Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Lithofacies analysis and economic mineral potential of a braided fluvial succession of NW Himalayan foreland basin Pakistan

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study has described detailed lithofacies analysis, clay mineralogy, and depositional setting, and highlighted economic mineral potential of late Miocene to Early Pliocene mid Siwalik Dhok Pathan Formation. The Siwalik fluvial sedimentary succession is 5300 m thick in the NW Himalayan foreland fold-and-thrust belt known as Surghar-Shingar Range (SSR). The middle Siwalik (Dhok Pathan Formation) typically represents cyclic alternation of massive sandstones, siltstones, mudstones, and claystones in repeated fining upward rhythm with varied thicknesses from 807 to 1540 m. Detailed sedimentological investigations resulted in the identification of seven distinct lithofacies (Gt, St, Sh, Ss, Sl, Fm, and Fl) which had been deposited by sand-dominated bed load braided fluvial system. The facies Sh is hosting detrital uraninite identified through a scanning electron microscope (SEM). X-Ray diffraction analyses revealed that kaolinite, smectite (montmorillonite and saponite), illite, vermiculite, and chlorite (clinochlore and chamosite) are the main clay mineral suits present in the formation. The morphology of clay mineral suits is indicative of weathering products or contribution from the source areas. The absence of glass shards and mineral analcimolite evidenced that these smectite group clay minerals were not derived from the devitrification of volcanic ashes. The sedimentological analysis, mineralogical composition, and paleo-flow directions revealed that these sediments had been deposited by NS fluvial system presently known as Indus River system in this area. The rare earth element concentrations of sandstone and heavy minerals laminations (black sand) show enrichment of uranium (662 ppm), thorium (1374 ppm), La (975 ppm), Ce (2831 ppm), Pr (193 ppm), Nd (746 ppm), Gd (98 ppm), and Dy (50.8 ppm), which specify good indicative economic mineral potential of the formation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbasi IA, Abid IA, Khan MA (1983) Statistical study of the Dhok Pathan Formation, Puki Gudikhel, Surghar Range, Karak. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar 16:85–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad L, Shah MT, Khan S (2013) Gold mineralization in northern areas of Pakistan. In: 125th Anniversary Annual Meeting & Expo, 27–30 October, Denver, Colorado, USA. Geol Soc Am Abstract with programs 45(7):539

  • Akhtar M (1983) Stratigraphy of the Surghar Range. Geol Bull Punjab Univ 18:32–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali F, Khan MI, Ahmad S, Rehman GR, Rehman I, Ali TH (2014) Range front structural style: an example from Surghar Range, North Pakistan. J Himalayan Earth Sci 47(2):193–204

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen JRL (1965) A review of the origin and characteristics of recent alluvial sediments. Sediment 5:89–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen JRL (1970) Studies in fluviatile sedimentation: a comparison of fining upwards cyclothems, with particular reference to coarse member composition and interpretation. J Sediment Petrol 40:298–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen PA (1997) Earth surface processes. Blackwell science, Oxford

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Anjos SMC, Derose LF, Silva CMA (2003) Chlorite authigenesis and porosity preservation in the upper Cretaceous marine sandstones of the Santos Basin, offshore eastern Brazil. Int Assoc Sedimentol Spec Publ 34:291–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Azizullah, Khan MA (1997) Petrotectonic framework of the Siwalik Group Shingar Range with special reference to its petrography. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar 30:165–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Barry JC, Morgan ME, Flynn LJ, Pilbeam D, Behrensmeyer AK, Raza SM, Khan IA, Badgley C, Hicks J, Kelley J (2002) Faunal and environmental change in the late Miocene Siwaliks of northern Pakistan. Paleobiology Memoirs 3((Supplement to Paleobiology 28 (2)):1–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Barshad, Kishk FM (1969) Chemical composition of soil vermiculite clays as related to their genesis. Contrib Mineral Petrol 24(2):136–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basu PK (2004) Siwalik mammals of the Jammu sub-Himalaya, India: an appraisal of their diversity and habitats. Quat Int 117(1):105–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck RA, Burbank DW, Sercombe WJ, Riley GW, Barndt JK, Berry JR, Afzal J, Khan AM, Jurgen H, Metje J, Cheema A, Shafique NA, Lawrence RD, Khan MA (1995) Stratigraphic evidence for an early collision between northwest India and Asia. Nature 373:55–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck RA, Burbank DW, Sercombe WJ, Khan AM, Lawrence RD (1996) Late cretaceous ophiolite obduction and Paleocene India-Asia collision in the westernmost Himalaya, proceedings of the 10th Himalaya- Karakoram-Tibet workshop, Monte Verità Switzerland. Special Volume, Geodinamica Acta 9(2):116–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentham PA, Talling PJ, Burbank DJ (1993) Braided stream and floodplain deposition in a rapidly aggrading basin: the Escanilla Formation, Spanish Pyrenees. In: Best JL, Bristow CS (Eds) Braided rivers. Geol Soc London Spec Publ 75:177–194

  • Bertier P, Swennen R, Lagrou D, Laenen B, Kemps R (2008) Palaeo-climate controlled diagenesis of the west phalian C & D fluvial sandstones in the Campine Basin (north-east Belgium). Sedimentology 55(5):1475–1417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blisniuk PM, Sonder LJ, Lillie RJ (1998) Foreland normal fault control on thrust front development northwest Himalayan. Tectonics 17(5):766–779

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bridge JS, Mackey SD (1993) A revised alluvial stratigraphic model. In: Marzo M, Puigdefabregas C (eds) Alluvial sedimentation. Int Assoc Sedimentol Spec Pub 17:319–336

  • Bristow CS (1987) Brahmaputra River: channel migration and deposition. In: Ethridge G, Flores RM, Harvey MD (eds) Recent developments in fluvial sedimentology. SEPM Spec Publ 39:63–74

  • Burbank DW, Derry L, France-Lanord C (1993) Lower Himalayan detrital sediment delivery despite an intensified monsoon at 8 Ma. Nature 364:48–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll D (1979) Clay minerals: a guide to their X-ray identification. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 126:80

  • Cerveny PF, Johnson NM, Tahirkheli RAK, Bonis NR (1989) Tectonic and geomorphic implications of Siwalik Group heavy minerals, Potwar Plateau, Pakistan. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 232:129–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamley H (1989) Clay sedimentology. Springer-Verlag, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chauhan PR (2003) The importance of India in human origins studies with special reference to the Siwalik Hills & the Narmada Basin. In National Workshop on Pleistocene environments and hominin adaptations in South Asia: problems & prospects, march 29–31, Delhi, India

  • Clift PD (2002) A brief history of the Indus River. Geol Soc Lond, Spec Publ 195:237–258. https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2002.195.01.13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clift PD, Shimizu N, Layne GD, Blusztajn J, Gaedicke C, Schluter HU, Clark MK, Amjad S (2001) Development of the Indus Fan and its significance for the erosional history of the western Himalaya and Karakoram. Geol Soc Am Bull 113:1039–1051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collinson JD (1996) Alluvial sediments. In: Reading HG (ed) Sedimentary environments and facies, 3rd edn. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Danilchik W, Shah SMI (1987) Stratigraphy and coal resources of the Makerwal area, Trans-Indus Mountains, Mianwali District, Pakistan. U S Geol Survey Prof Pap 1341:39

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson FC (1962) Uraninite-scheelite placers of the river Indus. Econ Geol 57:456–457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeCelles PG (1986) Sedimentation in a tectonically partitioned, non marine foreland basin: the Lower Cretaceous Kootenai Formation, southwestern Montana. Geol Soc Am Bull 97:911–931

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeCelles PG, Langford RP, Schwartz RK (1983) Two new methods of paleocurrent determination from the trough cross stratification. J Sediment Petrol 53(2):629–642

    Google Scholar 

  • Einsele G (1992) Sedimentary basins: evolution, facies and sediment budget. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Emery D, Myers RJ, Young R (1990) Ancient subaerial exposure and freshwater leaching in sandstones. Geology 18:1178–1181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fatmi A (1973) Lithostratigraphic units of the Kohat-Potwar Province, Indus Basin, Pakistan. Geological Survey of Pakistan Memoir 10, GSP, Quetta

  • Fielding CR (2006) Upper flow regime sheets, lenses and scour fills: extending the range of architectural elements for fluvial sediment bodies. Sediment Geol 190:227–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn LJ, Barry JC, Morgan ME, Pilbeam D, Lindsa EH (1995) Neogene Siwalik mammalian lineages: species longevities, rates of change, and modes of speciation. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 115(1–4):249–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friend PF, Raza SM, Baig MAS, Khan IA (1999) Geological evidence of the ancestral Indus from the Himalayan foothills. In: Meadows A, Meadows PS (eds) The Indus River, Biodiversity, Resources, Humankind. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 103–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee ER (1989) Overview of the geology and structure of the Salt Range, with observations on related areas of northern Pakistan. In: Malinconico LL, Lillie RJ (eds) Tectonics of western Himalaya. Geol Soc Am Spec Pap 232:95–112

  • Ghazi S, Mountney NP (2009) Facies and architectural element analysis of a meandering fluvial succession: the Permian Warchha sandstone, Salt Range, Pakistan. Sediment Geol 221(1–4):99–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghazi S, Mountney NP (2011) Petrography and provenance of the early Permian fluvial Warchha sandstone, Salt Range, Pakistan. Sediment Geol 233(1–4):88–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon EA, Bridge JS (1987) Evolution of Catskill (Upper Devonian) river systems: intra and extrabasinal controls. J Sediment Petrol 57:234–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Goswami PK, Deopa T (2018) Litho-facies characters and depositional processes of a Middle Miocene lower Siwalik fluvial system of the Himalayan foreland basin, India. J Asian Earth Sci 162:41–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Güven N, Pease RW (1975) Electron optical investigation on montmorillonite-II: morphological variations in the intermediate members of the montmorillonite-beidellite series. Clay Clay Miner 23:187–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes JB (1970) Polytypism of chlorite in sedimentary rocks. Clay Clay Miner 18:285–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillier S (1994) Pore-lining chlorites in siliciclastic reservoir sandstones: electron microprobe SEM and XRD data, and implications for their origin. Clay Miner 29(4):665–679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inam A, Clift PD, Giosan L, Tabrez AR, Tahir M, Rabbani MM, Danish M (2007) The geographic, geological and oceanographic setting of the Indus River. In: Gupta A (ed) Large rivers: geomorphology and management. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Hoboken, pp 333–346

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ismail FT (1969) Role of ferrous iron oxidation in the alteration of biotite and its effect on the type of clay minerals formed in soils of arid and humid regions. Am Mineral 54:1460–1466

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson NM, Stix J, Tauxe L, Cerveny PF, Tahirkheli RAK (1985) Palaeomagnetic chronology, fluvial processes and tectonic implications of the Siwalik deposits near Chinji Village, Pakistan. J Geol 93:27–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones SJ, Frostick LE (eds) (2002) Sediment flux to basins: causes, controls and consequences: geological society special publication 191. The Geological Society, London 284 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan MJ, Opdyke ND (1987) Magnetic-polarity stratigraphy of the Siwalik Group of the Shingar and Surghar ranges, Pakistan. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar 20:111–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar R, Sangode SJ, Ghosh SK (2004) A multistorey sandstone complex in the Himalayan foreland basin, NW Himalaya, India. J Asian Earth Sci 23:407–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malik IA, Cohen DR, Dunlop AC (2004) Geochemical aspects of uranium in the Sumayar valley, northern areas of Pakistan. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar 37:1–25

    Google Scholar 

  • McBride EF (1963) A classification of common sandstones. J Sediment Petrol 33(3):664–669

    Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (1977) A review of the braided river depositional environment. Earth Sci Rev 13:1–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (1978) Litho-facies types and vertical profile models in braided river deposits. In: Miall AD (ed) Fluvial Sedimentology 5. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Calgary, Calgary, pp 597–604

    Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (1985) Architectural-element analysis: a new method of facies analysis applied to fluvial deposits. Earth Sci Rev 22:261–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (1988) Architectural-element and bounding surface in fluvial deposits: anatomy of the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic), southwest Colorado. Sediment Geol 55:233–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (2000) Principles of sedimentary basin analysis. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Miall AD (2006) The geology of fluvial deposits. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Möller P (1986) Rare earth mineral deposits and their industrial importance. In: Möller P, Cerny P, Saupe F (eds) Lanthanides, Tantalum and Niobium. Proceedings of a workshop. Spring-Verlag, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Najman Y (2006) The detrital record of orogenesis: a review of approaches and techniques used in the Himalayan sedimentary basins. Earth-Sci Rev 74(1–2):1–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Najman Y, Garzanti E, Pringle M, Bickle M, Stix J, Khan I (2003) Early- Middle Miocene paleodrainage and tectonics in the Pakistan Himalaya. Geol Soc Am Bull 115:1265–1277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen H (1988) The architecture of a sandy braided-meandering river system: an example from the Lower Triassic Solling Formation (M. Buntsandstein) in W-Germany. Geol Rundsch 77(3):797–814

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orris GJ, Grauch RI (2002) Rare earth element mines, deposits and occurrences: U.S. Geological Survey open file report 02-189, USGS, Tucson, Az

  • Powell CMA (1979) A speculative tectonic history of Pakistan and surroundings: some constraints from the Indian Ocean. In: Farah A, DeJong KA (eds) Geodynamics of Pakistan. Geological Survey of Pakistan, Quetta, pp 5–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Quade J, Cerling TE, Bowman JR (1989) Development of Asian monsoon revealed by marked ecological shift during the latest Miocene in northern Pakistan. Nature 342:163–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raiverman V (2002) Foreland sedimentation in Himalayan tectonic region: a relook at the orogenic process. Bishen Singh Mahendra pal Singh, Dehra Dun

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehman NU, Ahmad S, Ali F, Alam I, Shah A (2017) Joints/fracture analysis of Shinawah area, district Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. J Himalayan Earth Sci 50(2):93–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Rust BR (1978) Depositional models for braided alluvium. In: Miall AD (ed) Fluvial sedimentology. Canadian society of Petroleum Geologists, Memior 5, Calgary, pp 605–625

  • Saratovkin DD (1959) Dendritic crystallization. Consultants Bureau, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah SMI (2009) Stratigraphy of Pakistan. Geological Survey of Pakistan Memoirs 22, GSP, Quetta, p 400

  • Shah SMA, Hafeez A (2009) Sedimentology of Dhok Pathan Formation from Thathi area, northeast Potwar, district Rawalpindi. Geol Bull Punjab Univ 44:131–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah MT, Khan H (2004) Exploration and extraction of placer gold in the terraces of Bagrot valley, Gilgit, northern Pakistan. Geol Bull Univ Peshawar 37:27–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh H, Parkash B, Gohain K (1990) Facies analysis of the Kosi megafan deposits. Sediment Geol 85(1–4):87–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith ND, Cross TA, Dufficy JP, Clough SR (1989) Anatomy of an avulsion. Sedimentology 36:1–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suresh N, Ghosh SK, Kumar R, Sangode SJ (2004) Clay-mineral distribution in late Neogene fluvial sediments of the Subathu sub-basin, central sector of Himalayan foreland basin: implications for provenance and climate. Sediment Geol 163(3–4):265–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tandon SK (1972) Mechanical analysis of middle Siwalik sandstones from Ramnagar, Nainital District, Kurnaon Himalaya. J Geol Soc India 13:51–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullah K, Arif M, Shah MT, Abbasi IA (2009) The lower and middle Siwaliks fluvial depositional system of the western Himalayan foreland basin, Kohat, Pakistan. J Himalayan Earth Sci 42:61–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Valdiya KS (2016) The making of India; geodynamic evolution. Springer, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Weaver CE (1989) Clays, muds and shales. Elsevier, New York, p 819

    Google Scholar 

  • Worden RH, Morad S (2003) Clay minerals in sandstones: controls on formation, distribution and evolution. Int Assoc Sedimentol Spec Publ 34:3–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeats RS, Hussain A (1987) Timing of structural events in the Himalayan foothills of northwestern Pakistan. Geol Soc Am Bull 99:161–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank A. Majid Azhar, K. Pervaiz, I. Asghar, Muhammad A. Amin, Liu Xiaodong, Terrence O’ Conner, Martin C. Fairclough, and anonymous reviewers for their reviews and suggestions to improve and decorate the manuscript. Special thanks are due to PAEC and CNNC for providing facilities to carry out this research as part of Ph.D studies of the first author. The services of laboratory staff at ECUT are thankfully acknowledged. We acknowledge the support of Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, Arshad A. Farooqui, Muhammad A. Qureshi, Yu Zhen, Z. Fujun, Sumaira I., Shahbaz A., Muhammad N. Iqbal, G.S. Khan Faridi, G. Rasool, and A. Imran.

Funding

The analytical facilities for this study were financially supported by the National Natural Science Funds of China number U1403292 and 41772066.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, People’s Republic of China

    Abbas Ali, Pan Jiayong, Yan Jie & Ahmad Nabi

  2. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Post Box #658, Lahore, Pakistan

    Abbas Ali & Ahmad Nabi

Authors
  1. Abbas Ali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pan Jiayong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yan Jie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ahmad Nabi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pan Jiayong.

Additional information

Editorial handling: John S. Armstrong-Altrin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ali, A., Pan, J., Yan, J. et al. Lithofacies analysis and economic mineral potential of a braided fluvial succession of NW Himalayan foreland basin Pakistan. Arab J Geosci 12, 222 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-019-4295-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-019-4295-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation