Sequence Stratigraphy of Salt Range

Field Report By

Hasbun Ullah
Roll No 02
Batch VI
Semester 7 th

Field Report Submitted to Sir Muhammad Rizwan

Department of Geology, University of Swabi

Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Table of Content
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Introduction

Division of Salt Range

Importance

Field Work Purpose

Day 1st Date:17-02-2022,Thursday

Day 2nd Date:18-02-2022, Friday

Day 3rd Date: 19-02-2022, Saturday

Conclusion

Introduction to Salt Range

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Salt range is the name given to the hill system situated in the northern Punjab province of
Pakistan, in Jehlum, Chakwal, khushab and Mianwali districts. The Salt range confined between
latitude 32°18’N to 33° 06’N and longitude 71°50’E to 73° E.

Fig 1.1 Location Map

The name salt range was first time used by Elpinston, in 1808, due the fact that area
contains huge reserve of table salt. The salt deposits of the area were deposited as a result of
evaporation of Tethys Ocean. The salt range is one of the most important regions in Pakistan, It is
easily accessible and display wide range of geological features and paleontological remains. A
stratigraphic succession from Precambrian to recent is exposed at Salt Range. It has therefore rightly
called “Field museum of Geology”.

Division of Salt Range

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Salt Range is exposed on Earth due to Salt Range Thrust (SRT). In north, Salt Range is
bounded by Main boundary Thrust (MBT), in south by SRT, in west by Indus River and in the
east, it is bounded by Jehlum fault.

Salt Range is divided into three parts:

Eastern Salt Range

Central Salt Range
Western Salt range
Fig 1.2 General Geology and division of Salt Range

Importance
The Salt Range contains the most important geologic and paleontological 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.
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Field Work Purpose

Five day fieldwork was carried out from 17th to 20th Feburary,2022 to Salt Range. We
have visited the following three gorges during our field to that region. Khewra Gorge (Eastern
Salt Range)
Nammal Gorge (Western Salt Range)
Zaluch Nala (Western Salt Range)
The main objectives of the field was to establish sequence stratigraphy, study the
sedimentary structure, stratigraphy, tectonic and regional geology of Eastern and Western
Salt range.

A group photo at very last formation in Namal Gorgue

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Day 1st Date: 17-02-2022, Thursday

Stop 1:
At day 1st, we started our journey from University of Swabi, Ambar. After travelling for
few hours we reached Katas Raj, Kalar Kahar.
At Katas Raj, We observed the following two formations.
1. Sakesar Limestone
2. Chorgali Formation

1. Sakesar Limestone:
Description:
Sakessar limestone mainly consists of cream light grey color, nodular,
massive limestone with marl having chert nodules. Forams are very abundant there.
Upper contact is conformable with Chorgali formation. Age assigned to this
formation is early Eocene.

Fig 1(a): Contact between Sakessar limestone and Chorgali formation

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Forams

Fig 1(b): Chert Nodules Fig 1(c): Forams

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Sakessar limestone is clean nodular limestone which show deposition in shallow
shelfal marine condition. The microfacies of sakessar limestone shows the Deeping upward
sequence. It shows the rise in sea level and Transgressive system Tract.
It also have inner shelf fossil over outer shelf fossil which shows fall in the sea level
and high stand system tract. So the sequence stratigraphy of Sakessar Limestone is still
controversial but generally it is consider as Transgressive System tract.

2. Chorgali Formation:
Description:
Chorgali formation there mainly consist of yellowish grey Marl. Its lower contact
is conformable with Sakessar limestone. Age assigned to this formation is middle Eocene.

Limestone

Fig 2(a): Chorgali Formation

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Sequence Stratigraphy:
Chorgali is the last formation deposited by Thethys ocean after that thethys
ocean is closed. Chorgali formation have Shallow shelfal marine fauna and it have
almost 80% of shales with limestone, the shale is deposited by clastic input. All this
characteristics of chorgali formation shows the fall in sea level and high stand sytem
tract. There is maximum flooding surface (MFS) between Sakessar Limestone and
Chorgali formation.

H.S.T
Chorgali Formation

Maximum Flooding Surface

Sakesar Limestone

T.S.T

Fig 2 (b): Sequence stratigraphy of Sakessar limestone and Chorgali Formation

After studying the above two formations, we went straight to Choa-Saidan Shah,
there we spent a night in Cliff View Hotel.
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Day 2nd Date: 18-02-2022, Friday

Next morning, after breakfast we started our journey towards Khewra Gorgue. Along roadside
we observe the following three formations.
1. Dandot Formation
2. Tobra Formation 3. Baghanwala
Formation Stop 1:
1. Dandot Formation:
Description:
Dandot formation is consist of yellowish sandstone. Age assigned to this
formation is Permian.

Fig 1(a): Dandot Formation

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Fig 1(b): Cross beds in Dandot Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Dandot formation is deposited in shallow marine condition in eastern Salt
range, in central range it was deposited in tidal flat environment, while in western
Salt range there is no Dandot formation. This shows that In Paleozoic time coastal
onlap was at the western Salt Range. Overall Dandot formation shows rise in Sea
level and transgressive system tract.

Stop 2:
2. Tobra Formation:
Description:
Tobra formation in Choa Saidan Shah, is consist mainly of conglomerate
having boulders, pebbles of pink granite (from indian shield rock) and matrix of clay
and shale. Fossil like glossopteris and gangmopteris are present in it. Going from east
to west the lithology change from coarser to finer pebbles showing the change in
deposition of environment from tilitic to fresh water. Age assigned to this formation is
early Permain.
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Fig 2(a): Tobra Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Tobra formation was deposited by Glacier. It is thinner at central
Salt range while thicker at eastern and western Salt Range due to uplifting of central Salt
range. There is two Sequence Boundary in Eastern Salt Range, one is between
Baghanwala formation and Tobra Formation, and the Second is between Dandot
Formation and Sakessar Limestone. Lower facies of tobra formation is deposited by
Glacier and the upper is deposited by outwash plan which shows fall in Sea level and
Low stand system tract. Tobra formation have several episode of rise and fall.

Stop 3:
3. Baghanwala Formation:
Description:
The Baghanwala formation is consists mainly of maroon color sandstone having
interbeds of shale characterized by an abundance of Salt pseudomorphs. Ripple marks are
common. It is well-exposed in eastern Salt range. Age assigned to this formation is
middle Cambrian.
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Fig 3 (a): Baghanwala Formation

Fig 3(b) :

Tobra Formation

Fig 3(c): Contact between Dandot, Tobra & Baghanwala Formation

Dandot Formation

Tobra Formation

Baghanwala Formation
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Sequence Stratigraphy:
Baghanwala formation was deposited in tidal flat. In exposed part due to
evaporation halite deposit but at the same time fresh water dissolved salt and deposit sand
in salt structure. Baghanwala formation have flaser and lenticular bedding. It shows the
regression of sea level because the shallow environment is replaced by tidal flats.

Stop 4:
Our stop 2 on day was in Khewra Gorge. Khewra Gorge is present in Eastern Salt Range.
It is located about a distance of 1km from the Khewra town, after this town it is named as
Khewra Gorge. “Khewra Gorge is known as the Museum of Geology”. In 2 nd we observed Salt
Range formation.

4. Salt Range Formation:

Description:
The Salt Range has been divided into three members;

 Billianwala Salt Marl Member: It is largely composed of hematitic, dull red,

gypsiferous red marly beds with thick seams of salt. Its base is not exposed.

 Bhandar Kas Gypsum Member: It is comprised of massive gypsum, dolomite and marl.
It overlies the Billianwala member.

 Sahiwal Marl Member: This member overlies the Bhandar Kas Member and is
comprised of an upper bright marly unit and a lower unit containing dull red marls.

In salt range formation fossil are not present. Age assigned to this formation is
Precambrian. Thickness is about 1000m. Upper contact is conformable with Khewra
Sandstone.

Sequence Stratigraphy:
The environment of deposition is regressional lagoon. The lagoon is not of the
local scale but a deep seated lagoon or isolated platform from the main marine body, due
to transgression water entered in that lagoon and after regression water remained in that
lagoon and due to
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evaporation Salt range is deposited. Here the calcite is absent because of the clastic input
which incorporated the calcite and made the marls, dolomite is also absent because of
high rate of evaporation that directly deposited the gypsum, and then finally salt is
deposited thus complete calcite-halite cycle is present but disturbed at different places
because of the clastic input and sea level fluctuation. So the salt range formation shows
regression ofFig
sea4:level.
Salt Range Formation

Stop 5:
5. Khewra Sandstone:
Fig 5(a ): Khewra Sandstone

Description:
This formation mainly consists of sandstone. Sandstone is thin to thick bedded
and the color is purple to brown or yellowish brown. Massive sandstone is also present
which is of maroon color. The grain size of the sandstone is also varying in this formation.
Few intercalations of brown shale are also present. The Sandstone is characteristically
cross- bedded. Ripple marks, ball and pillow like structures are also present in it. Age
assigned to this formation is early Cambrian. Lower contact is conformable with Salt range
formation and have gradational contact with khussak formation.
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Sequence Stratigraphy:
The environment of deposition is deltaic(paralic system). At the base of khewra
sandstone there are channelized beds which forms in delta plains and above these
channelized beds there are tabular beds which forms in delta front, so the deposition of
delta front over the delta plain shows transgression i.e. rise in sea level. Overall it is
regression because of delta.

Stop 6:
6. Kussak Formation:
Description:
Kussak formation consists of greenish to
dark grey color shale, Glouconitic sandstone and
siltstone. Conglomerate beds are also present,
which show that erosion take place but no force
were there for transportation, so it is deposited
there again. Age is Cambrian. Upper contact is
conformable with Jutana formation.

Sequence Stratigraphy:
The enivornment of deposition is
shallow marine (terrigineous shelf) because
Glauconite deposits in shallow marine, above
Fig 6: Kussak Formation
the khewra there is boulder bed which shows
the revinment surface. The kussak formation is
the shallow marine deposition over delta which
shows the transgression of the sea level and
transgressive system tract.

Stop 7:
7. Jutana Formation:
Description:
This formation mainly consists of yellowish white or cream colored, partly
sandy dolomites and dolomitic(magnesium) sandstone with few shale intercalations.
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Dolomite is thin to thick bedded and in the upper part it is also massive and brecciated.
Age assigned to this formation is middle Cambrian.

Fig 7: Jutana Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Jutana formation was deposited in carbonate platform so it shows
rise in sea level. It is well distributed in eastern salt range and dies out at the western salt
range which shows that at that time coastal onlap was at western Salt range.

Day 3rd Date: 19-02-2022, Saturday

Stop 1: Zaluch Nala

On day 3, our stop 1 was in Zaluch nala. In stop 1 there were Tobra Formation and
Warccha Sandstone. Warcha Sandstone is
same in zaluch nala as warchha Sandstone in Central Salt range. Stylolite Feature boulder is also
present.

1. Tobra Formation
Description:

This formation present Zaluch Nala is different from the Tobra Formation present in
Eastern Salt Range. In Zaluch nala Tobra formation has complex facies. It consists of
green, massive unit of clay silt, sand and boulders.
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Fig 1(a) : Tobra Formation at Zaluch Nala

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Fig 1(b) : Tobra Formation

Stop 2:
2. Warcha Sandstone:
Description:
This formation consists of grity sandstone. Age assigned to this formation is early
Permian. Warcha Sandstone is same in zaluch nala as warchha Sandstone in Central Salt range.
Stylolite Feature boulder is also present.

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Warchha sandstone was deposited in fluvial environment. In Warchha Sandstone
braided river deposits is overlain by meandering river deposits which shows rise in sea
level and transgressive system tract.
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Fig 2a:
Warcha Sandstone

Fig 2b:

Warcha Sandstone

Fig 3c:

Stylolite
Stop 3:
3. Sardhai
Formation:
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Description:
This formation is consists of bluish and greenish grey clay. Age assigned to this
formation is Middle Permian.

Fig 3: Sardhai Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Sardai formation was deposited in fluvial dominated delta. It shows rise in
sea level and transgressive system tract.

Stop 4:
4. Amb Formation:
Description:
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This formation consists of thin to medium bedded sandstone and

limestone. This formation is highly fossiliferrous. Environment of deposition of this
formation is Shallow marine. Upper contact with Wargal limestone is conformable.
Lower contact with Sardhai formation is also conformable.

Fig 4: Amb Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
The Amb formation contains clay which shows sea level rise and the system tracts
in which Amb Formation was deposited in transgressive system tracts, and due to clastic
input sandstone is present.

Stop 5: Namal Gorgue

5. Wargal Limestone:
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Description:
The Formation mainly consists of grey, medium or thick bedded to massive,
partly sandy limestone and dolomite with few, thin intercalations of dark-grey to black
shale. Clear limestone is its diagnostic feature. This formation is highly fossiliferous.
Various fossils found are Brachiopods, Gastropods, Ammonoids, trilobites etc. Index
specie Productus (brachiopod) is also found abundantly inthisformation. Due to the
presence of Fossil age assigned to this formation is Permian. Upper contact with Chiddru
formation is transitional and conformable.

Sequence Stratigraphy:
The Wargal limestone shows the Transgression of sea level. The Wargal
limestone is deposited in Transgressive system tract, but some reports says that in Wargal
formation regression started and it was deposited in High stand System tract.

Fig 5: Wargal Limestone

Stop 6:
6. Chiddru Formation:
Description:
It consists of dark-grey sandy shales at the base, overlain by calcareous
sandstone and sandy limestone. The Chhidru Formation contains abundant brachiopods
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and gastropods, and subordinate microfossils. Due to the presence of these fossils age
assigned to this formation is Late Permian. Environment of deposition of this formation is
shallow marine. Upper contact with Mianwali formation is disconformable.

Sequence Stratigraphy:

The
Chidru
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formation shows fall in sea level and high stand system tract. But it is in the later stage of
high stand system tract.

Stop 7:
7. Mianwali Formation:
Description:
This formation is mainly composed of limestone, siltstone,
dolomite, shale and sandstone. The fossils found in this formation are ceratites
(cephalopod). Age assigned to this formatiion is early Triassic. Lower contact with
Chidru formation is marked by Paraconformity. Upper contact with overlying Tredian
formation is sharp, well defined and conformable.

Sequence Stratigraphy:
The presence of Ammonoids indicates that
Mianwali formation was deposited in shallow marine environment. It shows rise in sea
level.
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Stop 8:
8. Tredian Formation:
Description:
This formation consist of sandstone with ripple marks and slump structures,
interbedded with shale. This formation contains spores, pollens and wood fragments. Age
assigned to this formation is Middle Triassic. Upper contact with Kingriali formation is
gradational and conformable.

Sequence Stratigraphy:

Tredian formation was deposited in fluvial environment. The fluvial

deposition over Shallow marine shows fall in sea level.
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Stop 9:
9. Kingriali Formation:
Description:
This Formation contains thin to thick-bedded or massive, grey dolomite and
dolomitic limestone. Benthic fossils are present. Age assigned to this formation is
Late Triassic. Environment of deposition of this formation is shallow marine
environment. Upper contact is with Datta formation of Jurassic age and the contact
is Disconformable.

Sequence Stratigraphy:

Kingriali Dolomite was deposited in shallow marine environment. The

Shallow marine deposition over fluvial shows rise in sea level.

Fig 9: Kingriali Formation

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Stop 10:
10. Datta Formation:
Description:
This formation consist of sandstone, siltstone and shale of different colors.
Sandstone is red to maroon, grey, green and white in color. Shale, siltstone and mudstone
are irregularly distributed. Oil seap and lateritic beds are present. The reddish color is due
to Sulphur. This formation is
poorly fossiliferrous.
Age assigned to this
formation is Early Jurassic.
Upper contact of this
formation is un
conformable
with Samana suk
formation in Salt Range.
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Fig 10: Datta Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Datta formation was deposited in deltaic environment. It is the typical example of
paralic succession. It has lateritic bed which was deposited in the Inter flew area of delta.
This shows fall of sea level..

Stop 11:
11. Hangu Formation:
Description:

This formation consists of dark grey sandstone, shale and intercalation nodular
argillaceous limestone. Age assigned to this formation is Early Paleocene. Upper contact
of this formation is with Lockhart formation and this contact is transitional and
conformable.
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Fig 11: Hangu Formation

Sequence Stratigraphy:
Hangu Formation is deposited in deltaic environment. It is consist of lateritic bed
which shows fall in sea level and low stand system tract.

Stop 12:
12. Lokhart Formation:
Description:
Grey to dark gray, medium to thick massive bedded, brecciated limestone. The
limestone displays very well developed nodularity. The limestone ontains abundant
foraminifers. On the basis of these fossils the age of the formation is assigned as Middle
Paleocene. Upper contact with Patala formation is transitional and conformable.
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Fig 12(a): Lokhart Limestone

Sequence Stratigraphy:

Lockhart formation in the central Salt range was deposited in

shallow marine while in western Salt range it have planktonic forams which show
relatively deeper environment. This also is one of the evidence that in Mesozoic time the
coastal onlap was shifted towards Eastern Salt Range. It is carbonate platform so it shows
rise in sea level and transgressive system tract.

Stop 13:
13. Patala Formation:
Description:
It is comprised of shale and marl with subordinate limestone and sandstone
interbeds. The environment of deposition is transitional marine environments. The age
assigned to this formation is Late Paleocene. Upper contact with overlying Nammal
formation is transitional and conformable.

Sequence Stratigraphy:
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The environment of deposition of Patala formation is transitional

marine environments.

Conclusion

We seek alot from the field trip, we learn many methods

helpful in study the geology of an area. In the field, we studied
many formations of Eastern, Central and Western Salt range and
observed different lithologies and regional geology, Diagnostic
features of different formations, marked unconformities and
contacts and established Sequence Stratigraphy of different
formation based on their features. After field trip now we had a
clear understanding of how to establish Sequence Stratigraphy of a
unit based on their features. We also gather a lot of samples of
fossils and rocks from different formations. We learn and enjoy a
lot in this field and are very thankful to our teacher.
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