Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad

FIELD REPORT.
Submitted by
Abdul Basit
Bs Geophysics.
6th Semester.

Department Of Earth Sciences.

Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

KHEWRA GORGE.
The Salt Range contains the most important geologic and paleontologic localities in Pakistan,
and is one of the outstanding field areas in the entire world. Despite its easy accessibility, it has a
wealth of geological and paleontological features. In fact, it represents an open book of geology
where various richly fossiliferous stratified rocks are very well exposed due to lack of vegetation.
These include the Permian carbonate succession with its outstanding brachiopod fauna, Lower
Triassic ammonoid beds (the Mianwali Formation, formerly known as "Ceratite Beds"), and
Lower Tertiary marine strata with age diagnostic foraminifera. These rocks also provide an
excellent opportunity for appreciation of tectonics in the field. In addition to the easily available
roadside geology, some prominent gorges provide fantastic locations to study the sedimentary
succession.

Older strata are exposed in the eastern Salt Range between the Khewra-Choa Saidan Shah and
Fort Kussak including the famous Khewra Gorge. In the west, beyond Kallar Kahar, are younger
strata such as in the Nilawahan Gorge at Nurpur, the Nammal Gorge near Mianwali, the Chichali
Gorge near Kalabagh, and further west the Lumshiwal Nala at Makerwal. This succession has been
rightly called a Field Museum of Geology and Paleontology and can be classified as one of the
great paleontological areas of the world, fully worthy of conservation and protection efforts.

Salt range has two regions:

i- Trans Indus ranges

ii- Salt range

This distribution is based on geographical and geological division i.e. Indus river and
kalabagh, respectively. Salt range forms the southern border of hydrocarbons bearing potowar
basin in northern Pakistan and strata dips northwards in Potowar basin where siwaliks are exposed
with a wealth vertebrate fossils. The salt range is essentially East-West trending elongated narrow
trough bounded by river Jehlum form east and river Indus from west. It takes sharp turn and runs
North-South direction beyond the river Indus.

Geographic location:

The Salt range is a hill system in Punjab province of Pakistan, deriving its name from its
extensive deposits of rock salt. Its coordinates are 32degrees North and 72 degrees East, having
elevation 277m above sea level.

Stratigraphy and Geology:

The salt range formation (formation is a mapable unit) is the oldest sedimentary structure of
Pakistan of Pre-Cambrian age. It is deposited in restricted (evaporation of water is higher than
inflex) lagoonal environment. It has three major lithological units:

1- Billianwala Salt Member (Oldest)

2- Bandarkas Gypsum Member
3- Sahwal Marl Member (Youngest)

Lithology in salt range formation includes Gypsum, Halite, Dolomite, Marls (impure limestone
i.e. 50% limestone (CaCO3) and 50% caly) and carbonaceous shells.

We know that there are two type of sedimentary rocks:

a- Clastic sedimentary rocks (Marl, Shale and sandstone)

b- Non-clastic sedimentary rocks (Halite, Gypsum, Limestone, Dolomite )

Lower contact of salt range formation is unconformable with Indian shield rocks while upper
contact is conformable with khewra sandstone. Billianwala salt member:
It is the oldest member of salt range formation and contains ferruginous marland thick seams of
rock salt.

Bandarkas gypsum member:

The bandarkas gypsum member contain marl and huge amount of crystalline and non-crystalline
gypsum.
Sahwal marl member:
It is the youngest member of salt range formation and it has two main types of marl:
i- Dull marl
ii- Bright marl
Dull marl contain more than 50% CaCO3 i.e. limestone while bright marl contain more than 50%
clay.
Salt range formation is conformably overlain by Jehlum group of Cambrian age.

Jehlum group comprises of:

a- Khewra sandstone (oldest)
b- Kussak formation
c- Jutana dolomite
d- Baghanwala formation
e- Khisor formation (youngest)

Khewra sandstone:
Khewra sandstone is of early Cambrian age. It is composed of sandstone and clay and is deposited
in deltatic environment. conformable with salt range formation and lower contact is
unconformable with Kussak formation.

Kussak Formation:
Second member of Jehlum group, having conglomerates, sandstone, glauconitic sandstone and
shales. Lower contact is unconformable with khewra sandstone and upper contact is conformable
with Jutana dolomite.
Jutana dolomite:
Jutana dolomite is of middle Cambrian age. The name jutana dolomite is used instead of jutana
formation because there is more than 90% dolomite. Dolomite is a non-clastic sedimentary rock.

Lower contact of Jutana dolomite is conformable with Kussak formation and upper contact is
conformable with Baghanwala formation.
Chinji formation:
Age of chinji formation is Oligocene having lithology of sandstone and calys. Lower contact is
unconformable with kamlial formation.

Sedimentary Structures/ Features.

Salt and pepper structure.
Ball and pillow structure.
Ripple marks.
Mud cracks.
Cross Bedding.

Cross Bedding.

Ripple marks
Identification of thrust fault in field.
Thrust fault is the one in which hanging wall moves upward with respect to foot wall at an angle
of less than 45 degrees. Following features are useful in identification of a thrust fault:
i- Repetition of strata
ii- Discontinuity of strata
Anticline and syncline:
Anticline is convex upward structure while syncline is convex downward structure. Strata at center
of anticline is older while at the center of syncline strata is younger.