Balauchistan Basin

Introduction
 Arc Trench System

 Age of the basin is dated to be Cretaceous

 Location
 North: Afghan Block/Eurasia
 South: Arabian Sea
 West: Iran
 East: Chaman Transform Fault
 Can be divided from North to South as;
 1. Chaghai Arc/Hills
 2. Intra arc basin (Mijawa-Dalbandin Through)
 3. Ras Koh Arc/Hills
 4. Kharan Fore Arc basin (Hamun-i-Mashkhel)
 5. Panjgur Wrench Zone (Makran Accretionary Prism)
 6. Makran Subduction Complex
 Stratigraphy of Balauchistan Basin

Age Group/Formation
Pleistocene Gawadar / Jawani / Haro / Bostan
Miocene-Pliocene Hinglaj Formation
Oligocene Amalaf (Eruptive Zone) / Khojak Formations
Eocene Sanidak / Kharan / Nisai Formations
Palaeocene Rakhshani Formation / Ispikan Conglomerate Eruptive Zone
Cretaceous Humai Formation
Sinjarani Volcanic Group (Sinjarani Formation)

Eruptive Zone of Balauchistan Basin

Cretaceous Stratigraphy

1. Sinjirani Volcani Group

 Name was introduced by HSC 1961
 Vredenburg 1901, Flysch
 Similar rocks are also found in Raskoh Belt, called as “Kuchakki Volcanic Group” by
HSC 1961 in Raskoh area

Type Locality
 After the tribal district in Chaghai area
Lithology
 At type locality;
 Fatmi 1977, formation contains, agglomerate, volcanic conglomerate, tuff and
lava with subordinate shale, sandstone and limestone
 Agglomerate and conglomerate are the dominant rock type and are green to black
 Varigated fine ash and tuff are interlayered with agglomerate (volcanic breccia)
 Tuffaceous shale and gritty green sandstone are locally abundant
 Lenticular layers of limestone and calcareous shales are also associated particularly
upper part of this group, south of Chaghai hills (Similar to Parh Limestone)

Thickness/Distribution
 Distributed in Chaghai Hills and Raskoh Belt of Eruptive zone
 900-1200m Raskoh Belt

Fossils
 Poorly preserved some algaes, forams, corals are reported

Age
 Cretaceous

Contact
 Lower: not exposed
 Upper: conformable with Humai Formation at Chaghai area
 2. Humai Formation
 HSC 1961, introduces the term
 Vredenburg 1901, Hippuritic limestone
Type Locality
 After Koh-e-Humai Hills (of Koh-e-Sultan) in Eruptive zone

Lithology
 Fatmi 1977, suggested that formation has great variation
Koh-e-Humai
 Lower part of formation contains; greenish grey, purplish shale, calcareous
sandstone, siltstone and thin bedded limestone and volcanic conglomerate
 Upper part of formation contains; massive, dense, reefoid limestone with abundant
Hippurites

Manzenen Rud
 The dense and reefoidal limestone passes laterally into grey, thick bedded
arenaceous limestone

Kacha Anticline (Eastern Flank)

 Westerly Exposures;
 Formation consists of conglomerate (boulders of limestone + Volcanic rocks), with gritty
and tuffaceous beds and grey, thin bedded limestone. Massive limestone predominant at
Kacha Rud, 6km NE of Kacha

 Easterly Exposures;
 Purplish, grey, white at places, thin to thick bedded limestone predominates at Siah Koh
Thickness/Distribution
 Humai Formation restricted to part of Eruptive zone between Kacha and Siah
Koh in Northern Chaghai division
 HSC 1961, reported thickness;
 91m Koh-e-Humai
 306m Mazenen Rud

Fossils
 Forams, algaes, coelentrates, Mollusks

Age
 Cretaceous

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Sinjrani Volcanic Group, but unconformable with
Sinjrani Volcanic Group at Southern Margin in Chaghai area
 Upper: conformable with Rakhshani Formation
 Tertiary Stratigraphy
Palaeocene Stratigraphy

3. Rakhshani Formation
 Term proposed by HSC 1961
 Hetrogenous sedimentary unit, Vredenburg 1901
 Present definition includes the “Juzzak Formation”, Lower half of “Gidar Dhor Group”,
basal part of “Pishi Group” of HSC 1961 and “Bunap Formation” of Ahmad 1951

Type Locality
 Tribal belt, Rakhshani, eastern end of Dalbandin Valley, Chaghai District

Lithology
 Sandstone+limestone+conglomerate
 Sandstone; light to dark grey, medium to coarse grained
 Limestone; grey to black, argillaceous common in lower part
 Conglomerate; lava flows of basaltic and andesitic composition, tuff and volcanic
breccia is present in formation

Thickness/Distribution
 Well distributed in the eruptive zone also developed in Gidar Dhor Valley
 Variable in thickness 150-1600m
 Thickest south of Rabat 2400m
Fossils
 Forams, mollusks, coelentrates

Age
 Palaeocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable by Humai Formation at Chaghai, Dalbandin areas
whereas in Raskoh range unconformable with Sinjrani Volcanic group
 Upper: saindak/Kharan Formation in Eruptive zone conformable

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Ispikan Conglomerate
 HSC 1961, introduces the term

Type Locality
 3km NE of Ispikan (20km NE of Mand North of Makran)

Lithology
Thickness/Distribution
 Only distributed, on the north side of Kulbar Kaur (localized occurrence)
 Where hill is about 0.8km long and 60-90m high

Age
 Palaeocene

Contact
 Lower: unconformable with sinjrani volcanics
 Upper: upper not exposed
----------------------------------------------------------
Eocene Stratigraphy

5. Saindak Formation
 Term introduced by HSC 1961
 Vredenburg 1901, Kirthar Stage

Type Locality
 Large syncline near Saindak Fort have been designated type locality

Lithology
 Interbedded shale+sandstone+shale+limestone+volcanic rocks
 Shale: green, yellowish brown, calcareous and sandy
 Sandstone: fine to coarse grained, gritty, dark green, greenish grey and calcareous
 Limestone: dark grey, yellowish brown weathering light grey
 Volcanic rocks: agglomerates+conglomerates
Thickness/Distribution
 Western part of Eruptive zone
 Major exposures;
 Mirjawa synclinorium between Saindak and hill west of Alamereg
 Also exposed along Pak-Iran boarder near Gwalishtap
 Max. thickness not less than 1500m
 At Gwalishtap 60m

Age
 Eocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Rakhshani Formation
 Upper: conformable with Amalaf Formation,
unconformable with Bostan Formation
(at Gwalishtap)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Kharan Formation
 HSC 1961, Kharan Formation
 Ahmad (in Bakr 1968), Eriklag Limestone

Type Locality
 Name originates from district town Kharan
 HSC 1961, designated type section at Jalwar
Lithology
 Limestone; thin-thick bedded, fine grained, argillaceous, medium to dark
grey, highly fossiliferous at places
 Shale; calcareous shales interclations of grey, green and brown
 Raskoh Range/Dalbandin
 Shale is dominate lithology, associated with sandstone; light grey-greenish
brown, fine-medium grained and calcareous

Thickness/Distribution
 Restricted to the eruptive zone
 Thickness variable
 NW of eruptive zone (Sheik Hussain, southern edge of Raskoh) 90m

Fossils
 Forams, algaes

Age
 Eocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Rakhshani Formation, at most of the localities
 Upper: conformable with Khojak Formation,
at Robat the upper contact is not exposed
 7. Nisai Formation
 HSC 1961, proposed the name, Nisai Group
 Vredenburg 1906, Khojak shales
 Davis 1930, Ghazij Shale and Older Nummulitic beds

Type Locality/Section
 HSC 1961, 12km north of Nisai Railway Station is type locality
 Kasria Jhur, tributary of Hab River flowing east from Pab Range, is type
section

Lithology
 Limestone, marl, shale with subordinate sandstone and conglomerate
 Lithologies varies at different places but dominancy of limestone is there
 Limestone; grey, greenish brown, massive, brecciated, reefoid (Wakai/Wakabi),
at places argillaceous, well bedded
 At wad area: limestone is well bedded and oolitic
 At Wakai: limestone has fetid smell
 Axial belt (Jumburo Area): marl becomes prominent constitute, well bedded,
grades into limestone, rarely exhibits breccia like structure
 Shale: grey, green, maroon, yellow, at places; calcareous, lateritic, carbonaceous, soft,
earthy, flaky and fissile
 Sandstone; green, grey, brown and white, weathering to dark brown or rusty, fine to
coarse grained, poorly sorted, at places cross stratified and commonly calcareous
 conglomerate; angular to rounded, pebble and boulders of limestone, marl,
sandstone and various igneous rocks

Thickness/Distribution
 Nisai well developed in Axial belt, Pishin basin
 Two small occurences are reported from;
 Near iranian boarder (Koh-i-Wakai) and Sheraz Peak
 and Siahan Range of Balauchistan basin
 Thickness at; Sheraz Peak 30m, Type section 300-750m, Wad 600m, Ghazaband
Pass and Gidar Dhor River 3-10m

Fossils
 Forams (Eocene and Oligocene), gastropods

Age
 Eocene-Oligocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Khojak Formation
 Upper: unconformable with Ispikan conglomerate at places
 Oligocene Stratigraphy

8. Amalaf Formation
 HSC 1961, introduces the term
 Vredenburg 1901, Part of Cretaceous-Eocene Flysch

Type Locality/Section
 A section, NW of Amalaf in Chaghai district by HSC 1961

Lithology
 Volcanic rocks+shale+sandstone
 Sandstone and shale; green and brown
 Volcanic rocks; consists of ash and agglomerate beds, lava flow also present, but few meters thick

Thickness/Distribution
 Restricted distribution and developed only in western part of eruptive zone (Mirjawa-Dalbandin
trough) about 300m

Fossils
 Vredenburg reported some fossils

Age
 Oligocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Saindak Formation
 Upper: not yet exposed and younger Formtion in area
 Makran Group
 Makran series, Blandford 1872
 Makran system, Vredenburg 1906
 After Makran, coastal areas
 Group contains the following formations;
 2. Hinglaj Formation
 1. Khojak Formation

1. Khojak Formation
 Flysch and Khojak Shales, Vredenburg 1909
 Then SCP formalized the name Khojak Formation

Type Locality
 Khojak Pass on Quetta-Chaman Road

Lithology
 Can be divided into two members;
 B. Shaigalu Member; upper sandstone member
 A. Murgha Faqirzai Member; lower shale member
  A. Murgha Faqirzai Member; type section and locality; Murgha Faqirzai
Rud
 Shale is grey to green, brown-maroon, at places calcareous, arenaceous,
fissil and flakey.
 At Multana; Locally some beds are carbonaceous with lenses of lignite.

B. Shaigalu Member; type section and locality; 50km SW of Fort Sademan

 Sandsotne; grey to green or greenish brown, weathers to grey, brown
rusty brown and maroon, fine to coarse grained at places gritty to pebbly
usually thick bedded
 At Amalaf; sandstone is calcareous, micaceous rarely furrigineous or
carbonaceous, show cross-stratification and ripple marks
 At Multana; conglomerate is present as subordinate component at
different level but predominates at Multana, indicates, subangular to
rounded pebble, cobbles and boulders (sandstone, limestone, igneous)
embedded in sandy matrix
 At certain places; Nushki, Khojak Pass, formation has been
metamorphosed to slate, quartzite due to intense deformation
Thickness/Distribution
 Widely exposed in Axial belt, Balauchistan Basin
 Thickness 900-1500m type locality
 Murgha Faqirzai at type locality 1200m
 Shaigalu 600m in Kakar Khorasan Range (type locality) and 1200m at Diz

Fossils
 Forams, Mollusks

Age
 Oligocene to Miocene, Oligocene: Murgha Faqirzai member,
while Miocene is Shaigalu member

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Kharan, Nisai Formations at places

 Upper: parts of Makran, North of Zhob (Balauchistan), parts of

Axial belt conformable with Hinglaj Formation
 Hinglaj Formation
 Vredenburg 1906, Hinglaj Series
 Then HSC 1961, called it as formation with exclusion of upper most
conglomerat (Haro Conglomerate)
 Asrarullah 1954, sandstone stage
 Hinglaj Group, Diz Formation, Talar Sandstone and Greshap Group of HSC
1961

Type Locality/sections
 Hinglaj Mountains as type locality
 Talar Gorge and Jiwani are designated as type sections

Lithology
 Dominate in sandstone with shale, subordinate limestone having Parkini
Mudstone and Chatti Mudstone member and minor amount of
Conglomerate, thus lithology contains two member i.e., Parkini Member and
Chatti Member
 Sandstone; grey, greenish grey, pale yellow brown to brown, weathering in
various shades of brown, grey, maroon at places black. Fine to coarse grained,
gritty, pebbly at places
 Shale; commonly in lower and upper part and is greenish grey, pale greenish
grey, brown, hard and soft, flaky and grades into mudstone
 Limestone; usually present in the lower part and is typically shelly to coquinoid,
argillaceous, sandy and dark grey in colour
  Parkini Member; after Parkini Kaur, a tributary of Hinglaj River also a type section by HSC 1961
 Mudstone: member is nodular, dark grey in colour with abundant small mud cracks
 Chatti Member; after Chatti, as type locality by HSC 1961
 Mudstone: mudstone is similar to the Parkini but in some places it is harder due to greater lime content,
which may be called as marl
 Subordinate siltstone, fine grained sandstone are also interbedded

Thickness/Distribution
 Formation I restricted to Axial belt, Makran, North-Zhob regions and Balauchistan basin
 Parkini Mudstone member: developed along westerly coastal region of south Makran and in Haro area of
Axial belt
 Chatti Mudstone member: is exposed in western most coastal areas of southern Makran
 Thickness of overall formation;
 Talar area 4545m
 Jiwani 3030m
 Hinglaj Mountains 4000m

Fossils
 Forams, mollusks

Age
 Late Oligocene to Miocene

Contact
 Lower: conformable with Khojak Formation, In North of Bela with Nari Formation conformable
 Upper: where Chatti Member is developed conformable with Gawadar Formation
 Pleistocne Stratigraphy
1. Gawadar Formation
 Gawadar Stage, Vredenburg 1921
 Redefine to Gawadar Formation; includes Ormara Formation of HSC 1961
Type Locality/Section
 Gawadar Peninsula, type locality
 Ormara is the type section
Lithology
 Cheema et al 1977, documented;
 Sandy clay; dark buff colour, weathers into light buff, soft, poorly consolidated and poorly bedded
 Sandstone; clay having interbeds of sandstone; light brown, weathering to buff or dark brown and is
medium to coarse grained, poorly cosolidated, thin bedded, sandstone havin fossil shell at top of
formation
 Conglomerate; thin beds of well rounded pebbles and cobbles
 At Astola Island; sandstone; thin beds, calcareous sandstone containing rounded and hard elongated
concretion are present in lower parts and similar to upper part
Thickness/Distribution
 Developed between Jiwani and Hinglaj river along Makran Coast, Astola Island
 Thickness 450m in Ormara as Ras Makran
 900m in Jiwani
Fossils
 Forams, Mollusks
Age
 Pleistocene
Contact
 lower: unconformable with Hinglaj Formation
 Upper: recent so not developed
 2. Jiwani Formation
 Term introduced by HSC 1961

Type Locality
 Coastal Village Jiwani, Makran

Lithology
 Shelly limestone, sandstone and conglomerate, characteristically weather to
greyish brown or dark ferrugineous brown
 Limestone; composed of shell fragments in sandy matrix
 Conglomerate; contains rounded cobbles, pebbles of sandstoen
 Sandstone; is well sorted, medium to coarse grained, cross bedded

Thickness/Distribution
 Restricted to Makran Coast, east of Ras Makran in Makran-North Zhob
region of Balauchistan basin, also found in Astola Island
 Max. thickness 30m at type locality

Fossils
 Broken fragement, Molluks
Age
 Pleistocene

Contact
 Lower: unconformable (angular) with Gawadar Formation, at other places with angular
unconformable with Hinglaj Formtion
 Upper: younges so not developed
------------------------------------------------------
3. Haro Conglomerate
 HSC 1961, introduces the term
Type Locality
 Haro Range
Lithology
 Conglomerate with subordinate sandstone, claystone and siltstone, typically weathering dark,
ferrugineous brown
 Conglomerate; subrounded to angular pebbles and boulders of siltstone, sandstone, limestone derived
from Makran Group
Thickness/Distribution
 Southern Axial Belta and central part of North Zhob-Makran region of Balauchistan
 Thickness ranges 600-1500m at places
Fossils
 Not found
Age
 Pleistocene
Contact
 Lower: unconformable (angular) with Hinglaj Formation
 Upper: recent not developed
 4.Bostan Formation
 HSC 1961, introduces the term

Type Locality
 After Bostan village, near Quetta

Lithology
 Clay, conglomerate and sandstone, siltstone
 Clay; white, light grey, brick red, maroon or apple green, soft, poorly consolidated and gypsiferous
 Siltstone and sandstone; are brown, reddish, grey with salt and pepper texture, soft and thin bedded
 Conglomerate; subrounded pebbles, boulders of limesotne, sandstone and volcanic rocks depending
upon surrounding rocks

Thickness/Distribution
 Southern sector of Axial belt, Eruptive zone; Chaghai-Ras Koh Province and Pishin Basin
 750m in Pishin Valley, 600m North of Siahan Range

Fossils
 Not studied

Age
 Pleistocene

Contact
 Lower: unconformable (angular) older folded strata such as Shirinab, Loralai, Nisai, Khojak
Formation
 Upper: recent not developed
 Pishin Basin
Introduction

Location
 North of Balauchisntan Basin
 North: Kabul Block
 South/West: Chaman Fault

 East: Fold and Thrust Belts (Kirthar/Suleiman)

Stratigraphy
Age Formations
Pleistocene Bostan Formation
Oligocene/Miocene Khojak Formation
Eocene Nisai Formation