Rocks that built an economy

A significant Middle Jurassic hydrocarbon reservoir of the Indus Basin (e.g. Zarghun South gas); its top unconformity hosts the Dilband oolitic iron ore.

One of the main dolomite-bearing units of the foreland fold-and-thrust belt; its partly dolomitised limestone carries a bituminous (hydrocarbon) odour and the unit is significant in Potwar petroleum geology.

The Paleocene Dungan Limestone is a regional hydrocarbon reservoir in the Sulaiman fields.

The Pirkoh and Habib Rahi limestones are gas reservoirs; the Drazinda Shale yields celestite.

The Pab Sandstone is a significant gas reservoir.

The Lower Goru sands are a major gas reservoir of the Lower and Central Indus Basin (e.g. Sui, Mari, Sawan, Miano).

Forms part of the productive Eocene clastic reservoir intervals of the Kohat sub-basin.

An Eocene limestone reservoir unit of the Sulaiman gas province.

A recognised potential hydrocarbon SOURCE ROCK of the Makran; thrust detachments root within this mud-rich interval, and hanging-wall anticlines form potential traps.

The Jatta Gypsum is a major gypsum resource; the Habib Rahi and Pirkoh limestones are gas reservoirs.

A major Eocene limestone, used locally as building and cement stone and forming reservoir intervals.

Petroleum reservoir, cement raw material

Fractured carbonate hydrocarbon reservoir and outcrop analogue in the Kala Chitta-Margalla-Hazara petroleum province; locally used as building and aggregate stone.

Contains workable coal seams (Nari coal) and forms reservoir intervals.

A major quartzose-sandstone hydrocarbon reservoir in the Lower Indus Basin.

The principal potential RESERVOIR unit of the Makran; its stacked turbidite sandstones have porosities up to ~18% and form exploration targets, with Hoshab/Parkini shales as source and seal.

Contains the Sembar source rock and Lower Goru reservoir — the core of the Indus Basin petroleum system.

A recognised potential hydrocarbon SOURCE ROCK of the Makran (slope-to-basinal mudstone, TOC locally exceeding 1%).

Coal-bearing in the Salt Range (Patala coal) and an important hydrocarbon source rock of the Upper Indus Basin.

Controls gas field locations in Lower Sindh

The Pirkoh Limestone is a significant gas reservoir (Pirkoh gas field).

Coal deposits in Lakhra Member; source rock potential

Cement raw material and construction aggregate; fractured carbonate reservoir and outcrop analogue in the Potwar-Salt Range petroleum system.

Major source of rock salt (Khewra Salt Mine), gypsum, and potential oil shales

Controls petroleum migration pathways in Punjab Platform

The principal hydrocarbon SOURCE ROCK of the Lower and Central Indus Basin (Sui, Mari and other gas fields); the Sembar–Lower Goru is an active petroleum system.

Studied as a fractured carbonate reservoir target in the Kohat Basin; spatially associated with the Bahadurkhel (Kohat) evaporite system.

The Chiltan Limestone is a gas reservoir; the Dilband Formation hosts Pakistan's largest iron-ore deposit.

A potential shallow RESERVOIR unit of the Makran, with stacked sandstones above the deeper turbidite reservoirs.

Identified as a potential petroleum source/reservoir carbonate in the Makran if it has significant subsurface extent.

The principal coal-bearing horizon of the Sindh (Lower Indus) coalfields, including the Lakhra, Sonda and Thar areas.

Hosts coal (Toi Formation) and gypsum (Baska Formation); the Ghazij shales form a regional seal.

Major coal deposits, gypsum

Hosts the economically important Makarwal coal seams in its lower part; laterite–bauxite also occurs at its basal unconformity (Chhoi–Akhori).

Contains workable coal seams (Nari coal) and forms reservoir intervals.

The Warchha Sandstone is a dimension/building stone; the group carries Gondwana fire-clay and coal locally.

Coal-bearing in the Salt Range (Patala coal) and an important hydrocarbon source rock of the Upper Indus Basin.

Coal deposits in Lakhra Member; source rock potential

Includes the coal-bearing Bara Formation — the principal Sindh (Lower Indus) coalfields.

Contains locally developed coal seams.

A major Eocene limestone, used locally as building and cement stone and forming reservoir intervals.

Petroleum reservoir, cement raw material

Cement raw material and construction aggregate; fractured carbonate reservoir and outcrop analogue in the Potwar-Salt Range petroleum system.

Cement raw material, building stone, aquifer

Cement raw material, building stone

The Productus limestones are used for cement and building stone.

Dimension stone, aquifer

Source of building stone and aggregate

Dimension stone quarrying

The Warchha Sandstone is a dimension/building stone; the group carries Gondwana fire-clay and coal locally.

Cement raw material, building stone, aquifer

The Datta Formation is Pakistan's main source of refractory fire-clay and glass/silica sand; the Samana Suk Limestone is a building stone.

Cement raw material, building stone

The Productus limestones are used for cement and building stone.

Rock salt deposits

Contains alabaster (gypsum) beds.

Hosts coal (Toi Formation) and gypsum (Baska Formation); the Ghazij shales form a regional seal.

Major coal deposits, gypsum

Major gypsum deposits

The Jatta Gypsum is a major gypsum resource; the Habib Rahi and Pirkoh limestones are gas reservoirs.

Gypsum deposits

Part of the salt-and-gypsum-bearing Eocene succession of the Kohat Plateau; it grades southward into the Bahadur Khel Salt and is itself gypsiferous.

Coal-bearing in the Salt Range (Patala coal) and an important hydrocarbon source rock of the Upper Indus Basin.

Cement raw material and construction aggregate; fractured carbonate reservoir and outcrop analogue in the Potwar-Salt Range petroleum system.

Major source of rock salt (Khewra Salt Mine), gypsum, and potential oil shales

Studied as a fractured carbonate reservoir target in the Kohat Basin; spatially associated with the Bahadurkhel (Kohat) evaporite system.

The serpentinized ultramafics host chromite (with associated manganese), in the Bela ophiolite belt.

Gemstone potential (emeralds in associated rocks)

Phosphorite (rock phosphate) has been reported from the Chichali Formation near Kohat, but low phosphate content makes it of little economic value.

A significant Middle Jurassic hydrocarbon reservoir of the Indus Basin (e.g. Zarghun South gas); its top unconformity hosts the Dilband oolitic iron ore.

Hosts the Dilband iron-ore deposit — Pakistan's largest — oolitic hematite at the top-Chiltan unconformity grading about 52–62% iron oxide.

Hosts celestite (strontium sulphate) nodules in the northern Sulaiman Range.

The Pirkoh and Habib Rahi limestones are gas reservoirs; the Drazinda Shale yields celestite.

Hosts the economically important Makarwal coal seams in its lower part; laterite–bauxite also occurs at its basal unconformity (Chhoi–Akhori).

Phosphorite (rock phosphate) of the basal Cambrian beds of the Hazara–Abbottabad area; the Kakul/Hazira phosphate is one of Pakistan's principal phosphate sources.

Hosts the famous Hunza ruby (corundum) deposits and other gemstones.

Source of bauxite and laterite in the Kotli area of Azad Kashmir.

Phosphorite occurs in the Kawagarh Formation near Chhoi in the Kalachitta Range, but is of little economic value owing to its low phosphate content.

Sulfur deposits, geothermal potential

The unconformity at the top of the Lumshiwal Formation (beneath the Paleocene Hangu Formation) hosts the Chhoi–Akhori laterite–bauxite deposits of the Kalachitta Hills.

Major chromite deposits, nickel potential, asbestos

A wall-rock unit of the Saindak porphyry copper–gold deposit; the surrounding Chagai magmatic arc hosts world-class porphyry Cu–Au–(Mo) systems including the giant Reko Diq deposit (~5.9 Gt at ~0.41% Cu plus gold) and the Saindak mine.

One of the sedimentary/volcanic wall-rock units that host the Chagai porphyry copper deposits (Saindak, Reko Diq).

The Chiltan Limestone is a gas reservoir; the Dilband Formation hosts Pakistan's largest iron-ore deposit.

Dimension stone, aquifer

Cement raw material, building stone, aquifer

Platinum group element potential

Fire clay, laterite

Paleontological heritage - whale evolution