INTRODUCTION The Indus Basin of Pakistan is divided into two parts i.e. 3 Lower Indus Basin and Upper Indus Basin. The Upper Indus Basin is further divided by Sargodha high way into two parts. Towards the east of the Sargodha highway in Potwar Plateau and towards the west is Kohat Plateau. The region of the North Punjab called as Potwar Plateau is bound in the South by Salt range and in North by MBT as shown below.

1. GROUP MEMBERS
SALT RANGE
ِ‫يم‬ ِ‫ح‬‫ﱠ‬‫ٱلر‬ ِ‫ن‬ٰ‫ـ‬َ‫م‬ْ‫ح‬‫ﱠ‬‫ٱلر‬ ِ ‫ﱠ‬ ‫ٱ‬ ِ‫م‬ْ‫س‬ِ‫ب‬
GROUP MEMBERS
M.HISAN MEHDI
PARVEZALI
GHULAM MURTAZA
Submitted to
RESPECTED SIRAFZAL JAMALI
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2. CONTENT
 INTRODUCTION OF SALT RANGE
 PARTS OF SALT RANGE
 MAIN SALT RANGE &THEIRTYPES
 STRATIGRAPHY OF SALT RANGE
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 STRATIGRAPHY OF SALT RANGE

3. INTRODUCTION
The Indus Basin of Pakistan is divided into two parts i.e.
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The Indus Basin of Pakistan is divided into two parts i.e.
Lower Indus Basin and Upper Indus Basin.The Upper Indus
Basin is further divided by Sargodha high way into two parts.
Towards the east of the Sargodha highway in Potwar Plateau
and towards the west is Kohat Plateau.The region of the
North Punjab called as Potwar Plateau is bound in the South
by Salt range and in North by MBT as shown below.

4. Salt Range
 The name of Salt range was first use by Elephiston in 1808.The name
is derived from the fact that area contains huge reserve of the common
table salt.
 Salt range is one of the few most important localities in the Sub-
continent for its intresting structural, valuable stratigraphic and
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continent for its intresting structural, valuable stratigraphic and
palentological record.
 Salt range is characterized by extensive Anticlines folds, Synclines folds
and various type of faults. It is also important as a source of minerals
e.g Halite,Gypsum,Coal,Fire clay etc.

5. Parts of Salt Range
 The salt range is mainly divided into two parts.
1. Main salt range (East Of River Indus)
2. Transe Indus Salt Range(West Of River Indus)
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6. Main Salt Range
 The Main Salt Range is further divided into 3 parts.
1. Western Salt Range
2. Central Salt Range
3. Eastern Salt Range
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7. Eastern Salt Range
 Eastern Salt range is about 16km and its height about 760m from the sea level.
Western Salt Range
• The western range is widens westward to the width of about 32km with highest
attitude of 1422m at Sakessar.
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attitude of 1422m at Sakessar.
Central Salt Range
• Similar central Salt range is more wider then eastern and western Salt range.
• In this presentation we will mainly represent the Eastern andWestern part of Salt
Range .

8. Stratigraphy Of The Region
 The rocks of the Salt ranges stratigraphic units ranges in the age from Pre-
Cambrian to theTertiary with the marked absence of Ordovician , Silurian,
Devonian and Carboniferous age throughout the region.
 Three Gorges Contain in the Main salt range
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1) Khewra Gorge (Eastern Salt range)
2) Nammal Gorge (Western Salt range)
3) Zaluch Nala (Western Salt range)

9. Eastern Salt range
 CHHARAT GROUP: NAMMAL FORMATION:
 This formation is the first member of the Cherat group. Cherat group
represents the Eocene strata of the Salt range.
 LITHOLOGY: Main lithology of this formation is shale, marl and limestone
alterations. Shale is gray to green and fossiliferrous. Lime stone is gray to bluish,
argillaceous and highly fossiliferrous. Marl is light gray to bluish gray and is also
fossiliferrous.
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fossiliferrous.
 ENVIRONMENT OF DEPOSITION: Environment of deposition of
this formation is shallow marine to lagoonal environment.
 THICKNESS: Thickness of this formation at its type locality is 100m.
 CONTACT: The upper contact of this formation is with overlying
Sakessar formation and is transitional and conformable.The lower
contact of this formation is with underlying Patala formation and this
contact is also conformable.

10. SAKESSAR FORMATION
 This formation is the second member of the Cherat Group.
 LITHOLOGY: Bulk of lithology of this formation is limestone which is cream to light gray in
color, nodular, and massive in the upper part and also highly fossiliferrous. Light gray colored
Marl is also found in the top most part and having Chert nodules.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation in Salt range is from70-150m.
 CONTACT:The upper contact is with Chorgali formation and this contact is transitional and
conformable.The lower contact is with Nammal formation and it is also conformable.
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11.  CHORGALI FORMATION: This is the 1st member of Cherat
Group.
 LITHOLOGY: According to Cheema et al. (1977), the formation is
composed of shale and limestone. In the Khair-e-Murat Range, it is
divisible into two distinct units.The lower unit comprises dolomitic
limestone and shale.The upper unit is composed predominantly of
shale with one thick bed of dark grey limestone and a bed of nodular
argillaceous limestone near the top.
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 THICKNESS: It is 150 m thick at Chorgali Pass, 30 m inTarki, 15m at
Bahadurkhel and about 45 m in southeastern Hazara.
 CONTACT: In the Salt Range, the formation conformably overlies the
Sakesar Limestone and at other places Margala Hill Limestone. In the
Salt Range, it is unconformably overlain by the Murree Formation,
while conformably in other areas by the Kuldana Formation.

12. WESTERN SALT RANGE
 ZALUCH NALA: Zaluch Nala is located in the western Salt range. It is the type locality of the Zaluch
group rocks. In this Nala we have studied Lei Conglomerate which are Quaternary deposits.
 LEI CONGLOMERATE: Lei conglomerates are quaternary deposits.The name “Lei Conglomerates” was
introduced by Gill in 1952.This conglomerate consists of poorly sorted pebbles and boulders of mostly
Eocene rocks, with a small proportion of older sedimentary rocks, quartzites and igneous rocks.This
conglomerate is different from the conglomerate of theTobra formation in sense that there are no bedding
planes in Lei Conglomerate but they are present inTobra formation. Lei conglomerates are known as
FANGLOMERATES because the environment of deposition of this formation is Fluvial.
 Lei conglomerate NILAWAHAN GROUP:These rocks are of Lower Permian age. It includesTobra
formation, Dandot formation,Warcha Sand stone and Sardhai formation.
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13.  TOBRA FORMATION:This formation is the first member
of the NeelaWahan group. NeelaWahan group represent the
Lower Permian strata of the Salt range.
 LITHOLOGY: Main lithology of this formation is
conglomerate, sandstone and shale. Conglomerate of this
formation is polymictic which means that clasts of this
formation are derived from various sources. Pink colored
Granite clasts are very common in these conglomerates
which are the part of the “Nager Parker granite” in Sindh.
Metamorphic slates are also present in this formation.
Striations are also present in this formation which indicates
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Striations are also present in this formation which indicates
Glacio-Fluvial environment of deposition of this formation.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation is 20m in type
locality but 133m in the western Salt range.
 CONTACT:The upper contact of this formation is with
Dandot formation which is transitional and conformable.The
lower contact of this formation in Zaluch Nala is with Lei
conglomerate which is an unconformable contact.

14.  WARCHHA SANDSTONE: This formation is the third member of the
NeelaWahan group.
 LITHOLOGY:This formation is mostly consisting of Sandstone of red to
maroon color which indicates oxidizing conditions. Sandstone is medium to
coarse grained and mostly thick bedded and massive. Pebbles of granite and
quartzite are also present. Carbonaceous shale and coal are also present.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation at its type locality is 26 -80m.
 CONTACT:The upper contact of this formation is with overlying Sardhai
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 CONTACT:The upper contact of this formation is with overlying Sardhai
formation which is conformable.The lower contact of this formation is with
underlying Dandot formation which is also transitional and conformable.

15.  SARDHAI FORMATION:This formation is the fourth and last member of the
NeelaWahan group.
 LITHOLOGY:This formation mainly consists of bluish to greenish colored clay,
minor gray sandstone and gypsum and calcareous beds in the upper part.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation at its type locality is 42m and in western
Salt range its thickness is 65m.
 CONTACT: Upper contact of this formation is with overlyingAmb formation which
is conformable contact. Lower contact of this formation is withWarcha Sandstone
which is also conformable.
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16. ZALUCH GROUP
 AMB FORMATION: It is the first member of
Zaluch Group. Zaluch group represents the Upper
Permian strata of the Salt range.
 LITHOLOGY: This formation consists of thin to
medium bedded sandstone and limestone. Thin
beds of shale are also present. In some portion
limestone and sandstone are mixed. When
limestone is less then sandstone, then it is called as
Limy sandstone. Limestone is light grey on fresh
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Limy sandstone. Limestone is light grey on fresh
surface and grey to brown on weathered surface.
 THICKNESS: This formation is well developed
in the western Salt range and thin out east wards.
Thickness of this formation is 80m in type locality
and 47 m in Khisor range.
 CONTACTS: Upper contact with Wargal
limestone is conformable and the lower contact
with Sardhai formation is also conformable but not
present in the Nammal gorge.

17.  WARGAL LIMESTONE: It is the second member of the Zaluch group.
 LITHOLOGY:This formation is consists of limestone and dolomite. Limestone is
argillaceous, somewhat nodular, thin to medium bedded and highly fossiliferous.
Dolomite is pinkish grey in color and massive. Black colored chert nodules are also
present in it. Small scale fault is also visible in this formation.
 THICKNESS:This formation is well distributed in the Salt range and Khisor Range.
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 THICKNESS:This formation is well distributed in the Salt range and Khisor Range.
Its thickness in Zaluch Nala is 182m.
 CONTACT: Lower contact with Amb formation is sharp and conformable and
upper contact with Chidru formation is also transitional and conformable.`

18.  CHHIDRU FORMAITON: This formation is third member of Zaluch
group.
 LITHOLOGY: Main lithology of this formation included limestone,
sandstone, and limy sandstone.At the base of the formation, Shale unit of
grey to dark grey color is also present.The upper most part has well marked
Sandstone bed, which is the marker horizon and distinguishing character of
this formation.
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 THICKNESS: This formation is well distributed in the western Salt ranges
andTrans Indus ranges. Its average thickness at the type locality is 64m.
 CONTACT:The lower contact of this formation withWargal limestone is
conformable and transitional.The upper contact with Mianwali formation is
disconformable.

19.  SALT RANGE FORMATION: It is the oldest and only Pre-Cambrian age
formation exposed in the Khewra Gorge.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation is >830m.
 KHEWRATRAP: Khewra trap is highly weathered igneous body about 6m thick
present in the upper member of the Salt rage formation. It is purple to green in
color. Characteristic feature is that it consists of highly decomposed radiating needles
of light colored Pyroxene mineral. Its origin is crustal thinning due to normal
faulting.
 CONTACT: Lower contact of the Salt range formation is not exposed but in some
oil wells crystalline basement rocks are found.The upper contact with the Khewra
sandstone of Jehlum group is conformable.
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20. MUSAKHEL GROUP
 MIANWALI FORMATION: It is the first member of the Musa
Khel group. Musa Khel group represents theTriassic strata of the
Salt range.
 LITHOLOGY:This formation is mainly composed of limestone,
siltstone, dolomite, shale and sandstone.
 This formation is divided into three members:
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 Kathwai member: It is the lower most part of the Mianwali formation and
mainly consist of crystalline dolomite and interbedding of Shale.
 Mitti wala member: It is the middle part of the Mianwali formation and
consists of green shale beds with sandstone and limestone interbedded.
 Narmia member: It is the lower most member of the Mianwali formation
and mainly consists of sandy dolomite, and dark gray to brown color
limestone. Sandstone interbeds are also found in this part.
 CONTACT:The lower contact with Chhidru formation is marked by
Paraconformity and the upper contact with overlyingTredian formation is
sharp, well defined and conformable.

21.  TREDIAN FORMATION: It is the second member of the Musa Khel group.
 LITHOLOGY: Main lithology of this formation is sandstone, which is medium to
thick bedded and upper part is massive. Few beds of shale, siltstone and sandy
limestone are also found.
 THICKNESS:The thickness of this formation in Zaluch Nala is 76m.
 CONTACT: Lower contact with Mianwali formation is sharp, well- defined and
conformable.The upper contact with Kingriali formation is also gradational and
conformable.
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22.  KINGRIALI FORMATION: It is the third and last member of the
Musakhel group.
 LITHOLOGY:The bulk of lithology is dolomite, dolomitic limestone with
interbeds of dolomitic shale.The dolomite is thin to medium bedded, fine
grained with inter beds of shale and marl. Cross beds are also present in this
formation.
 THICKNESS:The average thickness of this formation is 76-106m.
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 THICKNESS:The average thickness of this formation is 76-106m.
 CONTACT: Lower contact of this formation is withTredian formation and
is conformable. Upper contact is with Datta formation of Jurassic age and
the contact is Disconformity.

23. SURGHAR GROUP
 DATTA FORMATION: This formation is the first member
of the Surgher Group. Surgher group represents the Jurassic
and Cretaceous strata of the Salt Range.
 LITHOLOGY: Variegated beds of sandstone, siltstone and
shale of different colors are present in this formation.
Sandstone is red to maroon, grey, green and white in color.
Shale, siltstone and mudstone are irregularly distributed. In
the upper part thick beds of maroon shale are also present.
Sulpher is mostly present in this formation indicating
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Sulpher is mostly present in this formation indicating
swamp or deltaic environment.
 THICKNESS: Thickness of formation at its type locality is
212m.
 CONTACT: Upper contact of this formation with overlying
Shinawri formation is gradational and conformable. Lower
contact with underlying Kingriali formation is
disconformable.

24.  HINAWARI FORMATION:This formation is the second member
of the Sur Gher group.
 LITHOLOGY: Main lithology of this formation is medium to coarse
bedded limestone which is of gray to brownish gray color. It is well
bedded, sandy, oolitic with nodular marl, shale and sandstone. Lime
stone in the lower part has thick sandstone bed in middle and maroon
shale in the upper part.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation at type locality is 400m.
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 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation at type locality is 400m.
 CONTACT: Upper contact of this formation is with overlying Samana
Suk formation and is transitional and conformable .Lower contact with
underlying Datta formation is also Conformable.

25.  SAMANA SUK FORMATION: This formation is third member of
Sur Gher group. Few beds of this formation are present in Nammal
gorge but it is undifferentiated from the Shinawri formation.
 LITHOLOGY: Main lithology of this formation is medium to thick
bedded limestone of gray to dark gray color.This limestone is oolitic
with shale beds with subordinate marl and calcareous shale.
 THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation at type locality is 186m.
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THICKNESS:Thickness of this formation at type locality is 186m.
 CONTACT: Lower contact of this formation with underlying
Shinawri formation is conformable and upper contact with overlying
Chichali formation is disconformable.

26. MAKARWAL GROUP
 HANGU FORMATION:This formation is the first member of the
Makarwal group. Makarwal group represents the Paleocene strata of
the Salt range.
 LITHOLOGY:This formation consists of dark grey, rarely variegated
sandstone, shale, carbonaceous shale, and some nodular argillaceous
limestone.The sandstone is white, light gray, and reddish brown,
weathers dark rusty brown, fine to coarse grained and medium to
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limestone.The sandstone is white, light gray, and reddish brown,
weathers dark rusty brown, fine to coarse grained and medium to
thick bedded.
 THICKNESS: In the Salt range area this formation is 40 to 45m thick.
 CONTACT:The upper contact of this formation is with Lockhart
formation and this contact is transitional and conformable.

27. HANGU FORMATION
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28.  LOCKHART FORMATION:This formation is the second member
of the Makarwal Group.
 LITHOLOGY: Grey to dark gray, medium to thick massive bedded,
brecciated limestone.The limestone displays very well developed
nodularity.
 THICKNESS: In the Samana Range the formation is 60 meter thick.
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 CONTACT:The upper contact with Patala formation is transitional
and conformable.The lower contact is with Hangu formation and the
contact is also conformable.

29.  PATALA FORMATION:This formation is the third member of
Makarwal group.
 LITHOLOGY:Alternate beds of Shale, Clay and limestone.Thin
bedded sandstone and some interbedded marl and conglomerate
are also present.
 THICKNESS:Type locality is in Patala nala located in the salt
range area, where the thickness of the formation is 90 meters.
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range area, where the thickness of the formation is 90 meters.
 CONTACTS:The upper contact with overlying Nammal
formation is transitional and conformable.The lower contact is
with Lockhart formation and it is also transitional and
conformable.

30.  REFRENCE:
 1.The Geological Survey of Pakistan (volume 22)
 2. Stratigraphy of Pakistan – by S.M.Ibrahim Shah
 3. www.brooks/cole.com/geology
4. www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/geology
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 4. www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/geology
 5. www.gsp.gov.pk/pakistan/index.html
 6. www.wikipedia.com/geology