The document summarizes a 4-day field trip to the Salt Range in Pakistan taken by geology students and faculty from the University of Swabi. The objectives of the trip were to study the lithology, depositional environments, sedimentary structures, rock types, contacts, and fossils in the area. During the trip, students visited sites representing different geological formations spanning from Precambrian to Eocene in age. These included the Sakesar Limestone, Tobra Formation, Baghanwala Formation, Salt Range Formation, Kusuk Formation, Jutana Formation, Warcha Sandstone, Sardai Formation, Amb Formation, Wargal Formation, Chhidru Formation, Mianwali Formation, King

1. Report on Field work to salt range
By
Tariq Aziz (Deppt Of Geology) University Of Swabi.
To: MuhammadAwais Lecturer Geology

2. Department, University Of Swabi
A 4 days TRIP TO salt range.
University of swabi arrange a 4 day
trip to the salt range for the student of
geology (5th semester). A field trip is related
to stratigraphy. The objective for that field
trip is to study and observe the lithology,
depositional condition, sedimentary
structures, rock types, contacts and fossils of
that area. Another purpose of that trip is to
get the students familiar with some unique
characteristics of salt range in Pakistan.

3. Abstract: 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.
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. 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.
Key Words: Pakistan; Salt Range; geology;
stratigraphy.

4. Figure 1: Map of the Salt Range, Pakistan (after E.H. PASCOE, 1919).
Fig2...Genral map of salt range

6. Sakesar lime stone (easternsaltrange)
The term Sakesar Limestone was introduced by Gee (in F ermor, 1935)
For the most prominent Eocene limestone unit in the Salt and Trans-Indus Ranges.
Belong to chhalai group
Sakesarlimestoneisof earlyEocene inage
Lithologyconsists of massive andnodularlimestone withmarlsandchertinthe upperpart.
Fossilsare foraminifers, molluscs and echinoids
In the field we see also the contact of sakesar limestone with chorgali formation
Fig sakesarlimestone

7. Fig contact betweensakesarlimestoneandchorgali formation
tobra formation (easternsaltrange )
The name Tobra Formation refers to the lowest formation of Nilawahan
Group previously known in the literature as "Talchir Boulder Bed" or "Talchir Stage" of Gee (in
Pascoe 1959), and "Salt Range boulder bed" of Teichert (1967). The type locality is located near
Tobra Village
The Tobra Formation depicts a very mixed lithology in which the following three facies are
recognized (Teichert, 1967):
1. Tillitic facies exposed in the eastern Salt Range. This rock unit grades into marine
sandstone containing Eurydesma and Conularia fauna (Dandot Formation).
2. Freshwater facies with few or no boulders. It is an alternating facies of siltstone and shale
containing spore flora. This facies is characteristics of the central Salt Range.
3. The unit with complex facies of diamictite, sandstone and boulder bed increases in
thickness in the western Salt Range and Khisor Range.
Belong to nilawahan group.
It isearlypermaininage .

8. Lithologyconsists of conglomeraticsandstone andshales,bouldersmainlyigneousormetamorphic.
Fig:pic takenon roadside of tobra formation
Baghanwala Formation(easternsaltrange)
The name Baghanwala Formation is now given to the rocks of the
"Pseudo morph Salt Crystal Zone" of Wynne (1878) and the "Baghanwala Group" of Noetling
( 1894), which overlies the Jutana Formation. Holland ( 1926) called these beds "Salt Pseudo morph
beds" and Pascoe {1959) named them "Baghanwala Stage". The type section is located near
Baghanwala Village in the eastern Salt Range.
Baghanwala formation is late Cambrian in age .
Belong to Jhelum group.
Lithologyconsists of blood-redshalesandflaggysandstone withsalt pseudomorphs.Thickbedded sand
stone withthinbedsof shale.

9. Thicknessis,
Medium=10-30 cm
Thick=30-100cm
Verythick=100 or more
Fig.baghanwalaformation

10. Fig.Contact between baghanwalaformation andtobraformation.
Salt range formation
Wynne (1878) named and described the formation as 'Saline
Series'. Gee (1945) called the same unit as the 'Punjab Saline Series'. Asrarullah (1967) has given the
present name 'Salt Range Formation' after the Salt Range. Khewra Gorge in the eastern Salt Range
has been designated as the type section.
SALT RANGEIS PRECAMBRIAN IN AGE.
Lithology: The lower part of the Salt Range Formation is composed of red-coloured gypseous marl with
thick seams of salt, beds of gypsum, dolomite, greenish clay and low-grade oil shale are the
constituents of the upper part.
It belongtoPunjab salineseries.

11. Fig:salt range formation.
Kusuk formation (easternsaltrange)
Wynne (1878) applied the name 'Obolus beds' or 'Siphonotrata beds' to a predominantly greenish-grey,
glauconitic, micaceous sandstone and siltstone. Waagen and Wynne (1895) used the name "Neobolus beds" for
the same unit. Noetling (1894) proposed the name "Kussak group" and finally the Stratigraphic Committee of
Pakistan formalized the name of the unit as Kussak Formation (Fatmi, 1973). The type locality lies near
Kussak Fort in the eastern part of the Salt Range.
Belong to Jhelum group.
Kusak formation is middle Cambrian in age
Lithology consist greenish-grey, glauconitic micaceous
sandstone, greenish-grey siltstone, interbedded with light grey dolomite and some oolitic,
arenaceous dolomite.
The formation is fossiliferous

12. Fig. kusak formation.
Jutana formation:(eastern salt range)
Fleming (1853) named this unit "Magnesian sandstone". Noetling
(1894) described it as Jutana stage. The Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan formalized the name as
Jutana Formation. The type locality lies near Jutana Village in the eastern Salt Range.
Belong to Jhelum group.
Jutana formation is middle Cambrian in age.
Lithology consists of massive light colored dolomite and dolomitic sandstone subordinates shale.
Warcha sand stone (western salt ranges)
The name Warchha Sandstone was coined by Hussain (1967), which
has been approved by the Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan. Prior to the formalization of this
name other terms were used such as the "Warchha Group"ofNoetling (1901), which included the
overlying ''Lavender clays" (Sardhai Formation) with it. The names such as "Speckled sandstone" of

13. Gee ( 1945)" and middle speckled sandstone of Waagcn ( 1879) were also prevalent in the literature.
Belong to nilawahan group.
Warcha sand stone are early permain in age.
Lithologyconsistsof redandlightcoloredsand stone andgrits inpart arkosicclay interbeds.
Fig.warcha sandstone.
Sardai formation(westernsaltrange)
The name Sardhai Formation as approved by the Stratigraphic
Committee of Pakistan, was given by Gee. Prior to this Gee (in Pascoe 1959) had called it "Lavender
clay stage ". Wynne ( 1878) had called it "Lavender clays" and Noetling ( 1901) called it the "upper
part of Warchha Group". The type section as suggested by Gee is in the Sardhai Gorge in the eastern
Salt Range
Belongtonilawahangroup.
Sardai formationare earlypermaininage.
Lithologyconsistof bluish and greenish grey clay, with some minor sand and siltstone beds. It also
contains some carbonaceous shale. The clay prominently displays lavender
color and contains some copper minerals including chalcopyrite. Minor jarosite, chert and gypsum
Arc found disseminated in the formation, with occasional calcareous beds in its upper part.

14. Fig…. sardaiclay.
Kewrasaltmine…
we also went kewra salt mine. KhewraSaltMine is situatedin PindDadanKhan
Tehsil of JhelumDistrict.Locatedabout200 km (125 miles) fromIslamabadandLahore,itisaccessedvia
the M2 motorway,about30 kilometers(20miles) off the Lillainterchangewhile goingtowardsPind
Dadan Khanon the Lillaroad. The mine isinmountainsthatare part of a saltrange,a mineral-rich
mountainsystemextendingabout200 km fromthe Jhelumriversouthof PothoharPlateau towhere the
Jhelumriverjoinsthe Indusriver.Khewramine isabout288 meters(945 feet) above sealevel andabout
730 meters(2400 feet) intothe mountainfromthe mine entrance.The undergroundmine coversan
area of 110 km2
(43 sq. miles).
Fig entrance gate of salt mines khewara.

15. Fig some pic in the salt mines khewara
Fig. view of Kewra Gorge.
Amb formation. (central saltrange)
Belongtozaluchgroup.

16. Waagen(1891) introduced the name"Amb sandstone beds" to a sequence
of limestone, sandstone and shale exposed near the village of Amb. Teichert (1966) suggested the
name Amb Formation to the same unit, which was formalized by the Stratigraphic Committee of
Pakistan. As indicated above, the name has been derived from the village of Amb in the central Salt
Range, which is designated as the type section for the formation.
Amb formation is late permian in age.
Lithology consists of calcareous sandstone and impure lime stone; carbonaceous shale interbeds.
Fig...Amb formation
Wargal formation. (centralsalt range)
Noetling (190 1) 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 ( 1966). For the same rock unit, the name "Middle Products Limestone" was used by Waagen
(1879). The type section is ncar Wargal Village in the central Salt Range. Zaluch Na1a in the western
Salt Range has been designated by Teichert ( 1966) as the tentative standard section/ principal
Reference section.
Belong to zaluch group.
Wargal formation is late Permian in age.
Lithology consist of massive gray limestone, occasional thin carbonaceous shale at base.

17. Chhidru formation.
The name, "Chhidru beds" was given by Waagen (1891) and
"Chhidru Group" by Noctling (1901) to the topmost beds of commonly known "Productus
Limestone" and is derived from Chhidru Nala. The name Chhidru Formation was introduced by
Dunbar (1933), which is now formalized. Teichert (1966) studied the formation at a number of
Places. Kummcl and Teichert (1970) made detailed biostratigraphic studies of the formation and
discussed its age and relationship with the Triassic rocks.
Belong to zaluch group.
Chhidru formation is late Permian in age.
Lithology consist of limestone, marl, and calcerous sand stone.
Mianwali and kingriali formation.(Triassic)
Both belong to musa khel group.
Mianwali are early Triassic and kingriali are late Triassic.
Lithology of mianwali are olive-green and gray shales with thin limestone and sand stone.
Lithology of kingiali are massive light colored dolomite and dolomitic limestone with sand stone.
Nammal formation.
The term Nammal Formation has been formally accepted by the
Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan for the ''NammalLimestone and Shale" of Gee (in Fermor,
1935) and ''NammalMarl" of Danilchik and Shah (1967) occurring in the Salt and Trans-Indus
ranges. The section exposed in the NammaJ Gorge (Lat. 32° 40' N: Long. 71 o 07' E) is the type
section. The formation, throughout its extent, comprises shale, marl and limestone~ In the Salt Range,
these rocks occur as al~ations. The shale is grey to olive green, while the limestone and marl are The
term Nammal Formation has been formally accepted by the
Stratigraphic Committee of Pakistan.
Belongtochhalai group.
Nammal formation early Eocene.
Lithology is light gray calcareous shale and lime stone. We see here the paleo-triassic boundary.

18. Fig…Paleo-triassicboundary.
Conclusion . We learna lot of thingrelatedtothe salt range formationandhave also
a lot of fun.I am thank full tomydear teachers, Mr. Lawangin Sheikh lecturer/HOD&Mr. Muhammad
Awais. Andalsothankfull to all myclassmates.
Reference
(1) Field report notes.
(2) Google,wikifidia
(3) Stratigraphy of Pakistan 2009 SM Irahim Shah.