Source provenance

Malik, I.A. (1989). Geodynamics and Coal Deposits of Pakistan. Geological Bulletin of the Punjab University, 24, 12-43.

Cited by 7 units (7 published) · 0 field-level citations · 7 revision notes.

Coal geology of Pakistan (~1.5 billion tons, three provinces). Coal-hosting formations by age: Permian Tobra Formation (earliest Pakistani coal at Buri Khel, top of Tobra, Asselian; ~162 cm seam; sub-economic); Early Paleocene Hangu Formation (Makerwal/Surghar, Trans-Indus; 2-3 m seam; ~20 Mt; lagoonal; anomalously high inertinite); mid-Paleocene Bara Formation (Sonda field, Lower Indus; 11 seams, 3 workable, 4-6 m; ~500 Mt); Late Paleocene Lakhra Formation (Lakhra field; high pyritic sulphur; ~498 Mt, largest single field; anticline at the Hinge Line); Late Paleocene Patala Formation (Salt Range/Cherat/Kotli; seams to ~1.5 m; Kotli coal bituminous-to-anthracite by syntaxial tectonism); Early Eocene Laki Formation (Meting-Jhimpir lignite; basal Sonhari Member; ~40 Mt); Early Eocene Ghazij Formation/Group (Baluchistan coal basin; fields incl. Mach, Degari, Sor Range, Sharigh, Harnai-Khost, Duki, Chamalang; high-sulphur; fragmented by Eocene tectonism).

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Units citing this source

• Cenozoic Bara Formation Paleogene
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): the mid-Paleocene Bara Formation (dominantly sandstone over Khadro basaltic lava flows, near Kalri Lake) hosts the Sonda coalfield of the Lower Indus Basin - eleven coal seams, three workable, with a cumulative 4-6 m and reserves ~500 Mt (9,599-12,743 BTU/lb); the coal is rich in fixed carbon and sulphur.
• Cenozoic Ghazij Group Paleogene
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): the Early Eocene Ghazij Formation/Group is the principal Baluchistan coal basin - coal in a mid sandstone facies capped by a conglomeratic marker bed, fragmented by severe Eocene tectonism (along the Ghazaband Fault) into many fields: Mach-Abigum, Degari, Sinjidi, Sor Range, Pir Ismail Ziarat, Sharigh, Harnai-Khost, Duki and Chamalang. Coal is high-sulphur; Harnai-Khost and Sor Range are the highest-rank (to ~11,480 BTU/lb), the Duki field the lowest.
• Cenozoic Hangu Formation Paleogene
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): the Early Paleocene Hangu Formation hosts the Makerwal coalfield of the Surghar Range (Trans-Indus) - one fairly consistent seam ~2-3 m thick over ~50 km of strike (~20 Mt; 9,000-12,206 BTU/lb), deposited under lagoonal conditions and unusually rich in inertinite (fusinite/semi-fusinite) for a Tertiary coal.
• Cenozoic Lakhra Formation Paleogene
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): the Late Paleocene Lakhra Formation forms the Lakhra coalfield - a broad, tectonically undisturbed anticline (~64 x 16 km) at the 'Hinge Line' of the Indo-Pakistan Plate - with five seams and reserves ~498 Mt, the largest single field, though high in pyritic sulphur (5,742-10,620 BTU/lb).
• Cenozoic Laki Formation Paleogene
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): the Early Eocene Laki Formation hosts the Meting-Jhimpir lignite field of the Lower Indus Basin - a basal lateritic 'Sonhari Member' (lateritic clay/shale with arenaceous limestone, lignite and ferruginous sandstone) carrying one workable seam ~1 m thick (~40 Mt); a high-moisture (12-23%) lignitic coal.
• Cenozoic Patala Formation Paleogene
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): coal in the shaly middle of the Late Paleocene Patala Formation is worked across the Salt Range (~80 km E-W; Dandot, Ara, Diljaba, Dalwal, Padrar, Katha-Pail; combined ~87 Mt), Cherat, the Kala Chitta Hills and Kotli (Azad Kashmir) - one to two workable seams up to ~1.5 m. The Kotli coal is exceptionally matured to bituminous/anthracite rank by severe tectonism at the Hazara-Kashmir Syntaxis.
• Paleozoic Tobra Formation Permian
  • Economic importance: Malik (1989): the Permian Tobra Formation hosts the earliest coal in Pakistan, at Buri Khel at the top of the formation (Asselian) - a detrital, sub-vitreous coal with a maximum seam ~162 cm (and ~3 m at Sarai Sindhu near Multan, in the subsurface). Permian coal is regarded as of theoretical interest only, essentially sub-economic (an alternative placement by Raza et al. 1977 put this coal in the Warcha Sandstone).