Lithofacies and Palynostratigraphy of

Some Cretaceous and Paleocene Rocks, 

Surghar and Salt Range Coal Fields, 

Northern Pakistan

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2

Prepared in cooperation with the Geological Survey of 

Pakistan, under the auspices of the Agency for International 

Development, U.S. Department of State, and the 

government of Pakistan
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1995

Northern Pakistan

By Peter D. Warwick, Shahid Javed, S. Tahir A. Mashhadi, Tariq Shakoor, 

Asrar M. Khan, and A. Latif Khan

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2096

Prepared in cooperation with the Geological Survey of Pakistan, under 

the auspices of the Agency for International Development, U.S. 

Department of State, and the Government of Pakistan

This report includes discussions on the lithofacies, depositional 

environments, palynobiostratigraphy, coal quality, and measured sections 

of Cretaceous and Paleocene strata of northern Pakistan
For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Infor

Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, 

The place names used in this report do not necessarily con

by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. These names are sh

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is f

does not imply endorsement by the U.S. G

Published in the Eastern Region, Res

Manuscript approved for publication 

Library of Congress Cataloging in Public

Lithofacies and palynostratigraphy of some Cretaceous and Pa

Salt Range coal fields, northern Pakistan / by Peter D. Warw

p. cm. — (U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 2096)

Includes bibliographical references.

Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.3:2096

1. Geology, Stratigraphic—Cretaceous. 2. Geology, Stratigra

3. Geology—Pakistan—Mianwali District. 4. Coal—Geol

District. 5. Palynology—Pakistan—Mianwali District. I. 

II. Series.

QE75.B9 no. 2096

[QE685]

557.3 s—dc20

[551.7’7’095491] 
I

CONTENTS

Abstract ........................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction..................................................................................................................... 1

Geologic Setting...................................................................................................... 2

Previous Investigations............................................................................................ 5

Acknowledgments................................................................................................... 7

Methods........................................................................................................................... 7

Lithofacies of the Lumshiwal Formation........................................................................ 7

Lateral and Vertical Variations of Lithofacies of the Lumshiwal Formation .......... 9

Depositional Environments of the Lumshiwal Formation ...................................... 9

Age of the Lumshiwal Formation ........................................................................... 10

Lithofacies of the Hangu Formation ............................................................................... 11

Coal Characteristics of the Hangu Formation......................................................... 11

Lateral and Vertical Variations of the Lithofacies of the Hangu Formation............ 14

Depositional Environments of the Hangu Formation ............................................. 14

Age of the Hangu Formation .................................................................................. 15

Conclusions..................................................................................................................... 15

References Cited ............................................................................................................. 16

Appendix I. Measured Sections and Sample Locations from the Surghar and Salt 

Range Coal Fields, Northern Pakistan ................................................................ 18

Appendix II. Background Data and Analytical Results from Coal Samples from 

the Surghar Range, Northern Pakistan................................................................ 26

Appendix III. Results of Palynological Studies on Rock Samples from the Surghar 

Range ............................................................................................................... 33

FIGURES

1. Index map of part of northern Pakistan showing the study area and locations of measured sections and sample 

sites ................................................................................................................................................................................. 

2. Generalized stratigraphic section of the rocks exposed in the Surghar Range study area.............................................. 

3. Photographs and diagrams of exposed Cretaceous and Paleocene rocks in the Surghar Range..................................... 

4. Cross section showing stratigraphic relation of exposed Upper Cretaceous and lower Paleocene rocks in the 

Surghar Range................................................................................................................................................................. 

TABLES

1. Summary of palynological data from Surghar and Salt Range pollen samples.............................................................. 

2. Descriptive summary of Surghar and Salt Range coal samples...................................................................................... 

3. Averaged selected analytical results from Surghar Range coal samples ........................................................................ 
1

Lithofacies and Palynostratigraphy of Some Cretaceous and 

Paleocene Rocks, Surghar and Salt Range Coal Fields,

 Northern Pakistan

By Peter D. Warwick,1 Shahid Javed,2 S. Tahir A. Mashhadi,2 Tariq Shakoor,2 Asrar M. Khan,3 and 

A. Latif Khan2

ABSTRACT

The stratigraphic relation between the Cretaceous generally noncoal-bearing Lumshiwal Formation (64 to 150 m

thick) and the Paleocene coal-bearing Hangu Formation (5

to 50 m thick) in the Surghar Range of north-central Pakistan is complex. Both formations contain remarkably similar lithofacies: one or two types of sandstone lithofacies; a

combined lithofacies of mudstone, claystone, carbonaceous

shale, and coal beds; and a rare carbonate lithofacies. An

analysis of pollen data from rock samples collected from

various stratigraphic positions indicates that the formations

are separated by a disconformity and that the age of the

Lumshiwal Formation is Early Cretaceous and the age of

the Hangu is Paleocene. Previous workers had suggested

that the age of the Lumshiwal is Late Cretaceous.

An analysis of sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and paleontologic data indicates that both the Lumshiwal and Hangu

Formations probably were deposited in shallow-marine and

deltaic environments. The rocks of the Lumshiwal become

more terrestrial in origin upward, whereas the rocks of the

Hangu become more marine in origin upward. The contact

between the two formations is associated with a laterally

discontinuous lateritic paleosol (assigned to the Hangu Formation) that is commonly overlain by the economically

important Makarwal coal bed. This coal bed averages 1.2 m

in thickness. No other coal beds in the Surghar Range are as

thick or as laterally continuous as the Makarwal coal bed.

Analytical data from the Makarwal and one other

Hangu coal bed indicate that Surghar Range coal beds range

from high-volatile B to high-volatile C bituminous in apparent rank. Averaged, as-received results of proximate and

ultimate analyses of coal samples are (1) moisture content,

1U.S. Geological Survey.

2Geological Survey of Pakistan.

3Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan, P.O. Box 1308, 

Islamabad, Pakistan.

5.4 percent; (2) ash yield, 12.5 percent; (3) total sulfur content, 5 percent; and (4) calorific value, 11034 Btu/lb (British

thermal units per pound). Minor- and trace-element analyses indicate that these coals contain relatively high concentrations of the environmentally sensitive element selenium

(average 13.4 ppm (parts per million)), compared to concentrations from United States coals of similar rank.

The Makarwal coal bed represents a paleopeat that

formed during changing relative ground-water base levels.

Relatively low base levels were associated with periods of

slow clastic deposition and lateritic paleosol development,

followed by relatively high base levels that coincided with

increased runoff, marine flooding, and clastic sedimentation

that buried the paleopeat of the Makarwal. These environments formed along the northwestern margin of the Indian

subcontinent as it drifted northward through equatorial latitudes in the Tethys Sea. The Makarwal coal bed is thin or

absent in the northern part of the range where the Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations are the thinnest. Such rapid lateral changes (over about 25 km) in formation thickness and

the apparent change in relative ground-water base level indicate that tectonically induced subsidence rates varied across

the Surghar Range and influenced the deposition of the

rocks that compose the two formations.

INTRODUCTION

Indigenous coal has been a minor part of Pakistan’s

energy budget since the late 19th century, but as modern,

large, coal-fired electric-power generation facilities are

brought online, coal will become an important component

of Pakistan’s energy budget. Consequently, detailed geologic studies such as this report on a coal-bearing area in

northern Pakistan are warranted. This report reviews the

coal-bearing Cretaceous Lumshiwal and Paleocene Hangu

Formations of the Surghar Range and of the western part of

the Salt Range in north-central Pakistan (figs. 1, 2). The

paper defines the stratigraphic relation between the
2 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Figure 1. Part of northern Pakistan showing the study area. Numbered solid dots indicate location of mine and

outcrop measured sections in appendix I. Pollen samples (fig. 4, table 1, appendix III) were collected at sections 1, 2,

4, 6, 11, and 14. Coal samples (appendixes I, II) were collected at sections 2, 5, 7, 9, and 13. Dashed line indicates the

provincial border between the Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).

b2096 fig. 1

Á

Á

Á

ÁÁ Á

Á

Á

ÁÁ

ÁÁ

Á

71°00' 71°30'

33°10'

32°45'

32°30'

33°00'

72°00'

5 0 5 10 15 KILOMETERS

POTWAR PLATEAU

KOHAT PLATEAU

Kalabagh

Gula Khel

Muhabbat

Khel

Daud Khel

Mianwali

Isa Khel

TRANS INDUS MOUNTAINS

Marwat


Range

Khisor

Range

NWFP


PUNJAB

Salt Range

Salt Range

Shinghar 

Surghar

Range

Nammal Lake

Range

Indus River

1, 2

3

4

5

14

6

10 11

12, 13

EXPLANATION

Measured section

(listed in appendix I)

Location

Paved road

River, lake

Mountain range

Makarwal

Study area

PAKISTAN

NWFP


PUNJAB

7 8 9

Lumshiwal (and its minor coal occurrences) and the Hangu

(and its economically important coal deposits). The various

lithologies within the Lumshiwal and Hangu and associated

palynological data are discussed, along with the chemical

and physical characteristics of Hangu coal samples. The

report also includes interpretations of the depositional environments of the Lumshiwal and Hangu rocks.

GEOLOGIC SETTING

The Shinghar and Surghar Ranges constitute the northernmost part of the Trans Indus Mountains (fig. 1). The

Makarwal Gula Khel coal field, as described by Ahmed and

others (1986), is located in the north-trending southern part

of the Surghar Range and lies along the border of the Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The

coal-mining town of Makarwal is the center of mining

activities. The Kurd coal field (Ahmed and others, 1986) is

located in the east-trending part of the Surghar Range west

of Kalabagh and south of the Kohat Plateau (fig. 1). In this

report, the Makarwal-Gula Khel and Kurd coal fields are

referred to as the Surghar Range coal fields.

The rocks exposed in the Surghar Range vary in age

from Triassic(?) to Quaternary (fig. 2). The stratigraphic

relation between the Hangu and the underlying Lumshiwal

Formation is not clear, and in outcrop the contact is difficult

to define. The upper part of the Lumshiwal and the lower

part of the Hangu are dominated by sandstone, and both formations contain carbonaceous shale and coal beds.

Danilchik and Shah (1987) define the contact between the

formations as occurring at the base of a prominent coal bed

that is developed in the southern part of the field. Where the
INTRODUCTION 3

Figure 2. Generalized stratigraphic section of the rocks exposed in the Surghar Range study area (modified from Danilchik and

Shah, 1987).

b2096 fig. 2













 













  

Unconformity

? ?

Miocene or

Oligocene

Tertiary

Eocene

Paleocene

Early

Cretaceous

Triassic (?)

Jurassic

Cretaceous

Sakesar Limestone

Nammal Formation

Patala Formation

Lockhart Limestone

Hangu Formation

Makarwal coal bed at base

Lumshiwal Formation

Chichali Formation

Samana Suk Limestone

Shinawari Formation

Datta Formation

Kingriali Dolomite*

Mitha Khatak

Formation

Dhok Pathan,*

Nagri,*

and

Chinji*

Formations

Pleistocene,

Pliocene,

and

Miocene

Siwalik Group

“Laki stage” “Ranikot

stage”

Holocene

and

Quaternary Pleistocene

PERIOD SERIES FORMATION METERS

LITHOLOGIC SECTIONS

Southern

part

Northern

part

ERACenozoic Mesozoic

Alluvium, slope wash,

soil, boulder fans,

terrace deposits

1200

900

600

300

0

300

600

@@ÀÀ

yyy@À

 yy



Conglomerate

EXPLANATION yy

Sandstone

Siltstone

Claystone

*Formations not exposed within coal field.

Calcareous claystone

Calcareous sandstone

Sandy limestone

Limestone

Sandy dolomite

Dolomite

Coal

Alluvial deposits, undifferentiated





@@ÀÀ


4 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

b2096 fig. 3a

Sakesar Limestone

Lockhart Limestone

Lumshiwal Formation

Hangu Formation

Chichali Formation

Chichali

Formation

3 m

COVER

A. Photograph and schematic diagram showing general view of the Cretaceous Chichali and

Lumshiwal Formations and the Paleocene Hangu Formation and Lockhart Limestone. Note that

the Lumshiwal Formation becomes more thickly bedded upward. The Eocene Sakesar Limestone

is in the background. The Chichali Formation through Lockhart Limestone section shown is

approximately 300 m thick. 

Figure 3. EXPOSED CRETACEOUS AND PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE NEAR MEASURED SECTIONS 1

AND 3 (fig. 1; appendix I).
INTRODUCTION 5

b2096 fig. 3b

B. Photograph and schematic diagram showing general view of the Paleocene Hangu Formation, Lockhart Limestone, and Patala Formation. Note

coal miners and coal-mine spoil piles from the Makarwal coal bed in the lower part of the photograph. The cliff face in the background is

composed of the Eocene Nammal Formation and Sakesar Limestone.

b2096 fig. 3bb

coal bed is absent, the contact has been placed at the base of

a thin lateritic mudstone that Danilchik and Shah (1987)

interpreted to represent the base of the Paleocene. Studies in

the Salt Range, located southeast of the Surghar Range (fig.

1), by Warwick and Shakoor (1988; in press) reported that

such lateritic beds do not represent major disconformities

and are common in the lower part of the Hangu in that area.

These stratigraphic problems led us to collect a series of

stratigraphic samples for paleontologic analysis. The results

of these paleontological studies, along with measured stratigraphic sections through the Lumshiwal and the Hangu Formations and coal quality data, are presented and discussed

in this paper.

The strata in the Surghar Range are deformed by folds

and faults and commonly dip 30° or more to the west or

northwest (fig. 3A, B). The structural setting of the Surghar

Range and the >750 m of overburden above the Hangu Formation (fig. 3) have prevented the extensive exploration

drilling programs that normally precede coal-field development. The Makarwal coal bed and a few other minor coal

beds crop out along the cliff face of the Surghar Range (figs.

2, 3). The Makarwal coal bed is the primary bed mined in

the area; however, near the town of Makarwal, a second bed,

called the upper coal, is also mined. In the western part of

the Salt Range, the Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations are

very thin or absent, and only the Hangu has a few minor carbonaceous shale beds.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS

The regional characteristics of the Lumshiwal and

Hangu Formations have been reviewed by Fatmi (1973),

Shah (1977), and Wells (1984). Earlier workers who

described the occurrences of coal in the Surghar Range

include Wynne (1880), Simpson (1904), Gee (1938, 1941,

1948, 1949), Khan (1949), and Warwick and Husain (1990).

Landis and others (1971) described the chemical and physical characteristics of nine coal samples collected from four

different mines of, presumably, the Makarwal coal bed of

Patala Formation

Hangu Formation

Miners

Lockhart Limestone

Nammal Formation

2 m

Sakesar Limestone

Sakesar Limestone

COVER

COVER
6 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

b2096 fig. 3c

b2096 fig. 3cc

C. Photograph and schematic diagram showing iron-stained, lateritic mudstone bed overlying the

upper part of the Lumshiwal Formation. This mudstone bed is about 1 m thick and probably

represents paleosol development on the surface of the Lumshiwal Formation prior to the formation

of the Makarwal coal bed (not shown). Lithologies exposed in the Lumshiwal include thin-bedded

sandstone and mudstone. Photograph courtesy of E.A. Johnson.

the Surghar Range. Their study reported that this coal bed

ranges in apparent rank from high-volatile B to highvolatile C bituminous. Warwick and Javed (1990) described

the geochemical characteristics of various Pakistani coals,

including those from the Surghar Range. Detailed investigations were undertaken by Danilchik and Shah (1987) to map

the structure and geology of the Makarwal-Gula Khel coal

field at 1:50,000 and 1:6,000 scales. Faruqi (1980, 1983)

also worked on the structural details of the mining area.

Ghaznavi (1988) described the petrographic characteristics

and geologic setting of the Surghar Range coal deposits.

Davies and Pinfold (1937), Haque (1956), Fatmi (1972),

Hangu Formation

Lumshiwal Formation

Lateritic mudstone

£

COVER 0.5 m

COVER
LITHOFACIES OF THE LUMSHIWAL FORMATION 7

Köthe (1988), Frederiksen (1992), and Frederiksen and others (in press) have provided paleontological age determinations for the Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations.

A detailed assessment of the coal resources of the

Hangu, defining reserve categories such as measured, indicated, and inferred, was not undertaken in this study

because such estimates have been presented in Ahmed and

others (1986) and Danilchik and Shah (1987). These

authors suggest that the coal reserves of the Surghar Range

are 16 million to 19 million tons of coal.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This report is a product of a cooperative program

between the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) and the

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and was sponsored by the

Government of Pakistan and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Funding was provided by

USAID through Project 391–0478 (Energy Planning and

Development Project, Coal Resource Assessment Component 2a; Participating Agency Service Agreement (PASA)

No. 1PK–0478–P–IC–5068–00.

We are thankful to the Pakistan Mineral Development

Corporation (PMDC) for providing some of the data that

were used in this study and for providing access to their

mines in the Surghar Range. We are also grateful to the

many privately owned mining companies in the Surghar

Range who provided coal thickness data and access to their

mines for sampling.

We acknowledge Patricia A. Hawk for her help in

retyping appendix III.

METHODS

Fieldwork was done between 1989 and 1991. Thirteen

stratigraphic sections were measured in the Surghar Range,

and one in the western part of the Salt Range (fig. 1; appendix I). Sections 6 and 11 (fig. 1; appendix I) contain

complete sections through the Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations. Two bench (MK–HT–2, MK–HT–3) and four

whole-coal (MKCT–6, MKD3–7, MK–NCN–4, MKE 3–5)

samples of the Makarwal coal bed and one whole-coal sample (MK–HT–1) of the upper coal bed (appendix II, table

II–1) were collected from five working mines (fig. 1; appendix I,) following guidelines for channel samples by ASTM

(1986) and Golightly and Simon (1989). The results of the

chemical and physical analyses of the coal samples are presented in appendix II (table II–2). Laboratory results from

four additional whole-coal samples of the Makarwal coal

bed from the Makarwal area, collected by M.I. Ghaznavi

(1986–87) (appendix II, table II–1, 85-series field numbers),

were incorporated into the coal sample data set for this

study. Three of the four additional samples were previously

described by Ghaznavi (1988).

Thirty-two claystone and mudstone samples were collected for pollen analysis (table 1). The results of palynological studies conducted by Khan are presented in

appendix III. Palynological results from Frederiksen (1992)

and Frederiksen and others (in press) also are summarized

in table 1.

A generalized cross section of the Lumshiwal and

Hangu interval is shown on figure 4. Stratigraphic correlations between the sections were made by using the best-fit

method; the lower coal zone in the Hangu Formation served

as a datum.

LITHOFACIES OF THE

LUMSHIWAL FORMATION

The general description of the Lumshiwal Formation

by Danilchik and Shah (1987) provides a review of the previous literature and presents a good description of the basic

characteristics of the unit. Detailed descriptions of the various lithologies composing the formation are provided in the

measured sections (appendix 1). Three major lithofacies

were identified in the Lumshiwal Formation: two types of

sandstone (sandstone lithofacies A and B) and a combined

facies consisting of mudstone, claystone, carbonaceous

shale, and coal beds (combined lithofacies). There is also a

minor carbonate lithofacies composed of arenaceous limestone.

The Lumshiwal Formation is dominated by the two

sandstone lithofacies. These lithofacies generally are

defined on the basis of grain size, clay content, and depositional bedding characteristics. Sandstone lithofacies A is

composed of pale-yellowish-brown, yellowish-gray, and

olive-gray, fine- to coarse-grained sandstone that is commonly burrowed, sometimes intensely. Bedding types

include massive or parallel, and bed thicknesses are commonly greater than 1 m. Small, <0.5-m-thick, tabular crossbed sets may be present. Carbonaceous debris is common

along the bedding planes. Ironstone nodules several centimeters in diameter are commonly found throughout the

lithofacies. Red-iron-oxide stains are commonly present

along fractures, and glauconite and carbonate cements are

common, especially in the lower part of the Lumshiwal.

Red-iron-oxide staining of the sandstone lithofacies is more

common in the upper part of the formation. Quartz content

of lithofacies A ranges from 80 to 90 percent, based on hand

sample observations. Lithofacies A may grade vertically or

laterally into the combined lithofacies and, in places, may

be interbedded with the combined lithofacies. Sandstone

lithofacies A commonly coarsens upward in grain size and

is most common in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation (fig. 4).

Sandstone lithofacies B generally resembles lithofacies

A. Lithofacies B differs, however, by containing fewer claystone interbeds and much more medium- to coarse-grained
8 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

sandstone characterized by large tabular and trough crossbedding. The individual crossbed sets are >1 m thick.

Broad, low-angle crossbedding is rare. Lithofacies B is

composed of individual units as much as 10 m thick that are

separated by basal scours that extend laterally across the

outcrop for many tens of meters. Individual beds tend to

thicken upward (fig. 3A). Although individual beds within

lithofacies B commonly have a scoured base, the base of

lithofacies B is transitional with lithofacies A or the combined lithofacies. Sandstone constituting lithofacies B is

very quartzose in hand specimen; quartz content ranges

from 80 to 90 percent. Coarse- to granule-size sandstone

and pebbly bands up to 0.5 m thick are commonly interbedded within lithofacies B. The pebbles are composed exclusively of quartz (fig. 4). Red-iron-oxide staining is very

common in lithofacies B, especially in the uppermost part

of the formation.

The combined lithofacies consists of mudstone, claystone, carbonaceous shale, and coal beds. This lithofacies

generally is restricted to the upper part of the Lumshiwal

Formation (fig. 4). The color of the mudstone ranges from

medium-reddish brown, to reddish brown, to black, and the

mudstone is commonly carbonaceous, burrowed, and (or)

rooted. Mudstone also occurs as thin (<0.5-m-thick) interbeds within the sandstone lithofacies in the upper half of the

formation. In the uppermost part of the formation, the mudstone is interbedded and gradational with thin claystone,

carbonaceous shale, and coal beds that are <0.3 m thick and

Table 1. Summary of palynological data from Surghar and Salt Range

pollen samples.

[Location data refer to stratigraphic sections in appendix I. S., section; U., unit]

Sample No. Age Location

Pollen samples analyzed by Khan (unpub. data; see appendix III)

T–SH–2 Early Cretaceous S. 1, U. 6

T–SH–3 Early Cretaceous S. 4, U. 25

K–SH–1 Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous S. 1, U. 2

K–SH–2 Paleocene S. 4, U. 11

K–SH–3 Barren S. 4, U. 16

K–SH–4 Barren S. 4, U. 19

K–SH–5 Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous S. 6, U. 8

K–SH–6 Early Cretaceous S. 11, U. 6

SH–MK–HT–1 Paleocene S. 2, U. 1B

SH–MK–HT–2 Barren S. 2, U. 3A

Pollen samples analyzed by Khan (unpub. data; see appendix III)

and Frederiksen (1992)

Khan Frederiksen

PW–90–1 Early Cretaceous Early Cretaceous S. 1, U. 2

PW–90–2 Barren Barren S. 1, U. 6

PW–90–3 Paleocene middle Paleocene S. 1, U. 8

PW–90–4 Barren middle Paleocene S. 1, U. 11

PW–90–5 Barren middle Paleocene S. 1, U. 17

PW–90–6 Barren Barren S. 6, U. 10

PW–90–7 Barren Barren S. 6, U. 11

PW–90–8 Barren middle Paleocene S. 6, U. 13

Pollen samples from the Nammal Pass section analyzed by Frederiksen (1992)

PW–90–9 Jurassic or Early to mid-Cretaceous S. 14, U. 2

PW–90–10 Cretaceous, Aptian S. 14, U. 10

PW–90–11 Barren S. 14, U. 13

PW–90–12 Barren S. 14, U. 15

PW–90–13 Barren S. 14, U. 17

Pollen samples analyzed by Frederiksen and others (in press)

NF89P–1 Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous S. 1, U. 2

NF89P–2 Rare pollen, no date S. 1, U. 6

NF89P–3 Cretaceous, Aptian–Albian(?) S. 1, U. 7

NF89P–4 Barren S. 1, U. 16?

NF89P–5 Paleocene S. 1, U. 20

NF89P–8 Rare palynomorphs, no date S. 11, U. 6

NF89P–9 Rare palynomorphs, no date S. 11, U. 6

NF89P–10 Paleocene S. 14, U. 17

NF89P–11 Paleocene S. 14, U. 17
LITHOFACIES OF THE LUMSHIWAL FORMATION 9

Figure 4. Cross section showing stratigraphic relation of exposed Upper Cretaceous and lower Paleocene rocks in the Surghar Range.

Measured sections (indicated by numerals) are described in appendix I. Locations of the measured sections are shown on figure 1. Vertical

exaggeration is 1:77.

b2096 fig. 4





? ? ?

?

Lockhart Limestone

Chichali Formation

Hangu Formation Lumshiwal Formation

1 4 6 8 9 10 11 12 3

20

10

0

0 2 4 KILOMETERS

METERS

S N NE

Q Á

Á

Á

Á Á

Á

Á

Á Á

ÁÁÁ

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Q

Á

Q

EXPLANATION

Location of dated pollen sample

Disconformity (approximate)

Coal and carbonaceous shale

Quartzose sandstone

Sandstone lithofacies A

Sandstone lithofacies B

Carbonate lithofacies

Combined lithofacies



laterally discontinuous. The claystone is carbonaceous, is

often rooted, and commonly comprises underclay that is

gradational with the carbonaceous shale and coal beds.

The minor carbonate lithofacies is rare in the Lumshiwal Formation. A single limestone bed (unit 6 in section 3,

appendix 1; fig. 4), which is 1.22 m thick, is the only occurrence in these measured sections. This facies consists of

arenaceous limestone that is medium-light to light gray and

glauconitic. Quartz grains and a few ironstone concretions

occur within the carbonate matrix.

LATERAL AND VERTICAL VARIATIONS OF 

LITHOFACIES OF THE LUMSHIWAL FORMATION

In the Surghar Range, the Lumshiwal Formation generally consists of sandstone lithofacies A units overlain by

stacked, coarsening-upward lithofacies B sandstone units

that are monolithologic for as much as 85 m (section 4,

Charles mine, appendix I; fig. 4). Lithofacies B sandstone

decreases in abundance toward the north and toward the

south, as is illustrated on the cross section (fig. 4). The combined lithofacies, which contains a few thin coal beds, is

generally discontinuous and is restricted to the upper part of

the formation (fig. 4).

As noted by Danilchik and Shah (1987), the Lumshiwal Formation in the Surghar Range decreases in thickness

from south to north. The thickest part of the formation is at

the PMDC central tunnel (section 5 is between sections 4

and 6, on fig. 4), where it is greater than 150 m thick. The

thickness of the formation decreases northward to about 64

m at Chichali Pass (section 11, appendix I; fig. 4). In the

western part of the Salt Range at the Nammal Pass (section

14, appendix I), the unit is very thin, if present at all. At

Nammal Pass, the rocks below the Hangu Formation, constituting the Jurassic Datta Formation and possibly the

Lumshiwal Formation, are indistinguishable. Danilchik and

Shah (1987) also observed this identification problem.

DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF THE 

LUMSHIWAL FORMATION

Danilchik and Shah (1987) suggested that the Lumshiwal Formation of the Surghar Range was deposited under

terrestrial conditions, presumably because of the scattered
10 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

coal and carbonaceous beds found in the upper part of the

formation. Although the identifications of depositional environments are preliminary in the present study, the most

gross probable environments of deposition for the Lumshiwal Formation are shallow marine in the lower part of the

formation and deltaic in the upper part of the formation.

This interpretation is based on the predominance of lithofacies A sandstone in the lower part of the formation. Lithofacies A is transitional with the underlying marine Chichali

Formation, which is rich in belemnites and coiled ammonites (Fatmi, 1972; Danilchik and Shah, 1987) and Early

Cretaceous marine fossils from the lower part of the Lumshiwal described by Fatmi (1972). The lithofacies A sandstone, which has a clay matrix with glauconite, intense

burrowing in places, generally thick bedding, and increasing grain size upward, was probably deposited in shallowmarine, prodeltaic environments. The glauconite probably

represents mineralized fecal pellets of burrowing organisms. Characteristics similar to those described for the

lower part of the formation also have been attributed to shallow-marine and deltaic depositional sequences in numerous

other rock records (Galloway and Hobday, 1983).

The upper part of the Lumshiwal Formation, dominated by lithofacies B sandstone, is more complex than the

lower part. The mix of primary bedding structures and various grain sizes present, the scattered occurrence of carbonaceous and coaly beds, and the abundance of quartzose

sandstone indicate that a dynamic mix of depositional environments was probably responsible for the character of this

unit. The large lithofacies B sandstone bodies probably

resulted from an array of deltaic and nearshore marine processes that gave way to the development of small peat

mires. The abundant quartzose sandstone may represent

deposits that were enriched in their quartz content by

reworking associated with nearshore processes. Frederiksen

(1992) suggested a brackish-to-marine environment of deposition for the upper part of the Lumshiwal on the basis of

the presence of the acritarch Veryhachium sp. Petrographic

study of the major Lumshiwal rock types, detailed outcrop

study of primary bedding structures, and three-dimensional

stratigraphic control are needed for a better definition of the

relative depositional environments of the formation. 

Local tectonic subsidence contemporaneous with deposition most probably played a role in defining the character

of the Lumshiwal Formation. Danilchik and Shah (1987)

noted that the formation thins to the north. This thinning is

evident on the cross section of the Surghar Range (fig. 4).

The thicker part of the Lumshiwal, composed primarily of

sandstone lithofacies B, indicates that the southern part of

the range had a relative subsidence rate that was greater

than that of the northern part of the range. McDougall and

Khan (1990) have shown that a major, modern strike-slip

fault extends along the western part of the Salt Range.

These authors also point out that the strike-slip fault overlies a deep (5 km) basement ridge that probably is of

basement-fault origin. Movement may have occurred along

these or similar basement features during the Cretaceous,

thus influencing the distribution of depocenters, and so may

have contributed to the variation in Lumshiwal Formation

thickness. Indeed, during the Late Cretaceous, the area that

is now the Surghar Range ceased to be a depocenter,

became subaerial, and experienced erosion or nondeposition. This change is evidenced by the lack of Upper Cretaceous strata in the area. Such patterns in deposition may

have been structurally influenced. 

Without a regional stratigraphic data set that can be

used to map sequence boundaries and parasequence packages, fitting the observed changes in Lumshiwal stratigraphy to Mesozoic sea-level curves such as those discussed by

Haq and others (1988) is difficult. Undoubtably, sea-level

and climatic changes affected the deposition of the Lumshiwal. The disconformable surface at the top of the Lumshiwal may be a sequence boundary, but the lateral variations

of stratigraphic thickness of the Lumshiwal appear to be

influenced primarily by the tectonics of the area.

AGE OF THE LUMSHIWAL FORMATION

The disconformable relation between the Lumshiwal

and Hangu Formations is quite enigmatic, because the contact is very difficult to define. Wynne (1880) first described

the rocks of the Trans Indus Mountains and classified some

of the rocks as Cretaceous in age. Gee (1945) later named

some of these rocks the Lumshiwal Formation. Fatmi

(1972), on the basis of fossils including Gryphaea and Hibolithes collected from the basal 3 m of the Lumshiwal Formation in Baroch Nala (section 6, appendix I), suggested

that the lower part of the formation was probably Aptian(?)

to middle Albian in age. The pollen samples collected from

the upper part of the Lumshiwal during the current study

and described by Khan (appendix III), Frederiksen (1992),

and Frederiksen and others (in press) indicate a broader age

range for the Lumshiwal—from Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. One sample (NF89P–3, table 1; section 1, appendix

I), however, collected and described by Frederiksen and

others (in press), correlates with the age given by Fatmi

(1972). Dates obtained from this sample suggest that the

upper part of the Lumshiwal is Aptian to Albian(?) in age.

The location of dated pollen samples collected from the

Surghar Range are plotted on the cross section (fig. 4), and

the position of the difficult-to-define disconformable surface is approximately marked on the cross section.

 Although Danilchick and Shah (1987) describe an

Aptian to Albian(?) age for the Lumshiwal in their text, it is

not clear why figures 3 and 5 of their report show the age of

the formation to be Late Cretaceous. If the age of all the

Lumshiwal is Aptian to Albian(?), then there is a substantial

age difference (roughly 30 million years) between the upper

part of the Lumshiwal and the overlying Paleocene Hangu
LITHOFACIES OF THE HANGU FORMATION 11

Formation. Danilchik and Shah (1987, p. 18) addressed the

situation as follows: “In the Trans-Indus Mountains the

[Lumshiwal] formation apparently disconformably underlies, but is lithologically gradational with, a fossiliferous

formation known to be of Paleocene age.” Presumably the

lithologically gradational nature of the Lumshiwal and

Hangu contact led Danilchick and Shah to suggest that the

upper part of the Lumshiwal may be Late Cretaceous in age. 

LITHOFACIES OF THE 

HANGU FORMATION

The Hangu Formation of the Surghar Range is remarkably similar lithologically to the underlying Lumshiwal Formation, and on first inspection one would believe that the

two units are part of the same stratigraphic sequence. Like

the Lumshiwal, the Hangu is composed mostly of sandstone, with minor amounts of mudstone and claystone, carbonaceous shale, coal beds, and a few intercalations of

limestone. Because the two formations are so similar, the

same lithofacies terminology is used for both. Two major

lithofacies are identified in both the Lumshiwal and Hangu

Formations—(1) one type of sandstone (sandstone lithofacies A) and (2) a combined facies consisting of mudstone,

claystone, carbonaceous shale, and coal beds (combined

lithofacies). There is also a minor carbonate lithofacies that

is composed of arenaceous limestone. Detailed descriptions

of the various lithologies composing the formation are provided in the measured sections (appendix 1).

Although the two formations are similar, there are

some differences. Unlike the Lumshiwal, lithofacies B is

absent from the Hangu Formation. Instead, the Hangu is

dominated by sandstone lithofacies A, which accounts for

approximately two-thirds of the total formation; the combined lithofacies accounts for approximately one-third of

the formation (fig. 4). Intense burrowing is an overwhelming characteristic of Hangu sandstone lithofacies A, and so

the primary bedding features are generally obscured. Burrowed and sometimes rooted mudstone interbeds, generally

<1 m thick, are commonly gradational with the sandstone

lithofacies A. In some places, the Hangu sandstone lithofacies is quartzose, such as at section 8 (appendix I; fig. 4),

and small crossbeds (sets <1 m thick) are common. The

crossbeds are not as large as those observed in the sandstone

lithofacies B of the Lumshiwal; therefore, all sandstone in

the Hangu Formation is included within sandstone lithofacies A. Grain size is commonly fine to medium, but in the

quartzose zones (fig. 4), grain size is normally graded from

coarse at the base to fine at the top of the unit. Glauconite is

less common than in the Lumshiwal, and dispersed carbonaceous material is abundant.

The combined lithofacies of the Hangu Formation, as

in the Lumshiwal Formation, contains mudstone, claystone,

carbonaceous shale, and coal beds. The primary difference

between the two formations is that the Hangu contains the

thick (commonly <2-m-thick), widespread Makarwal coal

bed. Below the Makarwal coal bed is a laterally discontinuous, iron-stained, lateritic, pyrite-rich, and contorted mudstone deposit (fig. 3C). The red mudstone is not always

present, as indicated in those sections measured in the

northernmost part of the Surghar Range (sections 8–10,

appendix I). In these places, the Makarwal coal bed overlies

gray, rooted mudstone. No age for the red mudstones has

been obtained, and so the deposits have been included in the

Hangu Formation, with the Makarwal coal bed. In some

places, a pisolitic structure is developed within the claystone (section 6, appendix 1). In section 14, at Nammal

Pass, in the Salt Range, a thick (>7-m-thick), bauxitic claystone near the base of the Hangu is probably correlative to

the red mudstone zone of the Surghar Range. The red mudstone deposits are similar to those described in the eastern

part of the Salt Range by Warwick and Shakoor (in press)

and probably represent paleosol horizons. Danilchik and

Shah (1987), Shah (1984), and Whitney and others (1990)

described these red deposits as laterites. 

The combined lithofacies in the upper part of the

Hangu Formation is calcareous and contains terrestrial plant

and marine animal fossils. These units are gradational with

the minor carbonate lithofacies and with the overlying

Lockhart Limestone. The carbonate lithofacies of the

Hangu is less arenaceous than that found in the Lumshiwal

and is nodular and muddy (sections 4, 8, 12, appendix I;

fig. 4).

COAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 

HANGU FORMATION

Danilchick and Shah (1987) estimated that the remaining minable coal reserves of the Hangu Formation of the

Surghar Range are about 16.6 million tons. These reserves

are contained in a single coal bed, the Makarwal coal bed,

which dips to the west at about 30° and ranges between 0.6

and 3.0 m in thickness (average, 1.2 m). Near the middle of

the formation in the southern part of the range, a thin coal

bed (<0.6 m thick) is locally referred to as the upper coal

bed and is not part of this reserve estimate. Five in-mine

sections measured in the Surghar Range (sections 2, 5, 7, 9,

13, appendix I) describe the physical characteristics of the

Makarwal coal bed. The coal bed is commonly bright,

sometimes banded, resinous, pyritic, and cleated. Gypsum

occurs along some of the cleats. Sandy or muddy partings or

stringers are common. Roof rock ranges from carbonaceous

shale to mudstone or sandstone that is rooted or burrowed.

Floor rock includes lateritic mudstone, rooted claystone,

mudstone, and fine-grained sandstone that is commonly

pyritic and carbonaceous.

Ghaznavi (1988) described the megascopic and petrographic characteristics of the Makarwal coal bed. He
12 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

reported that the coal bed was resin rich and variable in

thickness. Petrographic study of three Makarwal coal-bed

samples from the Surghar Range indicates that they are vitrinite rich; their average vitrinite content is 71.8 percent.

Inertinite macerals averaged 18.4 percent, and liptinite macerals averaged 9.8 percent.

Landis and others (1971) and Danilchik and Shah

(1987) described and collected eight mine samples and one

mine-run composite sample from the Makarwal coal bed of

the Surghar Range. During the present study, one coal sample from the upper coal bed and six from the Makarwal coal

bed were collected for chemical and physical characterization. In addition, M.I. Ghaznavi collected four samples of

the Makarwal coal bed. Descriptions of the coal samples are

summarized in table 2, and the results of coal-sample analyses are summarized in table 3 and collated in appendix II.

As reported by Landis and others (1971) and Danilchik

and Shah (1987), the apparent rank of the Makarwal coal

bed ranges from high-volatile B to high-volatile C bituminous. Averaged, nonweighted results from the samples

described in Landis and others (1971) and the present study

indicate that some of the averaged, as-received characteristics of the Makarwal and upper beds are (1) moisture content is 5.4 percent; (2) ash yield is 12.5 percent; (3) total

sulfur content is 5.0 percent; and (4) calorific value is 11034

Btu/lb (table 3).

Four coal samples of the Makarwal coal bed were analyzed for various major, minor, and trace elements. The

results of these tests are presented in appendix II (table II–

3). The arithmetic means and standard deviations of these

analyses are presented in table 3. For general comparison,

data for selected elements from the medium-volatile Upper

Freeport coal bed of Pennsylvania are also given (table 3).

The Upper Freeport data set was selected for comparison

with the Makarwal coal bed because both beds are bituminous and the chemical characteristics of the Upper Freeport

coal bed are well documented (Cecil and others, 1981).

Trace elements such as arsenic (As) and selenium (Se)

are sometimes environmental pollutants if their concentrations are greater than those found in the Earth’s crust (NRC,

1980). The arithmetic mean for As in the Makarwal coal

bed samples is 5.88 ppm and does not appear to pose a

threat. This concentration is less than the mean of samples

from the Upper Freeport coal bed (24 ppm) and is comparable to the overall range of As concentrations for all Western

United States coals (0.34–9.8 ppm; Gluskoter and others,

1977). Selenium, however, is a different story. The mean for

Se concentration for all United States coals is 4.1 ppm

(Swanson and others, 1976). The mean for Se concentrations for Western United States coals is 1.4 ppm (Gluskoter

and others, 1977) and for the Upper Freeport coal bed is

2.96 ppm (table 3). For the Surghar Range, the mean Se

concentration is 13.4 ppm. Warwick and others (1990)

found Se concentrations in coal samples from the Salt

Range to average 11.48 ppm. Large-scale use of coal having

very high concentrations of Se can cause unacceptable concentrations of Se from fly ash to accumulate in Pakistan’s

semiarid environment. Therefore, any plans to use Surghar

Range coals for electric-powerplant feedstocks must take

the concentration of Se into consideration.

Table 2. Descriptive summary of Surghar and Salt Range coal samples.

[Location data refer to stratigraphic sections in appendix I. S., section; U., unit. n.a., not available; Do.

(do.), ditto]

Sample No. Source Location Coal bed; sample type

85–MK–004 Ghaznavi, 1986 n.a. Makarwal, whole coal.

85–MK–005 do. n.a. Do.

85–MKGL–006 do. n.a. Do.

85MIG123 Ghaznavi, 1987 n.a. Do.

D–91602 Landis and others, 1971 Godarmal mine Do.

D–91603 do. Charles mine Do.

D–91604 do. do. Do.

D–91605 do. Omparkash mine Do.

D–91606 do. do. Do.

D–91607 do. do. Do.

D–91608 do. Landoo mine Do.

D–91609 do. do. Do.

D–91611 do. mine-run composite Do.

MK–HT–3 Warwick, this study S. 2, U. 4A Makarwal; upper bench.

MK–HT–2 do. S. 2, U. 2A Makarwal; lower bench.

MK–HT–1 do. S. 2, U. 2B upper; whole coal.

MKCT–6 Javed, this study S. 5, U. 2 Makarwal; whole coal.

MK–NCN–4 do. S. 9, U. 16 Do.

MKE 3–5 do. S. 13, U. 2, 4. Do.

MKD3–7 do. S. 7, U. 2 Do.
LITHOFACIES OF THE HANGU FORMATION 13

Table 3. Averaged selected analytical results from Surghar Range coal samples.

[Complete analytical results are given in appendix II. Data from the Upper Freeport coal bed, Pennsylvania, are listed for

comparison (from Cecil and others, 1981). N, number of samples; avg., arithmetic mean; s.d., standard deviation. All values

as-received, except thickness; trace- and minor-element data on whole-coal basis in parts per million. Thickness data from

Danilchik and Shah (1987)]

Characteristic or 

composition

Surghar Range, Pakistan Upper Freeport coal bed,

Eastern United States

N avg. s.d. N avg. s.d.

Coal bed thickness (m) 1.20 2.78

Moisture (percent) 20 5.42 1.04 21 1.05 0.25

Ash yield (percent) 20 12.52 5.36 21 14.95 4.55

Volatile matter (percent) 20 41.21 3.38 21 25.34 2.44

Fixed carbon (percent) 20 40.84 3.06 21 58.66 3.14

Carbon (percent) 20 60.05 4.32 21 72.70 4.05

Hydrogen (percent) 20 5.25 .29 21 4.50 .27

Nitrogen (percent) 20 .80 .24 21 1.23 .10

Total sulfur (percent) 20 4.98 .89 21 2.06 .75

Pyritic sulfur (percent) 9 1.65 1.17 21 1.42 .74

Organic sulfur (percent) 9 2.83 .45 21 .56 .10

Sulfate sulfur (percent) 9 .35 .26 21 1.42 .74

Oxygen (percent) 20 16.38 2.84 21 4.58 .62

Calorific value (Btu/lb) 20 11,034 761 21 12,861 751

Trace- and minor-element data

Ag 4 0.05 0.005 19 0.05 0.04

As 4 5.88 2.44 21 24.00 17.38

B 4 77.26 18.70 21 13.50 6.30

Ba 4 16.44 5.61 20 47.91 18.96

Be 4 3.35 2.39 21 1.52 .51

Br 4 6.36 5.96 21 9.17 3.03

Cd 4 .38 .15 21 .18 .21

Ce 4 11.00 9.40 21 25.90 15.25

Cl 1 150.00

Co 4 2.75 1.37 21 5.40 1.95

Cr 4 20.67 11.23 21 22.24 6.44

Cs 2 .42 .40 21 1.65 .50

Cu 4 110.70 34.20 21 19.14 8.94

Eu 4 .32 .09 21 .48 .32

F 3 56.67 23.09 20 101.20 49.20

Ga 2 5.42 .66 21 7.12 1.98

Ge 2 25.74 23.42 20 1.98 1.41 

Hf 4 1.22 .69 21 1.01 .52

Hg 1 .05 21 .41 .16

La 4 35.25 57.26 21 13.62 7.30

Li 4 160.00 31.60 21 20.94 9.65

Lu 3 .09 .02 21 .18 .11

Mn 4 104.00 77.00 21 22.76 9.13

Mo 2 20.55 5.13 20 1.89 .69

Nb 2 6.85 1.80 21 2.25 1.50

Nd 4 10.24 4.91 13 12.58 6.37

Ni 4 9.92 5.00 21 14.41 7.13

Pb 4 69.00 40.10 21 .81 1.22

Pr 1 1.08

Sb 4 .33 .20 21 .81 1.22

Sc 4 3.15 .93 21 4.65 1.91

Se 4 13.40 4.78 20 2.96 2.73

Sm 4 1.54 .40 21 2.25 1.32

Sn 2 3.73 .83 3 1.93 2.90

Sr 4 157.40 80.30 21 77.44 43.06

Ta 4 .39 .22

Tb 4 .21 .07 20 .39 .27

Th 4 3.18 1.27 7 4.57 1.92

U 4 4.60 6.10 21 1.73 .74

V 4 25.70 18.50 21 22.31 6.57
14 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

LATERAL AND VERTICAL VARIATIONS OF THE 

LITHOFACIES OF THE HANGU FORMATION

The thickness of the Hangu Formation ranges from

4.88 m at the Chichali Pass section in the northern part of

the Surghar Range (section 11, appendix I; fig. 4) to 49.23

m at the Charles mine section (section 4, appendix I; fig. 4)

in the southern part of the range. The Charles mine section

contains the thickest part of the formation and the greatest

amount of sandstone (fig. 4). Along strike, the thickness of

the sandstone gradually decreases northward and rapidly

decreases southward. In the northern part of the study area

at the Chichali Pass section (section 11, appendix I), no

sandstone is found in the Hangu, but farther east, in the

western part of the Salt Range, sandstone beds in the Hangu

are more than 10 m thick (Nammal Pass, section 14, appendix I).

The significant differences between the Hangu and the

Lumshiwal Formations are that the Hangu contains a minable coal bed in its lower part and that the upper part of the

Hangu becomes less sandy and grades into the overlying

Lockhart Limestone. This sequence is the reverse of the

sequence observed in the Lumshiwal Formation. The lower

part of the Lumshiwal is finer grained and more calcareous

than the upper part of the Lumshiwal.

DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF THE 

HANGU FORMATION

Danilchik and Shah (1987, p. 18) suggested that the

lower part of the Hangu Formation of the Surghar Range

was “wholly of terrestrial origin,” and that the upper part

was transitional with the overlying marine Lockhart Limestone. Although the definition of depositional environments

of the Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations is preliminary in

this study, the most probable environment of deposition for

the lower part of the Hangu is similar to that of the upper

part of the Lumshiwal Formation—shallow marine and deltaic. This environment of deposition is suggested by the

abundance of burrowing found in the sandstone of the

Hangu, the frequent mudstone intercalations in the formation, and the presence of marine fossils in the Hangu

(Davies and Pinfold, 1937; Haque, 1956). Frederiksen and

others (in press) and Khan (appendix III) reported that rock

samples from the Hangu of the Surghar Range contain pollen of the brackish-water palm of the genus Spinizonocolpites.

The Makarwal coal bed is unique because it represents

a transition of environments of deposition from those initially associated with subaerial exposure and lateritic paleosol development to those associated with mire development

and subsequent marine and deltaic environments in the

upper part of the Hangu. A rise in relative ground-water

base level may have triggered mire formation to spread over

lateritic paleosol deposits that formed on weathered paleosurfaces of the Lumshiwal Formation. As the relative base

level rose, the mires were flooded by shallow-marine water

and buried by clastic deposits probably derived from local

Paleocene deltas. Only brief periods of peat accumulation

occurred after the formation of the Makarwal coal bed. The

thin, laterally discontinuous carbonaceous shale and coal

beds in the lower and middle parts of the Hangu probably

represent short-lived periods of peat accumulation in the

Paleocene coastal area. Warwick and Shakoor (in press)

have shown that, during the deposition of the Paleocene

Patala Formation in the Salt Range, about 75 km southeast

of the Surghar Range, the shoreline was roughly oriented

north-south and the Tethys Sea lay generally to the west.

 In terms of sequence stratigraphy, the disconformity

between the upper part of the Lumshiwal Formation and the

base of the Hangu (fig. 3C) is a possible sequence boundary.

The lower part of the Hangu Formation of the Surghar

Range, above the Makarwal coal, probably contains several

marine-flooding surfaces, as suggested by the upward

decreasing abundance of terrestrially related lithologies

(such as coal beds) and the increasing presence of limestone

beds having foraminifera. The flooding surfaces cannot be

mapped without detailed local and regional stratigraphic

control, and it may be difficult to distinguish eustatic flooding surfaces from flooding surfaces caused by shifts in the

local subsidence rate or autocyclic environmental shifting.

The transgressive deposits of the Hangu Formation in the

Surghar Range appear, however, to be associated with the

Paleocene transgressive-regressive sequences preserved in

the Salt Range and across northern Pakistan (Warwick and

Table 3. Averaged selected analytical results from Surghar Range coal samples—Continued.

Characteristic or 

composition

Surghar Range, Pakistan Upper Freeport coal bed,

Eastern United States

N avg. s.d. N avg. s.d.

Trace- and minor-element data

W 4 .60 .20

Y 1 6.93 20 6.57 3.92

Yb 4 .71 .31 21 .98 .54

Zn 4 130.00 63.00 21 26.11 17.72

Zr 4 27.74 8.58 21 17.14 8.75
CONCLUSIONS 15

Wardlaw, 1992). Additional fieldwork is needed to address

these problems.

As in the Lumshiwal, local contemporaneous subsidence rates driven by tectonics probably influenced the deposition of the Hangu as much as, or even more than, eustatic

or climatic variations influenced the deposition. As noted by

Danilchik and Shah (1987) and as evident on the cross section of the area (fig. 4), the Hangu thins rapidly to the north.

Similar variations of formation thicknesses have been

described by Fatmi and Haydri (1986) for Mesozoic sedimentary rocks southeast of the Surghar Range in the Salt

Range. These differences in formation thicknesses may be

attributed to local or regional basement faults that may have

been active during Lumshiwal and Hangu deposition. Warwick and Shakoor (in press) and Drewes and others (in

press) suggest that offsets of basement rocks in the Salt

Range and Potwar Plateau, east and northeast of the Surghar

Range, influenced thickness of the Paleocene formations in

those areas. Influence from basement faults, which also

probably affected Lumshiwal deposition, is suggested for

the Hangu Formation. Likewise, tectonic controls, probably

combined with eustatic and climatic controls, influenced the

development of the laterites in the Surghar Range. Shah

(1984) also argued for a dominate tectonic influence on various other lateritic deposits at different stratigraphic positions across Pakistan.

As pointed out by McCabe (1991), tectonics play an

important role in peat accumulation. The Paleocene paleopeat of the Makarwal coal bed accumulated very close to a

disconformable surface that was exposed or experienced

nondeposition for approximately 30 million years during

the Late Cretaceous. The reasons for the formation of this

erosion surface are debatable, but the depositional influences of eustacy and climate change on these rocks were

probably overprinted by tectonic forces. A relatively high

base level is theorized for the upper part of the Hangu and is

indicated by the increasing abundance of marine rocks

above the Makarwal coal bed. Tectonic mechanisms, such

as active basement faults, probably influenced sediment

supply and subsidence rates and caused the rapid change in

lithologies and formation thicknesses observed in the

Surghar Range. 

AGE OF THE HANGU FORMATION

Studies of marine fossils collected from the Hangu

Formation (or the Dhak Pass beds, as it was previously

known) by Davies and Pinfold (1937) and Haque (1956)

have indicated a Paleocene age for the formation. Köthe

(1988), on the basis of a regional study of nannofossils and

dinoflagellates, gave the Hangu Formation a middle to late

Paleocene age. These age ranges are confirmed by the

results from pollen samples collected during this study

(table 1; appendix III).

CONCLUSIONS

The Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations of the Surghar

Range of north-central Pakistan are lithologically similar

and were deposited in what we interpret to have been similar depositional environments of shallow-marine and deltaic

settings. The two formations are separated by a disconformity and possible sequence boundary that represent a hiatus

of approximately 30 million years (from Aptian or Albian to

Paleocene). Palynological data (Frederiksen and others, in

press; Khan, appendix III) indicate that the age of the Lumshiwal is Early Cretaceous, not Late Cretaceous as previously reported by Danilchick and Shah (1987). A middle

Paleocene age is confirmed in this study for the Hangu Formation. The contact between the formations is commonly

associated with possibly Paleocene lateritic paleosols that

developed on exposed Early Cretaceous Lumshiwal rocks.

This disconformity, which has been defined stratigraphically by palynological studies, is graphically displayed on a

cross section of the Surghar Range (fig. 4). The peat deposits that later formed the Makarwal coal bed (average thickness 1.2 m) developed on these lateritic deposits probably in

response to a rise in the relative ground-water base level.

The rise in base level probably was driven by tectonic influences, but climatic and eustatic influences are not excluded.

The Makarwal coal bed represents a transitional lithology

that formed in a depositional setting that changed from laterite formation associated with the unconformity to mires

associated with deltaic environments of the Hangu Formation. The upper part of the Hangu Formation and the Lockhart Limestone represent the culmination of marine

transgression. The rapid change in the thickness of the

Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations, over a distance of about

20 km, suggests that tectonic forces such as active basement

faulting may have influenced deposition of both formations. 

Analytical data from the Makarwal coal bed indicate

that the apparent rank of the coal bed ranges from highvolatile B to high-volatile C bituminous (Landis and others,

1971). Averaged, as-received results from analytical tests

indicate that Hangu coal deposits in the Surghar Range contain 5.4 percent moisture, 12.5 percent ash, and 5 percent

total sulfur and have an average calorific value of 11034

Btu/lb. Trace-element analyses indicate that Hangu Formation coal beds contain concentrations of the environmentally sensitive element selenium (average 13.4 ppm); these

concentrations are relatively high when compared to concentrations from similar United States coals. Structural

complications and a significant overburden have prevented

major development of the coal deposits and have limited

mining to the outcrop area of the Hangu in the Surghar

Range.
16 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

REFERENCES CITED

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Danilchik, Walter, and Shah, S.M.I., 1987, Stratigraphy and coal

resources of the Makarwal area, Trans-Indus Mountains,

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Drewes, Harald, Ahmad, Zaki, and Khan, Rafiullah, in press,

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the Potwar Plateau area, northern Pakistan: U.S. Geological

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———1983, Special features of the geology of Makarwal coal

fields: Proceedings of the National Seminar on Development

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West Pakistan: Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Geology, v. 20, no. 7, p. 297–380.

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Memoirs, v. 10, 80 p.

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1985, Cored rocks in the Rocky Mountain and High Plains

coal fields: Department of Geology, University of Kentucky,

Lexington, 90 p.

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U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92–215, 11 p.

Frederiksen, N.O., Sheehan, T.P., and Andrle, V.A.S., in press,

Spore-pollen biostratigraphy and paleoecology of Mesozoic

and lower Tertiary samples from the Surghar and Salt Ranges,

northern Pakistan, in Warwick, P.D., and Wardlaw, B.R., eds.,

Regional studies of the Potwar Plateau area, northern Pakistan: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2078, chap. D.

Galloway, W.E., and Hobday, D.K., 1983, Terrigenous clastic depositional systems: New York, Springer-Verlag, 423 p.

Gee, E.R., 1938, The economic geology of the northern Punjab,

with notes on adjoining portions of the North-West Frontier

Province: India Mining Geology and Metallic Institute Transaction, v. 33, pt. 3, p. 263–350.

———1941, A study of certain Indian coals: Records of the Geological Survey of India, Professional Paper 11, v. 75, 41 p.

———1945, The age of the Saline Series of the Punjab and of

Kohat: India National Academy of Sciences Proceedings, v.

16, pt. (2–4), p. 95–154.

———1948, Coal: Records of the Geological Survey of India,

Bulletin of Economic Minerals, v. 76, no. 16, 147 p.

———1949, The mineral resources of north western India: Geological Survey of Pakistan Records, v. 1, pt. 1, 25 p.

Ghaznavi, M.I., 1988, The petrographic properties of the coals of

Pakistan: Carbondale, Ill., Southern Illinois University, M.S.

thesis, 175 p.

Gluskoter, H.J., Ruch, R.R., Miller, W.G., Cahill R.A., Dreher,

G.B., and Kuhn, J.K., 1977, Trace elements in coal—Occurrence and distribution: Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 499, 154 p.

Golightly, D.W., and Simon, F.O., eds., 1989, Methods for sampling and inorganic analysis of coal: U.S. Geological Survey

Bulletin 1823, 72 p.

Haq, B.U., Hardenbol, J., and Vail, P.R., 1988, Mesozoic and Cenozoic chronostratigraphy and cycles of sea-level change, in

Wilgus, C.K., Posamentier, H.W., Ross, C.A., and Kendal,

C.G.St., eds., Sea-level changes—An integrated approach:

Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publication 42, p. 72–108.

Haque, A.F.M.M., 1956, The foraminifera of the Ranikot and Laki

of Nammal Gorge, Salt Range: Geological Survey of Pakistan

Memoirs, v. 1, 300 p.

Khan, N.M., 1949, A survey of coal resources of Pakistan: Geological Survey of Pakistan Records, v. 2, pt. 2, p. 1–11.

Köthe, Angelika, 1988, Biostratigraphy of the Surghar Range, Salt

Range, Sulaiman Range and the Kohat area, Pakistan, according to Jurassic through Paleogene calcareous nannofossils

and Paleogene dinoflagellates: Geologisches Jahrbuch, ser. B,

no. 71, p. 3–87.

Landis, E.R., Reinemund, J.A., Cone, G.C., Schick, D.P., and Kebblish, W., 1971, Analyses of Pakistan coals: U.S. Geological

Survey Project Report, (IR) PK–58, 71 p.

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p. 277–282.

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foreland fold-thrust belt—The Kalabagh fault and western

Salt Range, Pakistan: Tectonics, v. 9, no. 5, p. 1061–1075.

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Geochemistry of Coal Resource Development Related

Health, 1980, Trace element geochemistry of coal resource

development related to environmental quality and health:

Washington, D.C., National Academy Press, 153 p.

Shah, S.H.A., 1984, Stratigraphic observations of laterites in Pakistan and oscillation and movement of the Eurasian and Indian

blocks: Geological Bulletin of the University of Peshawar, v.

17, p. 101–108.

Shah, S.M.I., 1977, Stratigraphy of Pakistan: Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Pakistan, v. 12, 138 p.
chap. I.
18

SECTION 1. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, 

LOWER LUMSHIWAL NALA

[The section is in the downfaulted block of the Lumshiwal and Hangu Formations below working coal mines.

Samples were collected for pollen analysis. The approximate location is lat 32°51' N., long 71°08'45'' E. on Survey

of Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1. Measured by Peter D. Warwick and Tariq Shakoor on October

20, 1990 (revised from unpublished notes of Shahid Javed,

S. Tahir A. Mashhadi, and A. Latif Khan, Geological Survey

of Pakistan, 1989)]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lowermost part):

Hangu Formation:

Section starts near the base of the Lumshiwal Formation

SECTION 2. MINE SECTION OF PALEOCENE 

ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, LUMSHIWAL 

NALA MINE, MAKARWAL

[Mine section from Pakistan Mineral Development

Corporation (PMDC) mine, Haq tunnel 1, Maadan-e-Haq,

at Lumshiwal Nala. The Makarwal coal bed is about 18 m

below the upper coal bed, according to Mr. Haq, PMDC

27. Limestone (890), nodular, fossiliferous with 

foraminifers

Not 

measured

26. Covered (000), thickness estimated................................. 1.83

25. Sandstone (543), light-gray, with gray claystone interbeds, quartzose interbeds, flat-bedded, thickness estimated .......................................................................... 4.57

24. Mudstone (320/120), dark-gray, thickness approximate. 1.52

23. Sandstone (543), light-gray, with gray claystone interbeds, more shaly at places .......................................... 1.98

22. Claystone (120), dark-gray, mostly covered.................... .30

21. Mudstone (332), light-gray, gray claystone layers, burrows, sandy in places.................................................. .61

20. Carbonaceous shale (123/023) with coaly streaks, weathered, possible upper coal bed locally mined (see section 2, units 1B and 2B, for description and location of 

upper coal bed samples); same interval as SAMPLE 

NF89P–5 .................................................................... .52

19. Mudstone (323), dark-gray, clay streaks, rooted, burrowed .......................................................................... .46

18. Sandstone (543), light-gray, clay interbeds, flat-bedded, 

fine-grained, burrows.................................................. 2.44

17. Carbonaceous shale (123), dark-gray, sandy streaks, burrows, SAMPLE PW–90–5 ........................................ 1.52

16. Mudstone (332), light-gray, claystone streaks, burrows, 

SAMPLE NF89P–4................................................... .91

15. Sandstone (540), light-gray, massive to flat-bedded, 

fine-grained................................................................. .61

14. Mudstone (332), light-gray, sandy in places, burrows, thin 

carbonaceous shale layers........................................... 1.68

13. Claystone (124), dark-gray, massive ............................... .15

12. Mudstone (332), light-gray, with coal streaks, burrowed, 

flat-bedded .................................................................. 2.13

Section moves laterally west, up the canyon to better exposures

11. Carbonaceous shale (123), coaly, SAMPLE 

PW–90–4.................................................................... .61

10. Mudstone (332), light-gray, iron-stained, coarsens 

upward into sandstone ................................................ 4.57

9. Carbonaceous shale (123/022) with coaly layers, weathered, should be lower coal bed locally mined (see section 2, unit 2A, 3A, and 4A for description and 

location of samples from lower seam)........................ .46

8. Claystone (120), dark-gray, carbonaceous, fissile, flatbedded, SAMPLE PW–90–3 .................................... .76

Total Hangu Formation............................................ 27.63

Lumshiwal Formation (upper part):

7. Sandstone (540), light-gray, medium-grained, fining 

upward, coaly spars, and rooted, fractured, fewer 

iron stains than below (lower part is probable 

interval of SAMPLE NF89P–3)................................ 2.29

6. Claystone (123), brownish-black (5YR 2/1), carbonaceous, coaly streaks with resins, SAMPLE 

PW–90–2 (same interval as SAMPLE T–SH–2

and probable interval of SAMPLE NF89P–2 ........... .30

5. Mudstone (332), medium-reddish-brown, mottled, burrows in places, upper 0.30 m rooted........................... 2.29

4. Sandstone (543), thin claystone interbeds, moderatereddish-brown (10R 4/6), coarse-grained at base, 

mottled throughout, beds about 15 cm thick .............. 1.37

3. Sandstone (544), light-gray, fine- to medium-grained, 

quartzose, mottled, upper part burrowed, iron-stained 

in cracks...................................................................... 1.52

2. Mudstone (322), medium-gray (N 4), clayey in places 

with carbonaceous and coaly streaks, ironstone nodules, SAMPLE PW–90–1 (same interval as SAMPLE K–SH–1 and probable interval of NF89P–1..... .70

1. Sandstone (544), quartzose, fine- to medium-grained, 

flat bedded to low-angle cross beds............................ +6.00

APPENDIX I. MEASURED SECTIONS AND SAMPLE LOCATIONS FROM THE 

SURGHAR AND SALT RANGE COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

[Note: All sections were measured with a Jacob’s staff where possible or were measured on a cliff face with a 30-m

measuring tape. Thicknesses shown are true thicknesses. Numerical rock codes (numerals in parentheses following rock

type) follow Ferm and others (1985). Designations in bold are sample numbers. See text-table 1 for analyst, age, and location

data for samples]
APPENDIX I. MEASURED SECTIONS AND SAMPLE LOCATIONS, SURGHAR AND SALT RANGE COAL FIELDS 19

Chief Geologist (Makarwal Operations). The approximate

location is lat 32°51' N., long 71°08'45'' E. on Survey of

Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1. The section was measured by Shahid Javed, Peter D. Warwick, S.

Tahir A. Mashhadi, and A. Latif Khan on April 2, 1989. The

coal samples were collected by Peter D. Warwick on Oct.

30, 1989. Samples also were collected for pollen analysis]

Thickness

(meters)

Hangu Formation (in part):

SECTION 3. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, 

UPPER LUMSHIWAL NALA

[The section is located in the Surghar Range, Lumshiwal Nala, adjacent to and above working mine facilities.

Mined coal beds are not well exposed in outcrop. The

approximate location is lat 32°51' N., long 71°08'45'' E. on

Survey of Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1.

Measured by Shahid Javed, Peter D. Warwick, S. Tahir A.

Mashhadi, and A. Latif Khan on April 2, 1989]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

Hangu Formation:

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 4. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, 

CHARLES MINE, SIDDIQUI NALA, NORTH 

MAKARWAL

[The section is located in the Surghar Range, Siddiqui

Nala, at the abandoned Charles mine workings that are

above the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation central tunnel and were described by Danilchik and Shah

(1987). Samples were collected for pollen analysis. Dip

ranges from 26° W. to 45° W. Measurements were made to

approximate true thicknesses. The approximate location is

lat 32°47'30'' N., long 71°08'45'' E. on Survey of Pakistan

1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1. Measured by ShaUpper coal bed:

3B. Mudstone (327), carbonaceous, sandy, pyritic, rooted, 

resins ........................................................................... 0.30

2B. Coal (020), bright, resins, cleats, gypsum along fractures, 

thin clayey stringers scattered throughout, SAMPLE 

MK–HT–1.................................................................. .6

1B. Claystone (124), dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous, tiny sand 

inclusions, pyritic, SAMPLE SH–MK–HT–1 .......... .15

Makarwal coal bed:

4A. Coal (020), bright, resins, pyritic in veins, banded, SAMPLE MK–HT–3. About 0.30 m of coal at base is not 

exposed or sampled..................................................... 1.46

3A. Claystone (124), dark-gray (N 3), massive, coal streaks, 

SAMPLE SH–MK–HT–2......................................... .30

2A. Coal (020), bright, resinous, SAMPLE MK–HT–2....... .76

1A. Claystone (123), dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous, abundant 

coal stringers, resins.................................................... .30

25. Limestone (990), pale-yellowish-brown (10YR 6/2), 

fossiliferous with pelecypods....................................

Not

measured

24. Mudstone (400), light-brownish-gray, slightly 

calcareous.................................................................... 3.05

23. Covered (000), probably mudstone, slightly calcareous.. 4.57

22. Sandstone (541), grayish yellow (5Y 8/4), fine- to 

medium-grained, quartzose, soft, friable, iron-stained, 

burrowed, low-angle crossbeds, black metallic 

minerals....................................................................... 7.01

21. Mudstone (333), light-brownish-gray, carbonaceous ...... 5.18

20. Sandstone (541), pinkish-gray (5YR 8/1), quartzose, 

coarse-grained, rounded grains, some black metallic 

minerals, scoured base, sharp contact, burrowed, 

crossbedded................................................................. 3.50

19. Mudstone (338), light-brownish-gray, burrowed, ironstained, plant material ................................................. 1.68

18. Sandstone (548), moderate-greenish-yellow (10Y 7/4), 

fine-grained, burrowed, ferruginous at places, massive .91

17. Mudstone (333), light-brownish-gray, burrowed, ironstained, fine mica specks ............................................ 4.57

16. Mudstone (137), light-brownish-gray, carbonaceous 

matter.......................................................................... 1.52

15. Claystone/ironstone (124), moderate-reddish-brown 

(10R 4/6), iron nodules............................................... 1.07

14. Carbonaceous shale (123), light-olive-gray, sand and silt 

intermixed................................................................... .61

Total Hangu Formation ............................................... 33.67

Lumshiwal Formation (in part):

13. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), fine- to coarsegrained, medium-bedded, burrowed, iron-stained, 

massive ....................................................................... 4.94

12. Mudstone (330), light-gray, carbonaceous matter, iron 

staining ....................................................................... .15

11. Sandstone (548), fine-grained, more burrowed than 

below .......................................................................... 1.68

10. Sandstone (540), very light-gray (N 8), coarse-grained, 

quartzose, rounded grains, iron-stained, some black 

minerals (may be ilmenite), low-angle flat beds, burrowed, small scours, possibly beach facies ................ 7.92

9. Sandstone (541), same as unit 7, more massive.............. 3.81

8. Sandstone (541), same as unit 7...................................... 6.71

7. Sandstone (541), grayish-pink (5R 8/2), coarse-grained 

interbeds, crossbedded, large tabular crossbeds, iron 

staining, ferruginous, friable, calcareous, iron nodules, 

coal specks, coarsening-upward sequence, upper part 

becoming trough crossbedded. Paleocurrent direction 

is N. 80° E. or S. 80° W., as indicated by small-scale 

trough crossbeds 0.35 m wide and 8 cm high ............ 16.46

6. Arenacious limestone (800), light-gray (N 7) to mediumlight-gray (N 6), glauconitic, coarse quartz grains, 

ironstone concretions ................................................. 1.22

5. Sandstone (540), pale-yellowish-brown, coarse-grained, 

quartz pebbles............................................................. .21

4. Sandstone (548), pale-yellowish-brown, fine-grained, 

thick-bedded, burrowed, iron-stained......................... 8.84

3. Sandstone (540), pale-yellowish-brown, coarse-grained, 

massive quartz pebbles up to 2 mm, sharp contact with 

the lower strata ........................................................... .46

2. Sandstone (548), same as unit 1...................................... 10.97

1. Sandstone (548), pale yellowish-brown (10YR 6/2), finegrained, burrowed, flat-and thick-bedded, carbonaceous streaks, iron-stained along fractures, ferruginous in places, friable................................................. 10.36
20 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

hid Javed, Peter D. Warwick, S. Tahir A. Mashhadi, and A.

Latif Khan on April 3, 1989]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

Hangu Formation:

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 5. MINE SECTION OF PAKISTAN 

MINERAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 

CENTRAL TUNNEL, NORTH MAKARWAL

[Because the main mine area was under repair, a coal

channel sample was collected from a part of the coal bed

left in a mined-out area. The roof had fallen at various

places, and the coal face was inaccessible. A coal bed

approximately 2.4 m thick was visible on one of the mine

sides, but it was difficult to sample because of poor wall

supports. Coal-bed thickness generally varies between 0.61

and 1.07 m. The maximum length of the mine is about

3,350 m, and the bed at the active mine face is about 1.37 m

thick. The mine-mouth location is approximately lat

32°52'39'' N., long 71°09'30'' E. on Survey of Pakistan

1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1. The section was

measured, and the coal sample collected, by Shahid Javed

and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 9, 1989]

Thickness

(meters)

Hangu Formation (in part):

39. Limestone (996), light-gray (N 7), nodular ....................Not

measured

38. Claystone (423) with limestone interbeds, transitional 

with overlying limestone ............................................ 0.91

37. Sandstone (548), same as unit 36 .................................... 4.57

36. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray, fine-grained, burrowed, 

iron-stained, carbonaceous matter .............................. 4.88

35. Mudstone (333), yellowish-gray, burrowed, carbonaceous 

streaks, iron-stained, flat-bedded................................ 1.83

34. Limestone (996), light-gray, fossiliferous (foraminifers), 

nodular........................................................................ 1.37

33. Mudstone (330), light-gray (N 7) .................................... 4.57

32. Limestone (800), very light-gray, silty............................ .36

31. Sandstone (748), yellowish-gray, fine-grained, abundant 

coal streaks and carbonaceous matter......................... 2.44

30. Carbonaceous shale (123), dusky-brown (5YR 2/2), carbonaceous ................................................................... .30

29. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray, fine- to mediumgrained, calcite cement, iron-stained, upper part contains carbonaceous matter, coal streaks, burrowed, 

rooted.......................................................................... 5.18

28. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray, fine- to mediumgrained, burrowed, iron-stained at places, upper part 

contains lime cement .................................................. 16.76

27. Sandstone (543), yellowish-gray, fine- to mediumgrained, carbonaceous matter, interbedded with subordinate mudstone and carbonaceous shale beds, burrowed .......................................................................... 2.29

26. Sandstone (540), dark-yellowish-orange (10YR 6/6), 

coarse-grained, coal streaks........................................ .76

25. Coal (020), weathered, SAMPLE T–SH–3.................... 1.83

24. Mudstone (133), brownish-gray (5YR 4/1), carbonaceous, 

burrowed..................................................................... .91

23. Claystone (132), light-brownish-gray, carbonaceous...... .27

Total Hangu Formation................................................ 49.23

Lumshiwal Formation (in part) (the contact with the Hangu

Formation is not clear):

22. Sandstone (544), olive-gray (5Y 4/1), fine-grained, abundant carbonaceous matter ........................................... 0.36

21. Claystone (133), light-brownish-gray, carbonaceous...... .30

20. Sandstone (548), same as unit 18, upper few centimeters 

are more ferruginous................................................... 7.62

19. Coal (020), weathered, powdery, has been mined, 

SAMPLE K–SH–4.................................................... .06

18. Sandstone (548), white (N 9) to very light-gray, quartzose, fine-grained, loose, friable, sugary, some black 

minerals, burrowed; in places, bands of rounded coarse 

sandstone nodules that are calcite cemented and ferruginous; upper part fine- to coarse-grained with some 

carbonaceous matter ................................................... 3.96

17. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray, (5Y 7/2), fine-grained, 

massive, burrowed, iron-stained, local dip is 26° W... 1.22

16. Mudstone (338), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), thin-bedded, 

carbonaceous, burrowed, SAMPLE K–SH–3 ........... 1.07

15. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), fine-grained, 

massive, burrowed, iron-stained ................................. 2.13

14. Mudstone (334), grayish-orange to light-brownish-gray 

(5YR 6/1), carbonaceous material, thin-bedded, 

burrowed..................................................................... 6.40

13. Sandstone (640), medium- to coarse-grained, calcareous 

cement, ferruginous-rich iron bands, glauconitic ....... .76

12. Sandstone (548), medium-light-gray (N 6), finegrained, argillaceous, burrowed, iron-stained, iron 

concretions.................................................................. 1.83

11. Mudstone/sandstone (328), dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous, burrowed, iron-stained, SAMPLE 

K–SH–2...................................................................... .61

10. Sandstone (541), same as unit 6 ...................................... 4.11

9. Claystone (124), dark-gray, carbonaceous ...................... .15

8. Sandstone (541), same as unit 6, coarse-grained, large 

tabular crossbeds......................................................... 11.58

7. Sandstone (541), same as unit 6 ...................................... 14.33

6. Sandstone (541), white (N 9) to light-gray, quartzose, 

coarse- to fine-grained, loose, friable, large-scale 

crossbeds, iron-stained, black minerals, thick-bedded 

to massive, rounded coarse sandstone nodules with 

calcareous cement in the upper part............................ 11.89

5. Sandstone (541), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), very finegrained, quartzose, large crossbeds in the upper part, 

burrowed, iron concretions ......................................... 7.62

4. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), very finegrained, argillaceous, abundant carbonaceous streaks, 

burrowed, iron-stained, massive ................................. 7.92

3. Sandstone (541), covered, same as unit 1........................ 9.75

2. Sandstone (541), mostly covered, same as unit 1............ 15.54

1. Sandstone (541), very light-gray (N B), quartzose, very 

coarse-grained, soft, friable, iron-stained and concretions, burrowed, massive- to thick-bedded, occasionally crossbedded, occasional coarse to pebbly quartz 

bands ........................................................................... 6.71

3. Sandstone (550), very light-gray, quartzose, fine-grained, 

coal specks, iron-stained............................................. +0.30

2. Coal (020), bright, vitreous, SAMPLE MKCT–6 ......... .49

1. Sandstone (550), fine-grained, quartzose, iron-stained, 

carbonaceous matter ................................................... +.30
APPENDIX I. MEASURED SECTIONS AND SAMPLE LOCATIONS, SURGHAR AND SALT RANGE COAL FIELDS 21

SECTION 6. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, 

BAROCH NALA

[The section is located in the Surghar Range, Baroch

Nala, north of Haji Maula Khan and Akhbar Badshah coal

mines. Dip at the base of the section in the Lumshiwal Formation is about 52° NW., and strike is N. 28° E. Samples

were collected for pollen analysis. The approximate location of the section is lat 32°55'35'' N., long 71°08'50'' E. on

Survey of Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1.

The section was measured by Peter D. Warwick, Shahid

Javed, and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 4, 1989. The section was revisited and resampled by Peter D. Warwick,

Tariq Shakoor, Edward Johnson, Edward Landis, James

Fassett, and Shaukat Qureshi on October 20, 1990]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

Hangu Formation:

Section starts at the base of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 7. MINE SECTION OF PALEOCENE 

ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, 

MALLAR KHEL

[Mine section from the Pakistan Mineral Development

Corporation Sardar Wilayat Shah mine, north incline, level

No. 1. Dip of the rocks is about 49° N. The approximate

location of the mine mouth is lat 32°55'35'' N., long

71°8'50'' E. on Survey of Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1. The section was measured by Shahid

Javed and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 10, 1989. A channel sample of coal from the working face was collected by

Shahid Javed on Oct. 30, 1989, for chemical and physical

characterization]

Thickness

(meters)

Hangu Formation (in part):

SECTION 8. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR RANGE, 

LANDA PUSHA CANYON

[The section is located in the Landa Pusha stream canyon, north of the villages of Banda Girdhari and Doya. The

19. Limestone (890), light-gray, nodular, fossiliferous ....... Not 

measured

18. Sandstone (548), light-gray (N 7), very fine-grained, calcite cement, heavily burrowed, burrows occasionally 

filled with ferruginous material, thick-bedded to 

massive........................................................................ 8.23

17. Mudstone (118), black, carbonaceous, resins, heavily burrowed in the upper part where burrows are filled with 

sand, silty stringers throughout................................... 1.83

16. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 8/1) to olive-gray 

(5Y 4/1), fine-grained, burrowed, flat-bedded, lower 

part friable................................................................... 10.36

15. Mudstone (328), brownish-gray, carbonaceous material, 

burrowed, flat-bedded ................................................. 1.22

14. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray, fine-grained, abundant 

carbonaceous matter, heavily burrowed, iron-stained. 3.20

13. Carbonaceous shale (123), thickens across canyon where 

miners have tried excavations for coal, SAMPLE 

PW–90–8 .................................................................... .15

12. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray, fine-grained, abundant 

carbonaceous matter, heavily burrowed, iron-stained.. 4.57

11. Coal (022), black, sand-filled burrows in top of bed, 

sandy inclusions, several mines active, thickness varies, sampled thickness is 0.33 m thick, SAMPLE 

PW–90–7; see section 7.............................................. .61

10. Claystone (124), light-olive-gray (5Y 4/4), iron-stained, 

pisolitic, spheres up to 5 cm in diameter, fractured, 

pyritic, possible paleosol, SAMPLE PW–90–6......... .91

Total Hangu Formation................................................ 31.08

Lumshiwal Formation:

9. Sandstone (541), very light-gray (N 8) to grayish-orange 

(10YR 7/4), coarse-grained, heavily burrowed, tabular 

crossbed sets, iron-stained .......................................... 6.10

8. Claystone (123), dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous, sandy, 

SAMPLE K–SH–5 .................................................... 1.04

7. Sandstone (541), white, quartzose, hard, friable, finegrained, medium- and flat-bedded, small-scale tabular 

crossbeds, burrowed, iron-stained............................... 11.58

6. Sandstone (543) with claystone interbeds; sandstone is 

yellowish gray, fine grained, very thin bedded; claystone is interbedded with carbonaceous material, 

brownish-gray ............................................................. 9.14

5. Sandstone (541), generally yellowish-gray to dark-yellowish-orange, fine- to coarse-grained, burrowed, 

large tabular crossbed sets; mixed with dark-yellowish-brown sandstone that is quartzose and coarse 

grained, friable, iron stained, with thin carbonaceous 

claystone beds in the lower horizons.......................... 15.24

4. Sandstone (540), dark-gray (N 3), sandy nodules, pyritic, 

coal specks, highly carbonaceous, burrowed, local diggings for possible coal in this unit.............................. .91

3. Sandstone (541), very light-gray to dark-yellowishorange (10YR 6/6), coarse-grained, large tabular crossbeds, quartzose, friable, iron-stained, burrowed, carbonaceous matter........................................................ 19.81

2. Sandstone (541), very light-gray to dark-yellowish, quartzose, burrowed, thick-bedded, carbonaceous matter, 

iron-stained, coal streaks, coarse-grained, mediumbedded, crossbedded, with coarse quartz bands in the 

upper part, crossbed sets up to 1.2 m thick, tabular 

crossbeds, ferruginous bands ..................................... 24.38

1. Sandstone (540), grayish-orange (10YR 7/4) to yellowishgray (5Y 7/2) and grayish-yellow (5Y 8/4), finegrained, iron-stained in bands, carbonaceous matter, 

massive- to very thick-bedded, Fatmi (1972) collected 

the fossils Gryphaea and Hibolithes from the basal 3m 

of this unit .................................................................. 30.48

Total Lumshiwal Formation........................................ 118.68

3. Claystone (133), medium-gray to medium-light-gray, 

coaly specks, claystone has a plastic and swelling 

behavior at the coal contact........................................ +0.30

2. Coal (020), bright, vitreous, top of bed heavily burrowed, 

SAMPLE MKD3–7. Coal thickness laterally swells 

and pinches; about 9.0 m south from the sample location, the bed is 1.50 m thick along a length of about 9.0 

m, then farther south the bed thickness increases to 

0.36 m and in places becomes 0.24 m........................ .94

1. Sandstone (748), medium-gray (N 5), fine grained, coal 

streaks, carbonaceous matter...................................... +.30
22 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

base of the section is approximately located at lat 32°58'24''

N., long 71°11'54'' E. on Survey of Pakistan 1:50,000-scale

topographic map 38 P/1. The section was measured by Shahid Javed and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 6, 1989]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 9. MINE SECTION OF CRETACEOUS 

AND PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE SURGHAR 

RANGE, GULA KHEL AREA

[The section is located in the large canyon north of the

villages of Gula Khel and Narmia in the northeastern part of

the Surghar Range. Along the line of section is the Makarwal New C Narmia mine where a coal sample was collected. The approximate location of the base of the section

is lat 32°58'54'' N., long 71°13'23'' E. on Survey of Pakistan

1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/1. The section was

measured by Shahid Javed and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on

April 5, 1989. One coal sample was collected by Shahid

Javed on Oct. 30, 1989, for coal chemistry and physical

characteristics]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

28. Limestone (996), fossiliferous, nodular .......................... +15.00

Hangu Formation:

27. Sandstone (643), same as unit 26, interbedded with limestone, light-gray (N 7)................................................. 3.05

26. Sandstone (558), white to yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), finegrained, some black minerals, quartzose, burrowed, 

iron-stained at places, carbonaceous material, 

medium-bedded .......................................................... 3.05

25. Sandstone (558), white to yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), fineto coarse-grained, some black minerals, quartzose, 

burrowed, calcareous cement in places, fine-grained in 

the upper part, iron-stained, carbonaceous material in 

places .......................................................................... 14.33

24. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8), medium- to 

coarse-grained, quartzose, hard, carbonaceous material, small crossbed sets, burrowed, medium- to thickbedded......................................................................... 7.47

23. Coal (020), black (N 1), resin, sandy layers, bright, burrowed at top, burrows filled with sand, coal bed thickness ranges from 0.15 to 0.38 m................................. .38

22. Mudstone (137), brownish-gray, abundant carbonaceous 

matter, sandstone bands, rooted.................................. .49

Total Hangu Formation................................................ 28.77

Lumshiwal Formation (in part):

21. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8), quartzose, finegrained, friable, hard, iron-stained, carbonaceous 

material, flat- to crossbedded, some black minerals... 16.76

20. Sandstone (548), pale-greenish-yellow (10Y 8/2), very 

fine-grained, burrowed, interbedded with claystone, 

brownish-gray (5YR 4/1) to dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous ......................................................................... 5.49

19. Sandstone (548), very light-gray (N 8), quartzose, finegrained, burrowed, iron-stained, medium-bedded...... 1.83

18. Mudstone (113), black (N 1), carbonaceous, sandy ........ .12

17. Sandstone (548), very light-gray (N 8) to very paleorange, burrowed, iron-stained................................... 2.74

16. Claystone (113), carbonaceous, black (N 1) ................... 1.22

15. Sandstone (558), very light-gray (N 8), fine-grained, 

quartzose, friable, burrowed, iron-stained, abundant 

carbonaceous matter ................................................... 1.37

14. Mudstone (113), carbonaceous, black (N 1), sandy ........ .15

13. Sandstone (558), very light-gray (N 8), quartzose, coarsegrained, burrowed, carbonaceous material, friable, 

iron-stained, thick-bedded .......................................... 2.29

12. Sandstone (551), black (N 1), clayey, carbonaceous....... .30

11. Sandstone (551), same as unit 9 ...................................... 6.10

10. Sandstone (551), same as unit 9 ...................................... 13.41

9. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8) to pale-yellowishorange (10YR 8/6), quartzose, coarse-grained, ironstained, bands of coarse quartz grains at intervals, ironstained in places, flat-bedded...................................... 7.62

8. Sandstone (551), white to very light-gray (N 8), quartzose, friable, some black minerals, fine- to mediumgrained, crossbedded, burrowed, iron-stained, coarse 

quartz bands at places................................................. 5.79

7. Sandstone (551), same as unit 6 ...................................... 5.18

6. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8) to yellowish gray 

(5Y 7/2), quartzose, very fine-grained, friable, burrowed, bands of very coarse quartz grains in places, 

small tabular crossbed sets, iron-stained, medium- to 

thick-bedded, carbonaceous matter............................. 4.57

5. Sandstone (543), same as unit 1 ...................................... 3.05

4. Sandstone (543), same as unit 1 ...................................... 7.01

3. Sandstone (543), same as unit 1, contains sandstone nodules (3.5-cm diameter) filled with ferruginous matter 10.06

2. Sandstone (543), same as unit 1 ...................................... 3.66

1. Sandstone (543), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), very finegrained, argillaceous, burrowed, burrows filled with 

ferruginous matter, thick- to massive-bedded, calcite 

veins in places............................................................. 9.14

23. Limestone (906), nodular ................................................ +15.24

Hangu Formation:

22. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), fine- to 

medium-grained, medium- to thick-bedded, burrowed, iron-stained ..................................................... 9.14

21. Sandstone (543), very light-gray (N 8) to dark-gray, carbonaceous, fine-grained, burrowed, thin- to mediumbedded......................................................................... .55

20. Sandstone (548), very light-gray (N 8) to yellowish-gray 

(5Y 7/2), fine-grained, ferruginous, burrowed ............ 1.37

19. Claystone (123), dark-gray, carbonaceous ...................... 1.07

18. Sandstone (553), same as unit 17 .................................... .76

17. Sandstone (553), very light-gray (N 8) to yellowish-gray, 

fine-grained, quartzose, burrowed, flat-bedded, carbonaceous material, iron-stained, thin beds of carbonaceous shale in the lower part, some black minerals .. 6.10

16. Coal (020), black, weathered, pinches to 6 cm laterally, 

SAMPLE MK–NCN–4 ............................................. .30

15. Mudstone (123), brownish-gray (5YR 4/1), silty carbonaceous matter, pyritic .................................................. .30

Total Hangu Formation................................................ 19.59

Lumshiwal Formation(?) (in part):

14. Sandstone (748), very light-gray (N 8) to yellowish-gray 

(5Y 7/2), fine-grained, burrowed, abundant carbonaceous material, coal streaks....................................... 9.14

13. Mudstone (112), black (N 1), carbonaceous, coarse quartz 

grains........................................................................... .20
APPENDIX I. MEASURED SECTIONS AND SAMPLE LOCATIONS, SURGHAR AND SALT RANGE COAL FIELDS 23

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 10. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE NORTHERN 

SURGHAR RANGE, KURD-SHO AREA

[The section is located north of the village of Nasriwala at the head of the large canyon of Wahan Bhoji. The

location of the base of the section is approximately lat

32°01'10'' N. and long 71°18'10'' E. on Survey of Pakistan

1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 O/8 and was measured

by Shahid Javed and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 7, 1989]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 11. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE NORTHERN 

SURGHAR RANGE, CHICHALI PASS

[The section is located in Chichali Nala. Dip is about

40° W., strike is N. 65° E. Approximate location of the base

of the section is lat 33°00'30'' N., long 71°24'25'' E. on Survey of Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 O/8.

The section was measured by Shahid Javed, Peter D. Warwick, and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 4, 1989. Samples

were collected for pollen analyses]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

12. Sandstone (541), very light-gray, quartzose, coarsegrained, friable, carbonaceous material, iron-stained, 

some black minerals, medium- to thick-bedded, burrowed, coal specks ...................................................... 8.84

11. Sandstone (543), black, carbonaceous............................. .15

10. Sandstone (548), light-gray, carbonaceous material, fineto medium-grained, iron-stained, burrowed................ .30

9. Sandstone (543), black, carbonaceous............................. .15

8. Sandstone (551), same as unit 5 ...................................... 3.96

7. Sandstone (551), same as unit 5 ...................................... 5.18

6. Sandstone (551), same as unit 5, small tabular crossbed 

sets............................................................................... 10.97

5. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8), fine- to coarsegrained, quartzose, iron-stained, burrowed, large 

tabular crossbed sets, some black minerals, very

coarse quartz grain bands in places............................. 14.93

4. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8), fine- to coarsegrained, generally flat-bedded with some tabular 

crossbeds, iron-stained, some iron nodules, burrowed, 

bands of very coarse grains in places, some black 

minerals, quartzose ..................................................... 19.81

3. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8) to very paleorange (10YR 8/2), quartzose, fine-grained, hard, friable, burrowed, iron-stained, carbonaceous material, 

crossbedded, medium- to thick-bedded ...................... 9.14

2. Sandstone (553), very pale-orange (10YR 8/2), quartzose, 

burrowed, thick-bedded, fine-grained, some black 

minerals, iron-stained.................................................. 9.45

1. Sandstone (548), very light-gray (N 8) to dark-yellowishorange (10YR 6/6), fine-grained, burrowed, burrows 

filled with ferruginous material, iron-stained, massive, 

carbonaceous material, ferruginous sandstone nodules 

0.03 × 0.18 m .............................................................. 12.19

20. Limestone (896), fossiliferous, nodular, clayey............... +15.24

Hangu Formation:

19. Sandstone (643), very light-gray (N 8) to grayish-yellow 

(5Y 8/4), fine-grained, carbonaceous bands in places. 3.96

18. Sandstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), fine-grained, 

argillaceous, iron-stained, ferruginous in places......... 8.53

17. Sandstone/mudstone (548), yellowish-gray (5Y 7/2), finegrained, argillaceous, carbonaceous, ferruginous material, thin-bedded .......................................................... 1.52

16. Sandstone (748), same as unit 15, ferruginous................ 3.96

15. Sandstone (748), very light-gray (N 8), fine- to coarsegrained, quartzose, coal streaks, burrowed, friable, 

iron-stained ................................................................. 3.35

14. Mudstone (338), light-brownish-gray (5YR 6/1), burrowed, carbonaceous material, sandy nodules, resins. .91

13. Coal (020), black (N 1), bright resins, associated with clay 

bands .......................................................................... .27

12. Mudstone (333), light-brownish-gray interbedded with 

dark gray (N 3) claystone ........................................... 8.84

11. Carbonaceous shale (030), black (N 1), resins................ .20

10. Coal (020), black............................................................. .08

9. Sandstone (543), very light-gray (N 8), fine-grained, burrowed, abundant carbonaceous material, iron-stained .91

Total Hangu Formation ............................................... 32.53

Lumshiwal Formation (in part):

8. Sandstone (543), black (N 1), carbonaceous................... 0.08

7. Sandstone (551), same as unit 6, fine- to medium-grained 

in the upper part ......................................................... 7.62

6. Sandstone (551), very light-gray (N 8), to pale-yellowishorange (10YR 8/6), coarse-grained, quartzose, large 

tabular crossbed sets, burrowed, iron-stained, bands of 

very coarse quartz in places, friable ........................... 9.14

5. Sandstone (551), white (N 9) to very light-gray (N 8), 

thick-bedded, fine-grained, coarse-grained in the upper 

part, coarse quartz grains in bands at places, burrowed, 

iron-stained, crossbedded, quartzose, friable ............. 7.01

4. Sandstone (551), same as unit 3...................................... 10.97

3. Sandstone (551), white (N 9) to very light-gray (N 8), unit 

3, crossbedded in the upper part, bands of coarse 

quartz grains in the upper part.................................... 17.07

2. Sandstone (558), very light-gray to pale-greenish-yellow 

(10Y 8/2), fine-grained, medium- to thick-bedded, 

quartzose, friable, burrowed, iron-stained, carbonaceous material........................................................... 11.28

1. Sandstone (548), very light-gray (N 8), fine-grained, massive, burrowed, iron-stained, carbonaceous material, 

argillaceous in the lower part ..................................... 8.53

10. Limestone (906), light-gray, nodular .............................. +22.00

Hangu Formation(?):

9. Covered (000), probably claystone or limestone ............ 1.22

8. Claystone (133), light-brownish-gray, carbonaceous, 

iron-stained, contains alum ........................................ 3.66

Total Hangu Formation ............................................... 4.88

Lumshiwal Formation:

7. Claystone (123), black, carbonaceous............................. 0.30

6. Coal (020), dull, weathered, SAMPLES K–SH–6, 

NF89P–8, NF89P–9 .................................................. .05

5. Mudstone (337), olive-gray, rooted, iron-stained............ .01

4. Sandstone (558), very light-gray, fine-grained, quartzose, 

heavily burrowed........................................................ 1.52
24 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal or upper part of the

Chichali Formation.

SECTION 12. SECTION OF CRETACEOUS AND 

PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE NORTHERN 

SURGHAR RANGE, MUHABBAT KHEL

[The section is located near Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation mine E–3, north of the village of Muhabbat Khel. The approximate location of the base of the

section is lat 32°59'52'' N., long 71°25'31'' E. on Survey of

Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/5. The section was measured by Shahid Javed and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 8, 1989]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

Section starts in the lower part of the Lumshiwal Formation.

SECTION 13. MINE SECTION OF PALEOCENE 

ROCKS IN THE NORTHERN SURGHAR RANGE, 

MUHABBAT KHEL

[Mine section from Pakistan Mineral Development

Corporation lease area, mine E–3, gate 1, tunnel 1, near the

village of Muhabbat Khel. The mine is located at Muhabbat

Khel at lat 32°59'52'' N., long 71°25'31'' E. on Survey of

Pakistan 1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/5. The section was measured by Shahid Javed and S. Tahir A. Mashhadi on April 8, 1989. Composite coal channel sample was

collected by Shahid Javed on Oct. 30, 1989, for chemical

and physical characterization]

Thickness

(meters)

Hangu Formation (in part):

SECTION 14. SECTION OF JURASSIC, 

CRETACEOUS, AND PALEOCENE ROCKS IN THE 

WESTERN SALT RANGE, NAMMAL PASS

[The section is located about 0.4 km south of the

Mianwali-Talagang road, in a small canyon cutting the

Jurassic to Tertiary section in the western Salt Range. Beds

dip approximately 45° NE. Section starts in the upper part

of the Jurassic Datta Formation and continues to the Paleocene Lockhart Limestone. Samples were collected for pollen analysis. The approximate location of the section is lat

32°40'30'' N., long 71°47'10'' E. on Survey of Pakistan

1:50,000-scale topographic sheet 38 P/14. The section was

measured by Peter D. Warwick and Tariq Shakoor on

November 15, 1990]

Thickness

(meters)

Lockhart Limestone (lower part):

3. Sandstone (540), black, carbonaceous ............................ .91

2. Sandstone (551), very light-gray, fine-grained, quartzose, 

friable, large tabular crossbed sets, carbonaceous matter, iron-stained, coarser and more ferruginous in the 

upper horizons, rounded fine sandstone nodules with 

calcite cement in the upper part, nodules with about 

10-cm diameter........................................................... 18.90

1. Sandstone (548), medium-dark-gray to light-olive-gray 

(5Y 6/1), fine-grained, thick-bedded to massive, 

heavily burrowed, carbonaceous material throughout, 

iron-stained................................................................. 42.67

Total Lumshiwal Formation ........................................ 64.36

20. limestone (996), light-gray, fossiliferous, nodular .......... +9.00

Hangu Formation:

19. Mudstone (330), light-olive-gray (5Y 6/1) ...................... .46

18. Sandstone (543), very light-gray (N 8), fine-grained, ironstained......................................................................... .76

17. Mudstone (434), light-olive-gray (5Y 6/1), with thin lightgray limestone interbeds............................................. 4.88

16. Sandstone (550), pale-reddish-brown, fine-grained, ironstained, soft, friable, coarse quartz grains .................. .99

15. Mudstone (333), interbedded mudstone and claystone, 

light-brownish-gray to dark-gray, abundant carbonaceous material, highly carbonaceous in places ......... 5.79

14. Carbonaceous shale (030), dark-gray.............................. .30

13. Sandstone (548), very light-gray, very fine-grained, 

argillaceous, abundant carbonaceous material, burrowed .......................................................................... 2.74

12. Sandstone (743), yellowish-gray, quartzose, fine- to 

medium-grained, coal streaks, heavily burrowed, flatbedded......................................................................... 1.98

11. Claystone (123), dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous material 

abundant...................................................................... 1.52

10. Coal (020), bright, sandy layers in lower parts ............... .46

9. Sandstone (748), very light-gray, fine-grained, quartzose, 

abundant coal streaks, with 0.61-m-thick coal band in 

middle......................................................................... .91

8. Coal (020), black, bright, sandy inclusions..................... .33

7. Sandstone (743), very light-gray, fine-grained, quartzose, 

carbonaceous material, abundant coal streaks, thin coal 

layers at intervals, rooted............................................ 1.83

Total Hangu Formation................................................ 22.95

Lumshiwal Formation (in part):

6. Claystone (123), dark-gray (N 3), carbonaceous, resins . 0.08

5. Sandstone (748), very light-gray, fine-grained, friable, 

abundant coal streaks .................................................. .27

4. Sandstone (543), black, carbonaceous............................. .08

3. Sandstone (550), dark-gray (5Y 7/2), coarse-grained, 

bands of very coarse quartz grains in places, carbonaceous material, coal streaks....................................... 1.83

2. Sandstone (548), dark-gray, fine-grained, carbonaceous, 

burrowed ..................................................................... .09

1. Sandstone (548), grayish-yellow, fine-grained, burrowed, 

carbonaceous material, massive.................................. 5.49

5. Sandstone (550), very light-gray, fine-grained, quartzose, 

friable, abundant coal streaks...................................... +0.30

4. Coal (020), bright, sandy inclusions, SAMPLE 

MKE 3–5 (combined with unit 2) .............................. .23

3. Sandstone (748), very light-gray, fine-grained, quartzose, 

abundant coal streaks .................................................. .52

2. Coal (020), bright, sandy layers, SAMPLE MKE 3–5 

(combined with unit 4)................................................ .30

1. Sandstone (748), very light-gray, fine-grained, abundant 

coal streaks, burrowed, quartzose ............................... +.30

19. Limestone/marly claystone (800), partly covered ........... +6.00

Hangu Formation:

26

Table II–1. Background data for Surghar Range coal samples.

[Key, National Coal Resource Data System (NCRDS) reference number (sample information for Key numbers 602 to 611 are from Landis and others, 1971,

and are not part of the NCRDS data system); LABNO, laboratory number; POINTID, sample number; QUAD, Survey of Pakistan 1:50,000 topographic

sheet; DATE, date collected; SAMPTHK, sampled coal-bed thickness, in meters; SAMPTYP, sample type; ANAL, analysis type; VALREP, number of analytical values (single or multiple samples); ESTRANK, estimated rank; LOCNAME, location name; S, section; U, unit (appendix I, this report); NDE, no

data entered; USBM, U.S. Bureau of Mines]

KEY LABNO POINTID COLLECTOR LATITUDE LONGITUDE QUAD DATE

372 W235587 85-MK-004 GSP-GHAZNAVI 325200000N 710900000E 38 P/1 (15') 860403

373 W235588 85-MK-005 GSP-GHAZNAVI 325300000N 710900000E 38 P/1 (15') 860403

374 W235589 85-MKGL-006 GSP-GHAZNAVI 330000000N 711400000E 38 P/1 (15') 860403

572 W239745 85MIG123 GSP-GHAZNAVI 325810000N 711110000E 38 P/1 (15') 870325

929 T434033 MK-HT-3 USGS-WARWICK 325100000N 710845000E 38 P/1 (15') 891030

930 T434034 MK-HT-2 USGS-WARWICK 325100000N 710845000E 38 P/1 (15') 891030

931 T434035 MK-HT-1 USGS-WARWICK 325100000N 710845000E 38 P/1 (15') 891030

937 T434041 MKCT-6 GSP-JAVED 325239000N 710930000E 38 P/1 (15') 890409

938 T434042 MK-NCN-4 GSP-JAVED 325854000N 711323000E 38 P/1 (15') 891030

941 T434045 MKE 3-5 GSP-JAVED 325952000N 712531000E 38 P/1 (15') 891030

942 T434046 MKD3-7 GSP-JAVED 325535000N 710850000E 38 P/1 (15') 891030

602 D-91602 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

603 D-91603 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

604 D-91604 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

605 D-91605 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

606 D-91606 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

607 D-91607 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

608 D-91608 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

609 D-91609 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

611 D-91611 NDE USBM–Eyrich NDE NDE 38 P/1 (15') NDE

KEY COUNTRY PROVINCE DISTRICT SAMPTHK FORMATION SYSTEM SERIES FIELD BED NAME

372 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.91 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

373 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 2.29 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

374 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.74 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

572 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

929 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 1.46 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL UPPER BENCH, 

MAKARWAL

930 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.76 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL LOWER BENCH, 

MAKARWAL

931 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.67 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL UPPER

937 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.48 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

938 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.54 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

941 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.53 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

942 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI 0.94 HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

602 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

603 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

604 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

605 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

606 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

607 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

608 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

609 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

611 PAKISTAN PUNJAB MIANWALI NDE HANGU TERTIARY PALEOCENE MAKARWAL MAKARWAL

APPENDIX II. BACKGROUND DATA AND ANALYTICAL RESULTS FROM COAL 

SAMPLES FROM THE SURGHAR RANGE, NORTHERN PAKISTAN 

(TABLES II–1 TO II–3)
609 USBM AND USGS CHANNEL AS RECEIVED SINGLE BITUMINOUS LANDOO MINE

611 USBM AND USGS CHANNEL AS RECEIVED SINGLE BITUMINOUS MINE-RUN COMPOSITE
28 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Table II–2. Analytical results (proximate, ultimate, and physical test data) from Surghar Range coal samples.

[Key = National Coal Resource Data System (NCRDS) reference number (sample information for Key numbers 602 to 611 are from Landis and others,

1971, and are not part of the NCRDS data system); MOIS, moisture; VM, volatile matter; FC, fixed carbon; Ash, percent ash yield; H, hydrogen; C, carbon;

N, nitrogen; O, oxygen; TS, total sulfur; SulS, sulfate sulfur; PyrS, pyritic sulfur; OrgS, organic sulfur; Btu, calorific value in British thermal units; N, number of samples; MIN, minimum value; MAX, maximum value; MEAN, arithmetic mean; sd, standard deviation; DEF, °C deformation temperature; SOF, °C

softening temperature; FLD, °C fluid temperature; FSI, free swelling index; ADL, air dry loss; NDE, not determined. Values with qualifiers were excluded

from statistical calculations. G, greater than the value shown. All values as percentage except Btu, DEF, SOF, FLD, FSI, and ADL. Refer to appendix table

II–1 for sample background data]

Proximate-ultimate data, as-received basis

KEY MOIS ADL VM FC Ash H C N O TS SulS PyrS OrgS Btu 

372 5.94 3.6 40.86 40.82 12.38 5.38 61.88 0.98 15.32 4.06 0.08 1.32 2.66 11310

373 6.24 NDE 41.53 44.00 8.23 5.43 65.23 0.98 14.71 5.42 NDE NDE NDE 11917

374 6.67 NDE 43.36 41.37 8.60 5.55 63.12 1.17 15.82 5.74 NDE NDE NDE 11604

572 7.73 5.75 43.94 39.81 8.52 5.46 59.92 0.98 18.47 6.65 0.60 2.70 3.35 10956

929 4.40 2.69 35.68 35.61 24.31 4.95 50.80 0.46 13.01 6.45 0.46 3.24 2.75 9516

930 4.82 2.52 38.89 45.98 10.31 5.40 63.83 0.79 14.79 4.84 0.08 1.02 3.74 11580

931 4.42 1.78 40.66 47.00 7.92 5.02 55.52 0.88 26.61 4.03 0.66 0.48 2.89 11621

937 6.17 4.05 38.56 44.09 11.18 5.36 59.91 0.74 18.68 4.09 0.63 0.82 2.64 10785

938 6.76 4.93 38.20 40.99 14.05 5.25 57.70 0.77 17.65 4.56 0.47 1.34 2.75 10466

941 4.09 2.07 33.46 36.76 25.69 4.60 52.49 0.59 13.6 3.01 0.06 0.46 2.49 9536

942 5.79 2.97 39.62 43.20 11.39 5.33 61.09 1.12 15.19 5.86 0.13 3.50 2.23 11096

602 5.00 NDE 44.90 41.10 9.00 5.50 64.90 0.20 16.00 4.40 NDE NDE NDE 11850

603 6.00 NDE 43.70 43.20 6.90 5.40 64.80 1.00 16.30 5.60 NDE NDE NDE 11800

604 4.50 NDE 42.90 36.30 16.30 5.20 58.10 0.90 14.10 5.40 NDE NDE NDE 10700

605 4.20 NDE 43.60 40.60 11.60 5.10 60.20 0.70 17.50 4.90 NDE NDE NDE 10900

606 4.30 NDE 37.10 38.20 20.40 4.60 52.60 0.60 16.90 4.90 NDE NDE NDE 9550

607 5.50 NDE 44.70 38.70 11.10 5.50 62.30 0.80 16.20 4.10 NDE NDE NDE 11400

608 5.80 NDE 45.30 40.10 8.80 5.50 63.30 0.90 16.40 5.10 NDE NDE NDE 11570

609 5.90 NDE 45.10 39.80 9.20 5.50 63.10 1.00 15.80 5.40 NDE NDE NDE 11510

611 4.20 NDE 42.10 39.20 14.50 5.00 60.20 0.50 14.60 5.20 NDE NDE NDE 11010

N: 20 9 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 9 9 9 20

MIN: 4.09 1.78 33.46 35.61 6.90 4.60 50.80 0.2 13.01 3.01 0.06 0.46 2.23 9516

MAX: 7.73 5.75 45.30 47.00 25.69 5.55 65.23 1.17 26.61 6.65 0.66 3.50 3.74 11917

MEAN: 5.42 3.37 41.21 40.84 12.52 5.25 60.05 0.80 16.38 4.98 0.35 1.65 2.83 11034

sd: 1.04 1.33 3.38 3.06 5.36 0.29 4.32 0.24 2.84 0.89 0.26 1.17 0.45 761

Proximate-ultimate data, dry basis

KEY VM FC Ash H C N O TS SulS PyrS OrgS Btu 

372 43.44 43.40 13.60 5.01 65.79 1.04 10.69 4.31 0.08 1.40 2.83 12024

373 44.30 46.92 8.78 5.04 69.57 1.04 9.79 5.78 0.06 2.19 3.53 12710

374 46.46 44.33 9.21 5.15 67.63 1.26 10.60 6.15 0.16 2.99 3.00 12433

572 47.62 43.15 9.23 4.98 64.95 1.06 12.57 7.21 0.65 2.92 3.64 11874

929 37.33 37.24 25.43 4.67 53.14 0.48 9.51 6.75 0.48 3.39 2.88 9954

930 40.86 48.30 10.84 5.11 67.06 0.83 11.03 5.09 0.08 1.08 3.93 12166

931 42.54 49.18 8.28 4.74 58.09 0.92 23.74 4.21 0.69 0.50 3.02 12158

937 41.10 46.99 11.91 4.97 63.85 0.79 14.08 4.36 0.67 0.87 2.82 11494

938 40.97 43.96 15.07 4.82 61.88 0.83 12.49 4.89 0.50 1.44 2.95 11225

941 34.89 38.33 26.78 4.32 54.73 0.61 10.41 3.13 0.06 0.48 2.59 9943

942 42.05 45.86 12.09 4.97 64.85 1.18 10.67 6.22 0.13 3.72 2.37 11778

602 47.20 43.40 9.40 5.20 68.30 0.20 12.20 4.70 NDE NDE NDE 12470

603 46.50 46.20 7.30 5.10 68.90 1.00 11.80 5.90 NDE NDE NDE 12560

604 44.90 38.00 17.10 4.90 60.80 0.90 10.70 5.60 NDE NDE NDE 11200

605 45.50 42.40 12.10 4.80 62.90 0.80 14.30 5.10 NDE NDE NDE 11380

606 38.80 39.90 21.30 4.30 55.00 0.70 13.60 5.10 NDE NDE NDE 9980

607 47.30 41.00 11.70 5.20 65.90 0.80 12.00 4.40 NDE NDE NDE 12060

608 48.10 42.50 9.40 5.10 67.30 0.90 11.90 5.40 NDE NDE NDE 12290

609 48.00 42.20 9.80 5.10 67.10 1.00 11.30 5.70 NDE NDE NDE 12230

611 44.00 40.90 15.10 4.80 62.80 0.60 11.30 5.40 NDE NDE NDE 11490

N: 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 11 11 11 20

MIN: 34.89 37.24 7.30 4.30 53.14 0.20 9.51 3.13 0.06 0.48 2.37 9943

MAX: 48.10 49.18 26.78 5.20 69.57 1.26 23.74 7.21 0.69 3.72 3.93 12710

MEAN: 43.59 43.21 13.22 4.91 63.53 0.85 12.23 5.27 0.32 1.91 3.05 11671

sd: 3.75 3.38 5.55 0.26 4.91 0.25 3.01 0.96 0.27 1.18 0.47 857
MAX: 2550 2650 2800 2.5

MEAN: 2211 2292 2435 1.4

sd: 216 229 230 0.5
30 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Table II–3. Major-, minor-, and trace-element data for Surghar Range coal samples.

[Key, National Coal Resource Data System reference number; N, number of samples; MIN, minimum value; MAX, maximum value; MEAN, arithmetic

mean; sd, standard deviation; USGSASH, percent ash for trace-element data. Values with qualifiers were excluded from statistical calculations. L, less than

the value shown; H, interference for an element that cannot be resolved by any routine method; B, sample was not analyzed]

Optical emission spectrographic analyses on coal ash (ppm)

KEY Ag Au B Ba Be Bi Dy Er

372 0.34 6.8L 750.0 180.0 16.0 10.0L 22.0L 4.6L

373 0.70 6.8L 800.0 140.0 17.0 10.0L 22.0L 4.6L

374 0.57 6.8L 860.0 150.0 32.0 10.0L 22.0L 4.6L

572 0.56 6.8L 650.0 170.0 76.0 22.0L 10.0L 4.6L

N: 4 0 4 4 4 0 0 0

MIN: 0.34 650 140 16.0

MAX: 0.70 860 180 76.0

MEAN: 0.54 765 160 35.2

sd: 0.15 89 182 8.1

KEY Ga Gd Ge Ho In Ir Mo Nb

372 43.0 32.0L 67.0 6.8L 10.0L 15.0L 150.0 50.0

572 55.0 22.0L 470.0 1.5L 6.8L 10.0L 57.0 20.0

N: 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 2

MIN: 43.0 67.0 57.0 20.0

MAX: 55.0 470.0 150.0 50.0

MEAN: 49.0 268.5 103.5 35.0

sd: 8.5 285.0 65.8 21.0

KEY Nd Ni Os Pd Pr Pt Re Rh USGSASH

372 83.0 110.0 15.0L 1.00L 100.0L 2.2L 10.0L 2.2L 13.70

373 190.0 150.0 15.0L 1.00L 100.0L 2.2L 10.0L 2.2L 8.80

374 70.0 76.0 15.0L 1.00L 100.0L 2.2L 10.0L 2.2L 9.00

572 73.0 51.0 10.0L 0.68L 12.0 1.5L 10.0L 1.5L 9.00

N: 4 4 0 0 1 0 0 0

MIN: 70 51.0

MAX: 190 150.0

MEAN: 104 112.0

sd: 57.6 37.0

KEY Ru Sn Sr Te Tl Tm V Y Zr

372 2.2L 23.0 810.0 0B 10.0L 4.6L 380 0.0 270

373 2.2L 0.0H 780.0 0B 10.0L 4.6L 270 0.0 360

374 2.2L 0.0H 2400.0 0B 10.0L 4.6L 190 0.0 280

572 1.0L 48.0 2600.0 0B 10.0L 3.2L 110 77.0 190

N: 0 2 4 0 0 0 4 1 4

MIN: 23.0 780.0 110 190

MAX: 48.0 2600.0 380 360

MEAN: 35.5 1647.5 237 275

sd: 17.7 987.8 115 69
APPENDIX II. BACKGROUND DATA AND ANALYTICAL RESULTS FROM COAL SAMPLES, SURGHAR RANGE 31

Table II–3. Major-, minor-, and trace-element data for Surghar Range coal samples—Continued.

Neutron activation analyses on whole coal (ppm)

KEY As Br Ce Co Cr Cs Eu Hf La Lu

372 7.10 3.78 23.1 2.63 34.4 0.71 0.442 2.07 12.10 0.1L

373 8.00 1.76 21.8 4.72 25.3 0.3L 0.335 1.49 11.30 0.093

374 2.44 4.81 11.0 1.76 11.0 0.2L 0.239 0.77 4.48 0.110

572 5.98 15.10 9.4 1.88 12.0 0.141 0.283 0.55 4.22 0.073

N: 4 4 4 4 4 2 4 4 4 3

MIN: 2.44 1.76 9.4 1.76 11.0 0.141 0.239 0.55 4.22 0.073

MAX: 8.00 15.10 23.1 4.72 34.4 0.710 0.442 2.07 12.10 0.110

MEAN: 5.88 6.36 16.3 2.75 20.7 0.425 0.324 1.22 35.25 0.092

sd: 2.44 5.96 7.1 1.37 11.2 0.400 0.087 0.69 57.26 0.018

KEY Rb Sb Sc Se Sm Ta Tb Th U W Yb

372 50.0L 0.63 4.53 13.8 2.07 0.570 0.305 4.50 13.700 0.91 1.17

373 40.0L 0.27 2.68 19.1 1.57 0.570 0.191 4.00 1.390 0.46 0.63

374 30.0L 0.22 2.51 13.3 1.13 0.286 0.138 2.40 2.420 0.59 0.53

572 28.0L 0.20 2.88 7.4 1.38 0.134 0.195 1.82 0.906 0.45 0.51

N: 0 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

MIN: 0.20 2.41 7.4 1.13 0.134 0.207 1.82 0.906 0.45 0.51

MAX: 0.63 4.53 19.1 2.07 0.570 0.070 4.50 13.700 0.91 1.17

MEAN: 0.33 3.15 13.4 1.54 0.390 0.207 3.18 4.604 0.60 0.71

sd: 0.20 0.93 4.8 0.40 0.220 0.070 1.27 6.097 0.21 0.31

X-ray fluorescence analyses on coal ash

KEY Al

(ppm)

Al2O3

(percent)

Ca

(ppm)

CaO

(percent)

Fe

(ppm)

Fe2O3

(percent)

K

(ppm)

K2O

(percent)

372 1061.0 20.057 195 2.731 07800 15.42 118 1.400

373 1135.0 21.456 197 2.759 245900 35.16 39 0.469

374 889.7 16.819 341 4.776 292700 41.86 40 0.481

572 780.5 14.754 271 3.795 304100 43.48 62 0.745

N: 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

MIN: 780.5 14.754 195 2.731 107800 15.42 39 0.469

MAX: 1135.0 21.456 341 4.776 304100 43.49 118 1.418

MEAN: 966.5 18.271 251 3.515 237600 33.98 65 0.778

sd: 161.0 3.044 69 0.975 90100 12.89 37 0.445

KEY Si

(ppm)

SiO2

(percent)

S

(ppm)

SO3

(percent)

Ti

(ppm)

TiO2

(percent)

372 231700 49.580 0.860 2.150 1.25 2.090

373 138900 29.720 0.997 2.493 1.98 3.311

374 115400 24.700 1.420 3.550 1.07 1.789

572 55708 11.935 3.300 8.250 0.45 0.752

N: 4 4 4 4 4 4

MIN: 113400 24.268 0.860 2.150 0.45 0.752

MAX: 231700 49.580 3.300 8.250 1.98 3.311

MEAN: 149800 32.067 1.644 4.110 1.19 1.980

sd: 113400 24.268 1.129 2.820 0.63 1.050
32 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

Table II–3. Major-, minor-, and trace-element data for Surghar Range coal samples—Continued.

Atomic absorption analyses on coal ash

KEY USGSASH

(percent)

Cu

(ppm)

Li

(ppm)

Mg

(percent)

MgO

(percent)

Na

(percent)

Na2O

(percent)

Zn

(ppm)

372 13.7 63 140 0.58 0.963 0.17 0.229 180

373 8.8 130 170 0.38 0.631 0.22 0.297 140

374 9.0 110 200 0.44 0.730 0.18 0.243 39

572 9.0 140 130 0.29 0.481 0.62 0.837 160

N: 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

MIN: 8.8 63 130 0.29 0.481 0.17 0.229 39

MAX: 13.7 140 200 0.58 0.963 0.62 0.837 180

MEAN: 10.1 111 160 0.42 0.700 0.29 0.401 130

sd: 2.4 34 32 0.12 0.200 0.21 0.292 63

KEY Cd

(percent)

Mn

(percent)

Pb

(percent)

372 0.32 110 65

373 0.32 93 20

374 0.28 200 69

572 0.60 12 22

N: 4 4 4

MIN: 0.28 212 22

MAX: 0.60 200 120

MEAN: 0.38 104 69

sd: 0.15 77 40

X-ray fluorescence analyses on whole coal

KEY Cl

(ppm)

P2O5

(ppm)

372 100L 0.011

373 100L 0.010

374 100L 0.010

572 150 2.840

N: 1 4

MIN: 0.010

MAX: 2,840

MEAN: 0.718

sd: 1.415

Wet chemical analyses (flameless atomic absorption) on whole coal

KEY Hg

(ppm)

372 0.005L

373 0.005L

374 0.005L

572 0.050

N: 1

Wet chemical analyses (specific ion electrode) on whole coal

KEY F

(ppm)

372 70

373 30

374 70

572 20L

N: 3

MIN: 30

MAX: 70

MEAN: 57

sd: 23
33

PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF U.S. GEOLOGICAL 

SURVEY-GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF PAKISTAN 

SAMPLES FROM THE MAKARWAL AREA

By ASRAR M. KHAN

JUNE 1991

INTRODUCTION

Eight field samples (PW–90–1 to PW–90–8) from the

Makarwal area were received from Peter Warwick, USGS,

for palynostratigraphy. Only two samples, PW–90–1 and

PW–90–3, yielded palynomorphs and age has been

assigned, whereas six samples (PW–90–2, PW–90–4 to

PW–90–8) were barren of palynomorphs.

PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY

Sample PW–90–1.—The sample yielded abundant

organic matter and a quantitatively and qualitatively rich

microfloral assemblage. The assemblage includes Inaperturopollenites spp., Zonalapollenites turbatus, Z. trilobatus,

Zonalapollenites spp. Ginkgocycadophytus nitidus, Gleicheniidites senonicus, Deltoidospora juncta, Stereisporites

antiquasporites, Trilobosporites apiverrucatus, Contignisporites glebulentus, bisaccate pollen, Vitereisporites sp.,

Podocarpidites sp., Cingutriletes clavus, Cycadopites sp.?,

Hymenozonotriletes sp., Cyathidites minor, C. crassingulatus, Leiotriletes sp., Lycopodiumsporites sp., Taurocusporites sp., Appendicisporites sp., Equisetosporites sp.,

Ephedripites sp., Concavissimisporites punctuates, Cicatricosisporites hallei, and Appendicisporites sp.

Age.—The above assemblage indicates an Early Cretaceous age for the sample.

Sample PW–90–2.—The sample yielded moderately

rich black, carbonized organic particles. The sample is barren of palynomorphs.

Age.—Cannot be assigned.

Sample PW–90–3.—The sample is abundantly rich in

dark organic matter and has yielded a rich palynoflora. The

assemblage includes Proxapertites operculatus, P. cursus,

Spinizonocolpites bacculatus, S. echinatus, Araucariacites

sp., Echitriporites sp., Longapertites vaneendenburgi, Verrutriletes sp., Echiperiporites sp., Tricolpites sp., Spinizonocolpites sp., Echitriporites trianguliformis, Ephedripites sp.,

Crassoretitriletes sp., Gemmatricolpites sp., Ischyosporites

sp., Liliacidites sp., Psiladiporites sp., Polypodiisporites

sp., Cyathidites australis, Retistephanocolpites williamsi,

Triorites minutipori, Dandotiasporites sp., Foveotricolpites

perforatus, Trisaccites sp., and Dyadosporites sp. (fungal).

Age.—The above assemblage indicates a Paleocene

age for the sample.

Sample PW–90–4.—The sample yielded a very low

quantity of organic matter. The sample is barren of

palynomorphs.

Age.—Cannot be assigned.

Sample PW–90–5.—The sample yielded sporadic particles of black organic matter. The sample is barren of

palynomorphs.

Age.—Cannot be assigned.

Sample PW–90–6.—The sample yielded rich organic

matter. Single occurrence of Spinizonocolpites sp. and

Triorites sp.

Age.—Cannot be assigned.

Sample PW–90–7.—The sample yielded a very low

quantity of organic matter. The sample is barren of

palynomorphs.

Age.—Cannot be assigned.

Sample PW–90–8.—The sample yielded abundant

dark-brown, unstructured organic matter. The sample is barren of palynomorphs.

Age.—Cannot be assigned.

OBSERVATIONS

Sample PW–90–1 appears to be of the same horizon as

sample K–SH–5 or K–SH–1 of Early Cretaceous age, and

sample PW–90–3 appears to be of the same horizon as K–

SH–2 of Paleocene age.

APPENDIX III. RESULTS OF PALYNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON ROCK SAMPLES FROM 

THE SURGHAR RANGE

[Note: The following are excerpts from two unpublished reports by Asrar M. Khan of the Hydrocarbon Development

Institute of Pakistan. These reports have been edited by Peter D. Warwick to reflect only palynological results from the

Surghar Range area. The original reports contained palynological results from other northern Pakistan coal fields. The locations of samples are given in text-table 1 and appendix I. The stratigraphic position of samples with age dates are shown on

text-figure 4]
34 LITHOFACIES AND PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY, COAL FIELDS, NORTHERN PAKISTAN

PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY 

OF U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

SAMPLES FROM THE MAKARWAL AREA

By ASRAR M. KHAN

MARCH 1990

INTRODUCTION

Of the 10 samples studied, 3 were barren of palynomorphs (SH–MK–HT–2, K–SH–3, and K–SH–4). The

remaining seven samples yielded reasonably good mico-floral assemblage.

Sample SH–MK–HT–1.—The sample yielded abundant dark-colored organic matter. Only a few miospores,

such as Spinizonocolpites baculatus, Spinizonocolpites echinatus, a monocolpote pollen, and a trilette spore were

recovered.

The Spinizonocolpites spp. may indicate a Paleocene

age.

Sample SH–MK–HT–2.—The sample yielded rich

dark-colored, mostly unstructured organic matter. The sample is barren of palynomorphs.

Age cannot be assigned to this sample.

Sample K–SH–1.—The sample yielded moderately

rich organic matter and also a rich microflora. The assemblage includes Gleicheniidites cercinidites, Cyathidities

australis Liliacidites sp., Lygodiumsporites sp., Grinkgocycadophytus nitidus, Zonalapollenites dampieri, Deltoidospora sp., Microcachryidites antarcticus, Matonisporites

crassingulatus Cycadopites sp., Inaperturopollenites sp.,

Classopollis classoides, Sphagnites clavus, Phyllocladites

sp., Cicatricosisporites australiensis, Cedripites sp., Vitreisporites pallidus, Pityosporites grandis, Zonalapollenites

trilobatus, and Cingulatisporites sp.

The above assemblage indicates a Late Jurassic to

Early Cretaceous age.

Sample K–SH–2.—The sample yielded abundant

organic matter, mostly unstructured. A rich microflora was

recovered from the sediments. The assemblage includes

Lycpodiumsporites sp., Spinizonocolpites echinatus (short),

Triorites sp., (Myrica type) Retistephanocoliptes sp.

Monoporate, Triporate (annulate) pollen Spinizonocolpites

echinatus (medium), Ephedrepites sp., Spinizonocolpites

echinatus (long), Proxapertites sp., Longapertites sp.

(psilate), Concavisporites sp., Tricolpopollenites sp.,

Spinizonocolpites baculatus, Lygodiumsporites sp., Echitricoliptes sp., and Triporites sp.

The above angiospermic palynomorph assemblage

indicates a Paleocene age for this sample.

Sample K–SH–3.—The sample yielded abundant

unstructured, carbonized organic matter. The sample is barren of palynomorphs.

Age cannot be determined.

Sample K–SH–4.—The sample yielded abundant

unstructured, carbonized organic matter. The sample is barren of palynomorphs.

Age cannot be determined.

Sample K–SH–5.—The sample yielded abundant

organic matter and was rich in microflora. The palynofloral

assemblage includes Appendicisporites problematicus,

Matonisporites crassingulatus, Tricolpites crassimurus,

Cyathidites australis, Gleicheniidites cerciniditis, Podocarpidites sp., Camarazonosporites sp., Araucariacites australis, Zonalapollenites segmentatus, Baculatisporites

truncatus, Z. trilobatus, bisaccate pollen, Concavisporites

infirmus, Microcachryidites antarcticus, Contignisporites

cooksoni, Cycadopites sp.?, Coupereisporites complexus,

Vitreisporites sp., Rugubivesiculites sp., Lycopodiumsporites austroclavidites, Cicatricosisporitespotomaensis,

Z. acusus, Classopolis sp., Cedripites sp., Acanthotriletes

levendensis, Cingulatisporites sp., Pityosporites grandis,

Ischyosporites sp., and Trilobosporites sp.

The above palynofloral assemblage is indicative of a

Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age.

Sample K–SH–6.—The sample yielded abundant darkcolored, unstructured organic matter. Only a few palynomorphs, such as Retitricolpites Foveosporites sp., Lygodiumporites sp., and Cupuliferoidaeopollenites sp., were

found.

An Early Cretaceous age is assigned to this sample on

the basis of Cupuliferoidaepollenites sp.

Sample T–SH–2.—The sample yielded abundant

organic matter. The palynofloral assemblage includes Classopollis classoides, Gleicheniidites cercinidites, Cyathidites

sp., bisaccate pollen, Biretisporites sp., Zonalapollenites

segmentatus, Cyathidites australis, Eucomiidites sp., Distalangulisporites perplexus, Concavisporites juriensis, Deltoidospora psilostoma, and Cancavisporite sp.

The above palynomorph assemblage is indicative of an

Early Cretaceous age. The absence of any angiospermic

pollen also suggests an Early Cretaceous age for this

sample.

Sample T–SH–3.—The sample yielded abundant

organic matter. The microfloral assemblage includes

Classopollis classoides, Cyathidites sp., Zonalapollenites

dampieri, Inaperturopollenites spp., Appendicisporites

bilateralis, Entylissa sp., Ischyosporites sp., Densoisporites

sp., Podocarpidites sp., Cyathidites australis, Sphagnites

sp., Cingulatisporites sp., and Ginkgocycadophytus sp. A

few dinoflagellates, such as Gonyaulacysta sp. and Balisphearidium sp., were also encountered.

The above palynofloral assemblage indicates an Early

Cretaceous age for this sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Ten grab samples were palynologically studied. Three

samples (SH–MK–HT–2, K–SH–3, and K–SH–4) were