The Sedimentological and provenance analysis of the Cambrian succession in the Saiduwali Section, Trans Indus ranges, Pakistan

Rana Imran Ali; Shahid Ghazi; Muhammad Jehangir Khan; Qamar Uz Zaman Dar; Shakeel Ahmed; Kashif Shehzad Baig; Syed Haroon Ali

Rana Imran Ali University of the Punjab
Shahid Ghazi
Muhammad Jehangir Khan
Qamar Uz Zaman Dar
Shakeel Ahmed
Kashif Shehzad Baig
Syed Haroon Ali Department of Earth Sciences, University of Sargodha, 40100, Pakistan

Keywords: Lithofacies, Cambrian sequence, provenance, Trans Indus Range, Pakistan

Abstract

The Cambrian Khewra, Kussak and Jutana Formation from the Saiduwali section, Chashma, Dera Ismael Khan has been studied in detail in order to investigate the sedimentology and provenance. This paper describes the litho-facies changes, depositional environment, and provenance analysis of the Cambrian Khewra, Kussak and Jutana Formation, Saiduwali section, Trans Indus Ranges, Pakistan. The sedimentological investigation shows that the depositional environment for the Khewra sandstone was Marginal Marine, for the Kussak Formation restricted marine, and for the Jutana formation supratidal to the intertidal depositional environment are suggested. The model classification of the Khewra Sandstone shows that, the Quartz percentage ranges from 85 to 93%, Feldspar 1 to 5%, and the percentage of lithic ranges from 0.5 to 3%. Based on these classifications the Khewra Sandstone falls in the Quartz Arenite Category. The model classification of the Kussak Formation shows that, the Quartz percentage ranges from 80 to 90%, Feldspar 2 to 5%, and the percentage of lithic ranges from 0.5 to 5%. Which shows that the Kussak Formation fall in the Quartz Arenite Category. The source area for Khewra Sandstone, and Kussak Formation was cratonic interior. And the source area for the sandstone of the Khewra and Kussak Formation is from cratonic interior of Indian shield. In the Jutana Formation, the clastic sedimentation has come from the foreign basin (mostly igneous, and sedimentary rocks). These sediments may be derived from the Cambrian Sea, which was near to the source.

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