Field Report On Khewra Salt Mine | Report On Khewra Trip | Different Formations Of Salt Range Area | Geology | Earth Sciences | Paleontology | Stratigraphy Lithology Contacts

1. Contents:
Khewra Town……………………………………………………………..Page 1
Khewra salt Mine………………………………………………………...Page 1
Salt Range Formation……………………………………………………Page 1,2
Khewra Area Stratigraphic Succession…………………………………Page 2
History…………………………………………………………………….Page 2
Two Main Basin of Pakistan……………………………………………..Page 2
Three Members of Salt Range Formation………………………………Page 3
1. Billian Wala Member: (Salt)…………………………………..Page 3
2.Bandar Kas member: (Gypsum)……………………………….Page 3
3. Sahwal Member: (Marl)………………………………………..Page 3
Jehlum Group………………………………………………………...……Page 3
1. Khewra Sand Stone: (Early Cambrian)………………………….Page 3,4
2. Jutana Formation: (Middle Cambrian)………………………….Page 4
3. Baghanwala Formation: (Upper Cambrian)…….……………....Page 4
4. Tobra Formation: (Early Permian)……………………………....Page 4,5
5. Dandot Formation: (Permian)……………………………………Page 6
6. Warcha Sandstone (Permian)…………………………………….Page 6
7. Patala Formation (Paleocene)…………………………………….Page 6
8. Sakesar Limestone: (Early Eocene) Lithology……………….......Page 6,7

2. Field Trip To Khewra(Field Report)
Khewra Town:
Khewra is a town of Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil in Jhelum District, Punjab province,
Pakistan.The population of Khewra is 1,00.000 and the world second largest salt deposits
are located in Khewra. Khewra is a town of Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil in Jhelum District,
Punjab province, Pakistan. The population of Khewra is 1,00.000 and the world second
largest salt deposits are located in Khewra.
Khewra salt Mine:
The Khewra salt mine also known as Mayo Salt mine named in the honor of Lord Mayo,
who visited the mine as Viceroy of India. The salt mine is a part of salt range originated
about 800 million years ago after a shallow sea evaporated and following geological
movements salt range stretched to about 300 kilometers was formed. It is said that the salt
reserves at Khewra were discovered when Alexander visited South Asia, coming across the
Jhelum and Mianwali region, during his Indian campaign. The discovery of the mine,
however, was not made by alexander nor his "allies", but by his horse. It is stated that
when alexander's army stopped here for rest, the horses started licking the stones. One of
his soldiers took notice of it and when he tasted the rock stone, it was salty thus leading to
the discovery of the salt mine. During Mughal era the salt was made available
commercially by exporting it to different markets including far away region of central Asia
with the downfall of Mughal empire, the mine was taken over by Sikhs. Hari Singh Nalwa
the Sikh ruler shared the management of mine with the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir,
Gulab Singh. The salt during Sikh rule was not only a source of general consumption but
also a source of revenue after Britishers took over the territory from Sikhs, they developed
the mine further in1872. Britishers found the mining carried out in an inefficient way with
irregular and narrow tunnels, entrances, which made the movement of laborers dangerous
and difficult. The supply of water inside mine was poor and there was no storage facility
for the mined salt. The only road to Khewra mine was a rocky road on difficult terrain.
Addressing these problems the then government leveled the road, built go-downs, provided
supply of water, improved the entrances and tunnels, introduced better mechanism for
excavation of salt.
Salt Range Formation:

3. Rock salt or halite is found in 3 type’s colors dark maroon, light orange and white salt. The
salt rock are used for different purposes like:
• Soda ash is extracted from dark maroon salt because it contain iron which is used
for washing purposes.
• Light orange salt rock is used for the decorating purposes.
• The white salt rocks is used for eating purpose.
• Brine water is also extracted from here and used in soda ash and paint factory
• Khewra Gorge is present in Eastern Salt Range. It is located about a distance of
1km from Khewra
• Town, after which it is named as Khewra Gorge. Khewra Gorge is known as the
“Museum of Geology”.
• In this Gorge, we have studied Salt Range Formation and Jhelum Group rocks
which are of Cambrian age. Jhelum Group includes Khewra Sandstone, Kussak
Formation, Jutana Formation and Baghanwala Formation.
Khewra Area Stratigraphic Succession :
• Salt Range Formation (Pre-Cambrian),
• Khewra Sandstone (Early Cambrian),
• Kussak Formation (Early Cambrian),
• Jutana Formation (Middle Cambrian),
• Baghanwala Formation (Late Cambrian),
• Tobra Formation (Early Permian),
• Patala Formation (Paleocene),
• Sakesar Limestone (Early Eocene),
• Warcha Sandstone (late Permian)
• Salt Range Formation (PreCambrian)
History:
• Name was first given by Elphinston in 1808 due to observing extensive salt.
• In 1878 Wynne named the Formation as Saline Series.
• Gee in 1945 called the same unit as Punjab Saline Series.
• The present name The Salt Range Formation is given by Asrarullah in 1967.
• Khewra George in the Eastern Salt Range is the type section.
•
Two Main Basin of Pakistan

4. 1. Indus Basin
2. Balochistan Basin
Three Members of Salt Range Formation
1. Billian Wala Member: (Salt)
• It is composed of ferruginous red marl with thick seam of salt.
• Its thickness is about 650 m.
2.Bandar Kas member: (Gypsum)
• It is composed of massive gypsum.
• Minor beds of dolomite and clay.
• Its thickness is about 80m.
3. Sahwal Member: (Marl)
• It is composed of bright red marl.
• Along with irregular beds of gypsum, dolomite and khewraite.
• Lower unit is composed of dull red marl beds with some salt seams and 10m thick
gypsum bed.
• Its thickness is about 45m.
Jehlum Group
Jehlum group consists of Cambrian age.
• Khewra Sand Stone.
• Kussak Formation.
• Jutana Formation.
• Baghanwala Formation.
1. Khewra Sand Stone: (Early Cambrian)
Lithology:
• The formation consists predominantly of purple to brown, yellowish brown, fine
grained sandstone.
• The lower most part of the formation contains red flaggy shale.
• Sedimentary features such as ripple marks and mud cracks are common in the

5. formation.
• The thickness at the type locality is 150 meters and in western salt range, its
thickness is 200 meters.
• Cross bedding are observed in Khewra gorge.
2.Kussak Formation: (Early Cambrian)
Lithology:
• It is mainly composed of sand stone shale.
• Tracks and traces can be observed.
2. Jutana Formation: (Middle Cambrian)
Lithology:
• Jutana Formation is mainly composed of dolomite and some shale and sandstone,
• Formation can be divided into three units.
i. Lower sandy dolomite.
ii. Middle shaly portion (similar to Kussak).
iii. Upper pure dolomite.
• Jutana dolomite can be identified by bucher chop weathering.
4. Baghanwala Formation: (Upper Cambrian)
Lithology:
• It is composed of clay stone, Mudstone, Siltstone and thin bedded flaggy sandstone.
• Mud stone to silt stone (Upper lower part) are in blood red color and characterized
by pseudomorphic casts of salt crystals along the bedding planes.
• Presence of salt pseudomorphs, wave ripple marks mud cracks etc. indicate that
Formation was deposited under lagoonal environment and arid climatic condition.
Tobra Formation: (Early Permian)

6. Lithology:
• Boulders which are mainly pink granites and grayish quartzite.
• Red pebble bedded sandstone.
• Grayish cross bedded siltstone.
• White massive sandstone.
• Black shale with grit lenses.
Dandot Formation: (Permian)
Lithology:
• It consists of light-grey to olive green sandstone with pebbly beds and subordinate
shale.
• The Formation is well exposed toward the Dandot village.
• The thickness of this Formation is about 12m.
Warcha Sandstone (Permian)
Lithology:
• This Formation consists predominantly of thickly bedded sandstone.
• The sandstone is red, purple or lighter shades of pink color.
• It is medium to coarse-grained and is pebbly, friable and arkosic.
Patala Formation (Paleocene)
Lithology:
• It is mainly composed of shale.
• Subordinates of coal seams and limestone.
• This formation is a source rock of oil and Gas.
Warcha Formation:
Sakesar Limestone: (Early Eocene)
Lithology:
• The Formation consists predominantly of Nodular limestone.
• The limestone throughout its extent is cream colored to light grey.

7. • It is massive too thick bedded and is highly fossiliferous at places.
• Fossil found in it is Nummulite atacicus as index fossil.
• Foraminifers are most abundant.