Source provenance

Tahirkheli, R.A.K., Sun Dongli, Pan Yushang, Deng Wanming, Zhang Yuquan, Baqri, S.R.H. & Dawood, H. (1990). Review of stratigraphy of the Upper Hunza Valley (UHV), NW Karakoram, Pakistan. Geological Bulletin, University of Peshawar, 23, 203-214.

Cited by 6 units (6 published) · 27 field-level citations · 6 revision notes.

Pakistan-China collaborative restratigraphy of the Upper Hunza Valley (Gojal), NW Karakorum, following the discovery of the Sost Anticline. Recognises five mappable units from old to young - Gircha Formation, Pak-China Friendship (Dih) Formation, Passu Slate, Gujal (Guhjal) Dolomite and Shanoz Conglomerate - and shows that Desio & Martinas (1972) Passu Slate/Misgar Slate and Gujal Dolomite/Kilik Formation pairs are each single units bifurcated by the Sost megafold. Ages range from Permian (Gircha) to Late Cretaceous-Early Palaeocene (Shanoz Conglomerate); the Gujal Dolomite is Permo-Triassic with megalodont-like shells.

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Units citing this source

• Paleozoic Gircha Formation Permian
  • Geological significance: Tahirkheli et al. (1990): in the Upper Hunza Valley the Gircha Formation occupies the core of the newly recognised Sost Anticline and is the oldest formation exposed there; its base is not exposed and it is presumed to overlie the Dumurdu Formation of Desio & Martina (1972) / Baltit Group of Tahirkheli (1982). It is ~85% argillaceous (garnet-mica schist, chlorite schist, quartz schist, sericite-phyllitic schist and splintery slaty shales) with subordinate thin yellowish-brown limestone and flaggy quartzitic sandstone, intruded by dolerite, diorite, granite, aplite and vein quartz; its upper contact with the overlying Pak-China Friendship Formation is unconformable and faulted. A Lower Permian age (Desio & Martina 1972) is supported by a new fossil locality ~3 km north of Sost.
• Mesozoic Guhjal Dolomite Triassic
  • Lithology: Tahirkheli et al. (1990), Upper Hunza Valley (spelling it 'Gujal Dolomite'; named by Desio & Martina 1972): a dominantly calcareous formation forming high ridges and cliffs in the lower valley, with three calcareous bed types - semi-crystalline argillaceous limestone, semi- to medium-crystalline dolomitic limestone and dolomite, and semi- to medium-crystalline arenaceous dolomitic limestone - with thin grey/yellowish/pinkish argillaceous and arenaceous shale intercalations and two intraformational conglomerate horizons (clasts of Gujal Dolomite, plus rare Pak-China Friendship Fm and Passu Slate). It is the second-thickest sequence of the valley after the Passu Slate; its 'Kilik Formation' outcrop on the north flank of the Sost Anticline is shown to be the same folded block of Gujal Dolomite.
  • Age: Tahirkheli et al. (1990): Hayden (1916) described silicified shells from the Gujal Dolomite as Hippurites and Rudistes, which Desio & Martina (1972) reinterpreted as megalodonts; on lithological correlation with formations in the Shaksgam valley, the Pamir and Mt. Tupopdan, Desio & Martina assigned it a Permo-Triassic age - consistent with the curated Late Permian-Late Triassic span.
• Precambrian Misgar Slate Neoproterozoic-Cambrian
  • Geological significance: Tahirkheli et al. (1990): the Misgar Slate and Passu Slate of Desio & Martina (1972) are shown to be a single lithological unit bifurcated by the Sost Anticline - Passu Slate on the SW flank, Misgar Slate on the NE flank - so the name Misgar Slate is withdrawn in their Upper Hunza scheme in favour of Passu Slate. The slates (light-to-dark grey slaty shale, slate and phyllitic slate with subordinate calcareous/arenaceous partings, so far unfossiliferous) overlie the Pak-China Friendship Formation with a marked unconformity and are intruded by the Karakoram Axial Batholith (S) and the Khunjerab Igneous Complex (N).
• Paleozoic Pak-China Friendship Formation Permian
  AgeEraPeriodLithologyType localityThicknessLower contact (overlies)Upper contact (underlies)DescriptionIntroduced by
  • Age: Tahirkheli et al. (1990): the Pak-China Friendship Fm (a new unit; type section ~3 km S of Dih) occurs as upfolded pockets within the Passu Slate, above the Lower Permian Gircha Formation and below the Passu Slate; quartzite/quartzitic sandstone and slate with erratic conglomerate bands, 10 m (Passu/Khaiber) to >30 m (S of Dih). Fossils poorly preserved (age pending at time of publication); Permian is inferred from stratigraphic position. Lower contact with Gircha faulted; upper contact with Passu Slate unconformable and tectonic.
• Paleozoic Passu Slate Permian
  AgeEraPeriodLithologyType localityLower contact (overlies)Upper contact (underlies)Description
  • Lithology: Tahirkheli et al. (1990): the Passu Slate (= Misgar Slate on the north flank; one formation doubled by the Sost Anticline) is light-to-dark grey, thin- to medium-bedded slaty shale, slate and phyllitic slate with subordinate calcareous/arenaceous partings, splintery weathering, sporadically intruded by granite/diorite/dolerite/aplite/vein quartz. Overlies the Pak-China Friendship Fm with a marked unconformity; intruded by the Karakoram Axial Batholith and Khunjerab Igneous Complex. No fossils reported.
• Cenozoic Shanoz Conglomerate Paleogene
  AgeEraPeriodLithologyType localityLower contact (overlies)Introduced byGeological significancePlain summary