ABSTRACT

The study area is part of Tehsile Taunsa, District Dera Ghazi Khan and lies between the
Longitude 70˚ 25′ 00″ to 70˚ 30′ 00″ E, Latitude 30˚ 40′ 00″ to 30˚ 45′ 00″ N. The area is located
in the eastern Indus Basin and bounded by Indian Shield in the east and lies on the western
margin of Indian plate. The area is comprised of lithostratigraphic rock units namely Baska
Formation, HabibRahi Formation, Domanda Formation, Pirkoh Farmation, Drazinda Formation,
Chittarwatta Formation, Vihowa Formation and Littra Formation, the strata are from Eocene to
Pleistocene in age. Lithostructural mapping of the area has been carried out at the scale of
1:14125. The toposheet no 39J/6 was used as the base map with 3 times enlargement. The
systematic sampling of the exposed rock unit was carried out and marked on the base map. Trend
and inclination of exposed rock units are measured and marked on the base map. The rock
samples of these formations put to necessary preparation for petrography and lime
manufacturing. Detailed petrographic interpretation of the exposed rock unit has been carried
out. Microphotographs of the petrographic illustrations have been elaborated. The petrography
revealed that Baska Formation is composed of alabaster gypsum, limestone and shale. The rock
is composed long narrow crystals of calcite mineral. Habib Rahi Formation is composed of
limestone, shale and chert. The texture of the limestone is coarse grained. It is grain supported
carbonate rock. The rock sample is fossiliferous and catagorised as biosparite, it is also fine
grained to crypto crystalline which is unfossliferous. Domanda Formation is composed of shale
with carbonate bands. The carbonate rock was of originally limestone which has been totally
dolomitized, result in the Formation mosaic of anhedral crystals of dolomite. Pirkoh Formation
is composed of limestone which is biomicrite. Drazinda Formation is composed of variegated
shale and limestone which is biomicrite. Chiterwatta Formation is composed of sandstone and
claystone where the sandstone is sub-arkose, litharenite, greywacke, quartz wacke, sub
litharenite, lithic greywacke and quartz-arenite. Vihowa Formation is composed of sandstone,
claystone and orthoconglomerates. Littra Formation is composed of sandstone and claystone
with 80% sandstone and 20% claystone of the Littra Formation is arkosic. Selected samples of
Pirkoh limestone were treated for insoluble acid residue which showed that the the limestone is
94.5% pure. The LOI determinations of exhibited Pirkoh limestone that the optimum temperature
for lime manufacturing from Pirkoh limestone is 1000°C.