Sandstone+Clay
 Sandstone: commonly grey to light grey, thick bedded, calcareous, cross bedded
 Clay: orange, brown to dull red, calcareous and sandy.
 Ocassionaly conglomeratic in form of lense and layers

Thickness/Distribution
 Upper/Lower Indus basin
 Max. thickness at Khair-e-Murat Range 1820m
 Eastern Suleman Range 1330-1500m
 Gaj River 1500m
Fossils
 Abundant vertebrate fauna in upper indus basin
less fossilierous in lower indus basin

Age
 Middle Pliocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Nagri Formation

 Upper: conformable wih Soan Formation

Environment of Deposition
Fluvial
 4. Soan Formation
 Upper Siwaliks, Meddicott (1864)
 Pilgrim 1913 divide it into two zone “Tatrot and Pinjor”
 SCP called it as Soan Formation

Type Locality
 Along road Gali Jagir to Sihal near Mujahad Village, North of the Soan River
(lat. 320 22’ N and long. 720 47’ E) Cambellpur district

Lithology
 Thick massive conglomerate with interclation of sandstone, clay and
siltstone.
 Upper Indus Basin
 Conglomerate: different sizes of pebbles, mainly these composed of Margalla Hill
Limestone various igneous rock are reported
 Clay/Sandstone: are interclated, clay is orange to brown to pinkish and
sandstone is greenish grey, coarse grained and soft
 Lower Indus Basin
 Conglomerate is composed of ill sorted, well rounded to subangular boulder and
pebble.
 Clay and sand are the matrix
 Thickness/Distribution
 Indus Basin
 120-450m Kohat-Potwar
 300-1500m Suleman Province
 300m Kirthar Province

Fossils
 Poorly fossiliferous

Age
 Late Pliocene

Contact
 lower: conformable with Dhokh Pattan
 Uppwer: unconformable with Lei Conglomerate

Environment of Deposition
 Fluvial
 Lei Conglomerate
 Lei Conglomerate, term used by Gill 1952, for post Siwalik conglomerates of
Soan area
 Earlier, Kalabagh bed by Waagen 1891
 Boulder Conglomerate by Pilgrim 1910
 Dada Conglomerate by Hunting Survey Corporation 1961 of LIB and Quetta
 Kalabagh Conglomerates by Gee 1946
 Kalabagh Hill Conglomerate of UIB, Danilchik and Shah 1967

Type locality/Section
 Gill 1952 designated the Lei River section, SE of Rawalpindi as type section
(UIB).
 Cheema et al. 1977, proposed Dada River section, south of Spintangi
Railway Station as principal reference section (LIB).

Lithology
 Regarded as valley fill deposited by various fluvial, lacustrine and outwash
of Peidmont.
 Mainly composed of conglomerates with minor coarse and cross bedded
sandstone.
 In Soan Valley (Kohat-Potwar)
 Conglomerate with interclation with beds of soft sandstone+Siltstone of pale brown colour.
 Conglomerate consists of poorly sorted pebble and boulders mostly Eocene rocks, with small
proportion of igneous rocks.
 Lower Indus Basin
 Conglomerate composed of poorly sorted pebbles, cobbles and boulders with calcareous
sandy matrix.
 Most boulders are limestone, marl, sandstone derived from tertiary and older rocks.
 Conglomerate with interclation of sandstone having green grey, brown colour with cross
bedded usually forms steep walls and cliffs.

Thickness/Distribution
 150-900m Kohat-Potwar
 150m Kalabagh area
 150-900m in Lower Indus basin

Fossils
 No such fossils, few vertebrates

Age
 Pleistocene by Hunting Survey corporation

Contact
 Lower: undonformable with Soan Formation in most localities.
 Upper: …
 World Wide Unconformities at Pakistan

 P-T Boundary (Permo-Triassic Boundary)

 K-T Boundary (Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary)

P-T Boundary
 Between Palaeozoic/Mesozoic Era
 Disappearance of almost 90% Marine Life.
 There is a conformable contact of rocks of Permain (Chhidru Formation) and Triassic
(Mianwali Formation) age but significant break of fauna across the contact.
 Kummel and Tiechert (1966) reffered the boundary as “Paraconformity”

K-T Boundary
 Between Mesozoic/Cenozoic Era
 Disappearance of almost 50% of Earth’s Life.
 In Pakistan the boundary is in between
 Upper Indus Basin
 Hangu Formation (Palaeocene; Tertiary)
 Kawagarh Formation (Cretaceous)

 Lower Indus Basin

 Ranikot Group (Palaeocene; Tertiary)
 Moro Group (Cretaceous)
Causes of Mass Extinction (K-T)
 Scientists all over the world come up with three
theories
 1. Meteoritic Impact
 2. Volcanic Activity

 3. Change in Earth Magnetism

--------------------------------------------------------