Sedimentary Rocks in Pakistan: Age, Lithology, and Distribution

Sedimentary rocks in Pakistan range in age from Precambrian to Miocene i. e from oldest to youngest on the geological time scale form 542 million years to latest. Luckily for geoscientists all of them are exposed in different parts of the country. Lithologically they constitute sandstone, limestone, shale and mixed lithologies of them all. These rocks are exposed all along the mountain ranges from Islamabad in north to Karachi in the south. Igneous rocks are exposed north of Peshawar or only at Nagarparker in the southeastern corner of the country.

You better study 'Stratigraphy and historical geology of Pakistan' by Kazmi and Abbasi (2008), which will provide you a full knowledge about the rocks in Pakistan. 'Geology and tectonics of Pakistan' by Kazmi and Jan (1997) also gives details of distribution of ores and minerals in different parts of the country. Names [de] Mergel [en] marl Description Marl is a sedimentary rock made of clay and limestone, which belongs to the family of pelitic rocks (clays <0. 02 mm, the fine particles in water sales) and a carbonate is a variety of mudstone. The rocks can be both clastic and chemical-biogenic origin.

The carbonate can be washed in as detritus, often goes back to the carbonate skeletons of plankton or biochemically precipitated calcite. On the seabed to collect layers of calcite and clay sediments, which are becoming more powerful over time and compacted by the weight of younger sediments onlay. Furthermore, responding in the sediment pore solution with the mineral matter and the sediment is gradually changing into a rock. The trivial term ruin marble (also landscape marble) refers to limestone and marl (as calcitic overprinted mud stones). Color reen, brown, beige and gray - grayish white Grain Size very fine grained sandstone are deposit in southern California Igneous Rock Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. This magma can be derived from either the Earth's mantle or pre-existing rocks made molten by extreme temperature and pressure changes. Over 700 types of igneous rocks have been described, most of them formed beneath the surface of the Earth's crust.

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The word "igneous" is derived from the Latin ignis, meaning "fireGujarat has vast resources of marble in Banaskantha. Bharuch. Vadodara. Kaclichh and Panchmahal … In Uttarakhand. thick impersistent bands of white marble occur inBasalt is a very common igneous rock. In fact it is the most common rock in the Earth's crust. Almost all oceanic crust is made of basalt and basalt is a common extrusion from many volcanic regions around the world. It forms from the melting of the upper mantle and its chemistry closely resembles the upper mantle's composition.

It is generally silica poor and iron and magnesium rich. Basalt originates from "hot spot" volcanoes, massive basalt flows and mid oceanic ridges. Uses of Basalt Basalt is used for a wide variety of purposes. It is most commonly crushed for use as an aggregate in construction projects. Crushed basalt is used for road base, concrete aggregate, asphalt pavement aggregate, railroad ballast, filter stone in drain fields and may other purposes. Basalt is also cut into dimension stone. Thin slabs of basalt are cut and sometimes polished for use as floor tiles, building veneer, monuments and other stone objects.

Rock Salt? Rock Salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of ocean or saline lake waters. It is also known by the mineral name "halite". It is rarely found at Earth's surface, except in areas of very arid climate. It is often mined for use in the chemical industry or for use as a winter highway treatment. Some halite is processed for use as a seasoning for food. Rock Salt: The specimen shown is about two inches (five centimeters) across. | | | | | | Minerals Marl nearly consists of equal numbers clays and calcite or dolomite.

Furthermore quartz, mica, pyrite and gypsum may be present. Occurences Marl occurs worldwide, the variety ruin marble in Italy (near Florence), Austria, Czech Republic and Pakistan. SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Broader Terms carbonate sedimentary rocks Narrower Terms Austria-marl France-marl Germany-marl Italy-marl Dolomite Dolomite was first described by the French mineralogist Deodat de Dolomieu in 1791 from its occurrence in a range of the southern Alps. The rock was given the name dolomite by de Saussure, and today the mountains themselves are called the Dolomites.

What Dolomieu noticed was that dolomite looks like limestone, but unlike limestone it does not bubble when treated with weak acid. The mineral responsible is also called dolomite. Dolomite is very significant in the petroleum business because it forms underground by the alteration of calcite limestone. This chemical change is marked by a reduction in volume and by recrystallization, which combine to produce open space (porosity) in the rock strata. Porosity creates avenues for oil to travel and reservoirs for oil to collect.

Naturally, this alteration of limestone is called dolomitization, and the reverse alteration is called dedolomitization. Both are still somewhat mysterious problems in sedimentary geology. The most commonly found Sedimentary rocks are, Limestone, Sandstone, Shale, Mudstone, Siltstone, Marlstone and Claystone. These rocks are found in Kirthar Range, Sulaiman Range, Makran range, Bhitanni Range, Pab Range, Salt range and many other places of Balochistan province and NWFP and Kashmir. Igneous rocks are found in Chagai volcanic arch and magmetic belt (Balochistan bordering Iran and Afghanistan).

Metamorphic and igneous rocks are also found in the Karakoram Himalayan Crystalline belt (northern part of Pakistan including Swat, Hazara, Kaghan valley, Attock, Khyber area, Mingora, Kashmir, Chitral, Gilgit and Hunza valley. Granite of Igneous origin is also found in the southeastern corner of Pakistan, in Nagarparker area. Sandstone And Quartzite Physical Properties| Chemical Properties| Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed essentially of quartz grains cemented by siliceous, felspathic, calcareous cementing matters. The durability and strength of these rocks depend on the cementing material.

The best quality sandstone, for building purpose, should be of fine grain and uniform texture. The colour of the sandstone may be either white, grey, yellow, buff, brown or red Sandstone is the youngest of the quartz-based stones, which eventually turns into quartzite as the sandstone is subjected to heat and pressure. Textures within the sandstone layers such as cross-bedding, ripple marks, and mud cracks, are clues to the origin of the layers as shallow, inter-tidal or delta sediments. The colors of sandstone depend on the mineral contents and impurities in the sand.

Generally, the sandstone is available in red, beige, pink, green, grey, brown, yellow, mint, teak, and in rainbow color. Uses Sandstone was a common building material for larger structures, before reinforced concrete came into use in the middle of late 1800's. Nevertheless, it is still put into various purposes such as for flooring or as paving materials since they are dug out from the ground in individual layers. Some sandstone is honed for a smoother finish and used for both interior and exterior applications. It is also used as flagstone for residential applications. Quartzite is a metamorphic rock consisting of compact siliceous matter.

It is formed from sandstone that after metamorphism alters to quartzite. Quartzite is used mainly as a building stone and as road metal. Fine grained compact quartzite is found in Gurgaon district of Haryana and is considerably used as a building stone. Rajasthan is the largest state that produces quartzite. Different quarries produce slabs and titles measuring 30 to 60 cm in width and 2 to 3 m in length Since most of these stones are taken from the ground in individual layers, they are typically used as flooring or paving materials. Most flagstone used in residential applications is sandstone.

Most sandstones and quartzite have a "natural cleft" finish, meaning the finished surface is the way the stone came out of the ground. Some sandstones are honed for a smoother finish. Most sandstones are suitable for both interior and exterior application. The colors of sandstone, depending on the cements and impurities in the sand, are red, beige, pink, green, gray, brown, yellow, mint, teak, rainbow. The quartzite comes in black and white colors only. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES| Color| Minor color tonal variations exist but within the tolerance limit. | Hardness| 6 to 7 on Moh's Scale Density 2. 32 to 2. 2 Kg/m3| Compressive Strength| 365 to 460 Kg/m2| Water Absorption| Not more than 1. 0 %| Modulus of Rupture| 197-200 Kg/cm2| Porosity| Low to very low. | Weather Impact| Resistant| CHEMICAL PROPERTIES| Chemically they are very resistant Mono-Mineralic rocks, principally of silica. | SiO2| 93-94%| Iron (Fe2O3)| 1. 5%-1. 6%| Alumina (Al2O3)| 1. 4 to 1. 5%| Soda (Na2O) ; Potash (Kro)| 1. 0% to 1. 2%| Lime (CaO)| 0. 8% to 0. 9%| Magnesia (MgO)| 0. 2 to 0. 25%| Loss On Ignition (LOI)| 1. 0% to 1. 2%. | They are highly resistant to avoids, alkalis and thermal impact. Insolubility in acids and alkalis is about 97%. |

Breccia Breccia is a term most often used for clastic sedimentary rocks that are composed of large angular fragments (over two millimeters in diameter). The spaces between the large angular fragments can be filled with a matrix of smaller particles or a mineral cement that binds the rock together. Uses The rock, breccia, has very few uses. However, the word "breccia" is used as a trade name for a group of dimension stone products with a broken, angular pattern. Names such as "Breccia Oniciata", "Breccia Pernice" and "Breccia Damascata" are cut and polished limestones and marbles that reveal a broken, angular pattern.

Marble Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced from the metamorphism of limestone. It is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. What is Hornfels? Hornfels is a fine-grained nonfoliated metamorphic rock with no specific composition. It is produced by contact metamorphism. Hornfels is a rock that was "baked" while near a heat source such as a magma chamber, sill or dike. What is Amphibolite? Amphibolite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that forms through recrystallization under conditions of high viscosity and directed pressure.

It is composed primarily of amphibole and plagioclase, usually with very little quartz. What is Flint? Flint is a hard, tough chemical or biochemical sedimentary rock that breaks with a conchoidal fracture. It is a form of microcrystalline quartz that is typically called “chert” by geologists. It often forms as nodules in sedimentary rocks such as chalk and marine limestones. The nodules can be dispersed randomly throughout the rock unit but are often concentrated in distinct layers. Some rock units form through the accumulation of silicious skeletal material.

These can recrystallize to form a layer of bedded flint. Flint is highly resistant to weathering and is often found as pebbles or cobbles along streams and beaches. What is Welded Tuff? Welded Tuff is a rock that is composed of materials that were ejected from a volcano, fell to Earth, and then lithified into a rock. It is usually composed mainly of volcanic ash and sometimes contains larger size particles such as cinders. (igneous rock What is Diorite? Diorite is a coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock that contains a mixture of feldspar, pyroxene, hornblende and sometimes quartz.

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