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Sedimentology and Stratigraphic Evolution of the Early Eocene Nammal Formation, Salt Range, Pakistan

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Abstract

The Early Eocene succession of the Salt Range from base to top comprises the Nammal Formation, Sakesar Limestone and Chor Gali Formation. The Nammal Formation of Ypresian age is well exposed throughout the Salt Range. Detailed sedimentological and palaeontological analyses of the Nammal Formation were carried out, based on six stratigraphically important measured sections in the Salt Range. Lithologically, the formation is predominantly composed of interbedded nodular limestone, marl and shale. Wackestone, packstone, wackestone to packstone, dolomitic limestone and grainstone facies dominate the Nammal Formation in a fine-grained bioclastic matrix with abundant grains of larger benthic foraminifera. The diagnostic larger benthic foraminifera are recorded, which includes Nummulites mamillatus, Assilina spinosa, Assilina subspinosa, Assilina granulosa, Assilina laminosa, Discocyclina dispansa, Alveolina dolioliformis, Alveolina pasticillata, Alveolina globula, Lockhartia tipperi, and Lockhartia conditi. Stable carbon and oxygen isotopic signatures of the Nammal Formation designate shallow marine depositional environment. During Eocene a carbonate sequence developed in the Salt Range, lower boundary of which is marked as SB-II at the base of the Nammal Formation overlying the Palaeocene Patala Formation. The Nammal Formation presents the retrogradational facies suggesting the transgressive system tracts. The Sakesar Limestone shows agradational to progradational pattern of facies, which developed in highstand system tracts. The Chor Gali Formation possesses shallowing-upward trend by forming progradational shift of facies, and represents the falling stage system tracts. Early Eocene carbonate sequence is terminated by a regional sub-aerial unconformity SB-I marked between marine carbonate sequence of the Chor Gali Formation and the overlying non-marine clastic Miocene Kamlial Formation. Overall, the Nammal Formation presents shallow water neritic carbonate deposits containing larger benthic foraminifers.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study benefited from the Pakistan University of the Punjab, Lahore Pakistan grant. The authors wish to express their thanks to Institute of Geology, University of the Punjab. This study benefited from suggestions given by Maurice Tucker, Aftab Ahmad Butt and Kaleem Akhtar Qureshi and their insights are greatly appreciated. The authors also thank Dr. E.V. Yakovishina (Moscow State University) and Dr. E.Yu. Zakrevskaya (Vernadsky State Geological Museum, Moscow) for reviewing the manuscript.

Reviewers A.S. Alekseev, E.V. Yakovishina, and E.Yu. Zakrevskaya

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology, University of Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, 54590, Lahore, Pakistan

    Shahid Ghazi, Sadaf Sharif, Tehseen Zafar, Rashid Haider & Tanzeela Hanif

  2. Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 550081, Guiyang, China

    Tehseen Zafar

  3. State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, 610059, Chengdu, China

    Muhammad Riaz

  4. College of Energy Resources, Chengdu University of Technology, 610059, Chengdu, China

    Muhammad Riaz

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  1. Shahid Ghazi
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Correspondence to Muhammad Riaz.

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Shahid Ghazi, Sharif, S., Zafar, T. et al. Sedimentology and Stratigraphic Evolution of the Early Eocene Nammal Formation, Salt Range, Pakistan. Stratigr. Geol. Correl. 28, 745–764 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0869593820070047

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