Geological investigations at a high altitude, remote coal mine on the Northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan frontier, Karakoram Himalaya

The Northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan frontier is located one of the most remote, inaccessible, and inhospitable part of the Himalayan orogenic belt. In this region, two of the world's largest and most distinct mountain belts intersect; the Karakoram Himalaya (mainly in Pakistan) and the Hindu Kush (mainly in Afghanistan). Located at high altitude, in a remote part of Northwest Pakistan, close to the border with Afghanistan, tribal villagers began excavating a series of adits into the steep mountain slopes, beneath glaciers, to extract valuable coal and carbonaceous shale resources. These were discovered in 1996, by the villagers, whilst hunting, and may represent some of the highest mine workings in the world. Small-scale mining operations subsequently developed using rudimentary mining methods and the mine became known as the Reshit or Pamir Coal Mine.The coal deposits are sedimentary, highly disturbed and tectonised, having been subjected to multiple phases of orogenic crustal deformation. The coal occurs as discrete lenses, several tens of metres in their lateral dimension, between steeply dipping, overturned and thrusted limestone beds of Jurassic age. The coal provided a vital, alternative source of fuel for the villagers since the local, traditional fuel supply was wood, which had become severely depleted, and imports of kerosene from neighbouring China and Afghanistan were too expensive.The mining operations experienced severe problems. These included several collapses of mine entrances, the failure of the adits to intersect the coal-bearing zones, the potential threat of geological hazards, mining-induced hazards and harsh high-altitude operating conditions, particularly during the winter months. International aid was provided to assist the villagers and a geological investigation was commissioned to investigate the problems at the mine.The geology of Karakoram Himalaya is relatively poorly understood. Until recently the region was restricted to foreign visitors and large areas of this mountain belt are virtually unmapped. Existing geological and topographic maps are difficult to obtain or are unavailable due to the close proximity of political frontiers, national borders and security reasons. The mineral resource potential of this region is virtually unknown. Few western geologists have visited this area due to its inaccessibility and political constraints, being situated close the frontiers with China, Afghanistan, and the disputed Pakistan and India territory of Kashmir.The Pakistan and Afghanistan border, is once again, now closed to foreign visitors. The objectives of this paper are to document the occurrence of coal and carbonaceous shale, at high altitude, in the Karakoram Himalaya and to provide details on the geology, geological hazards, reserves and labour-intensive mining operations. These observations and information may provide the basis for future mineral exploration, mining-geology, mining-engineering, feasibility studies and engineering geological investigation in the Karakoram Himalaya.     

Holocene calcrete crust deposits on the moraine of Batura Glacier, northern Pakistan

Abstract   Calcretes can be observed on the surface of old moraines around Batura Glacier in the upper Hunza Valley, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan. They develop as a calcareous crust cementing small gravels under boulders. In order to understand the genesis of the calcrete crust, a variety of methods were employed: (i) study of mineralogy and geochemistry of a calcrete crust precipitated on the lateral moraine using X-ray diffractometer and electron probe microanalysis; (ii) analysis of solute chemistry of surface water and ice bodies around the Batura Glacier; and (iii) accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating of the crust itself. The results indicate that the calcrete crust has definite laminated layers composed of a fine-grain and compact calcite layer, and a mineral fragment layer. The chemical composition of the calcite layer is approximately 60% CaO and 1% MgO. The mineral fragment layer consists of rounded grain materials up to 0.2 mm in diameter. It shows a graded bedding structure with fine grains of quartz, albite and muscovite. Meanwhile, as the Paleozoic Pasu limestone is distributed around the terminal of Batura Glacier, Ca cations dissolve in the melt water of the glacier. Accordingly, the calcrete crust is precipitated by decreases in CO₂ partial pressure from glacier ice and evaporation of the melt water, including high concentration of Ca²⁺ at ephemeral streams and small ponds stagnating between the moraine and glacial ice. On the basis of the AMS ¹⁴C age, the calcrete is considered to have formed approximately 8200 calibrated years bp under the Batura glacial stage.     

The historical Saklei Shuyinj and Chateboi Glacier Dams as triggers for lake outburst cascades in the Karambar Valley, Hindukush

Abstract   Since the mid-nineteenth century, devastating glacier lake outbursts have occurred in the Karambar Valley. The exact source areas of these floods are to date unknown. The present study uses geomorphologic field evidence and interviews of local inhabitants to reconstruct nine potential glacier dams in the Karambar Valley within a horizontal distance of only 40 km. The article focuses on the geomorphologic reconstruction of the highest glacier dams, the Chateboi and Saklei Shuyinj Glaciers. Their lake basins were connected in former times resulting in a complex interfingering of lake sediments, lake terraces and glacial deposits. The outbursts of these lakes could have triggered the drainage of one of the lower ice-dammed lakes (Sokther Rabot, Chillinji, Warghut or Karambar) and therefore initiated an outburst cascade in the upper Karambar Valley. Successive glacier dams are wide spread in the Karakoram, and cascading lakes might have also played a role in other lake outburst scenarios. In the Karambar Valley, even today the Chateboi Glacier blocks the Karambar River over a distance of 4 km and represents a permanent hazard for the villages located downstream.     

西昆仑-喀喇昆仑造山带锂矿成矿特征与成矿规律初探

西昆仑- 喀喇昆仑造山带中生代花岗伟晶岩相当发育,主要分布于麻扎- 康西瓦缝合带以南的喀喇昆仑造山带,构成了西自木吉—塔什库尔干,东到大红柳滩长达600 km的喀喇昆仑稀有金属成矿带。通过多年的研究,本文对西昆仑- 喀喇昆仑造山带37处稀有金属矿床(点)进行了全面系统的梳理,认为喀喇昆仑- 喀喇昆仑造山带表现为“西铍东锂”的格局,稀有金属成矿年龄集中213~206 Ma。将喀喇昆仑造山带稀有金属成矿带划分为木吉- 塔什库尔干稀有金属成矿亚带、赛图拉- 大红柳滩稀有金属成矿亚带,从西向东可划定4个矿化集中区：木吉- 布伦口稀有金属集中区、塔什库尔干- 塔吐鲁沟稀有金属矿化集中区、康西瓦稀有金属矿化集中区、大红柳滩- 白龙山稀有金属矿化集中区。同时,认为西昆仑- 喀喇昆仑造山带西段下一阶段的找矿可放在西合休南锂铍找矿远景区、阿然保泰铍找矿远景区、木吉西锂铍找矿远景区。     

Recent Changes Occurred in the Terminus of the Debris-covered Bilafond Glacier in the Karakoram Himalayas Using Remotely Sensed Images and Digital Elevation Models (1978-2011)

Recent changes occurred in terminus of the debris-covered Bilafond Glacier in the Karakoram Range in the Himalayas, Northern Pakistan was investigated in this research. Landsat MSS, TM and ETM＋ images were used for this study. Digital elevation models derived from ASTER GDEM and SRTM were also utilized. Visible, infrared and thermal infrared channels were utilized in order to get accurate glacier change maps. Three methods were tried to map this debris-covered glacier in this research. The glacier has been mapped successfully and the changes in the glacier terminus from 1978 to 2011 have been calculated. Manual, semi-automatic and thermal methods were found to give similar results. It was found that the glacier has undergone serious ablation during this period despite of the fact that many of the larger glaciers in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain regions in the Upper Indus Basin were reported to be expanding. The terminus has been moved back about 600 meters during this period and there was an abrupt change in the glacier terminus during 1990-2002. We propose that debris thickness is not the only factor that influences the glacier ablation but the altitude of the debris-covered glacier as well. Many glaciers in the Karakoram region reported to be expanding were having higher altitudes compared to the study area.     

Accessibility for High Asia： Comparative Perspectives on Northern Pakistan＇s Traffic Infrastructure and Linkages with Its Neighbours in the Hindukush-Karakoram- Himalaya

Starting with a discussion of development concepts which were applied in practice and which followed the developmentalist paradigm the expansion of traffic infrastructure in colonial and post-colonial periods is presented for the High Asian mountain rim. Selective railways and roads are the major feature of this development, which aimed first on serving the convenience of hill station visitors and followed strategic considerations later on. This bias between regional planning and implementation remains a characteristic feature. At the same time traffic infrastructure without asphalt roads is important for the mountain areas, thus breaking up the strong correlation between development and asphalt roads.     

喀喇昆仑山西北部冰川运动速度地形控制特征

为了探讨地形和海拔对冰川季节和年平均运动速度的影响程度,利用2013-2018年GoLive数据与ASTER GDEM V2数据对喀喇昆仑山西北部3 389条冰川的地形（坡度、坡向、海拔）和冰川运动速度进行了综合分析。结果表明：冰川表面运动速度在物质平衡线处（3 970~4 770 m）达到最快,是冰川积极维持物质平衡的一种体现。坡度平缓地区在不同海拔下的冰川运动速度有明显的差别,但是不同坡度地区的冰川运动速度随海拔变化的趋势基本一致,均呈现先增大后减小。北坡冰川运动速度较平稳,南坡和西南坡的冰川运动速度（均为0.25 m·d^-1）最快并且变化幅度较大,最小值与最大值相差近4倍。冰川运动速度不是呈现单一的季节性变化,同时还会受到地形的控制。低海拔区域冰川运动速度在消融期（3-6月）较快,中海拔区域在消融前（11月至次年2月）较快。     

喀拉昆仑火烧云一带早侏罗世双峰式火山岩的发现及意义

喀拉昆仑火烧云北火山岩发育在乔尔天山断裂附近,玄武岩体和安山岩体在时空上紧密伴生。主量元素测试结果显示,其中玄武岩和英安岩的Si O2含量分别为48.84%~52.44%和62.22%~65.63%,具有明显的Daly间断面,属于典型的双峰式火山岩。玄武岩Al2O3含量较低,MgO、Ca O、Ti O2含量较高,Sr、Ba、K等微量元素强烈亏损,高场强元素Ta、Nb、Ti、Zr无亏损。英安岩具有相对较高的Al2O3、Na2O、K2O含量,较低的MgO、Ca O、Ti O2含量;微量元素具富集大离子亲石元素(Rb、Th、U、K)、亏损高场强元素(Ta、Nb、Ti),显示典型岛弧环境特征。岩石地球化学特征表明二者同属钙碱系列,形成于弧后盆地,属同源演化,英安岩为玄武岩结晶分异的产物。通过对英安岩进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb方法测年,获得流纹岩形成年龄为(195.5±1.1)Ma,属于早侏罗世。通过对该区域构造演化进行分析讨论,认为乔尔天山一带盆地整体可能处于弧后盆地的发育阶段,盆地形成过程中岩石圈地幔未被拉断,没有洋壳形成。     

喀喇昆仑地体甜水海地区102Ma辉长岩的发现及其对区域中生代构造演化的约束

喀喇昆仑地体是青藏高原的重要构造单元。近来,我们对其中的林济塘中生代盆地地层进行了调查,并在喀喇昆仑地体甜水海地区褶皱的中侏罗统龙山组灰岩中发现了辉长岩侵入体。辉长岩具有高Al2O3(15.07%~15.32%)与TiO2(1.31%~1.34%)、贫P2O5(0.19%~0.21%)和低碱(Na2O+K2O=3.49%~3.72%)的特征,明显富集轻稀土(La/Yb=6.17~7.39),富集Th、La、Nd与Tb,亏损Rb、Sr、P与Y,辉长岩Sr-Nd同位素表现出富集的特征(εNd(t)值分别为-5.8与-5.9)。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年结果显示辉长岩岩浆锆石206Pb/238U年龄为102±1Ma(MSWD=0.92;n=14),指示岩体形成于早白垩世晚期。辉长岩中含有大量继承锆石,38颗继承锆石年龄分布在2450~232Ma之间,其中16颗为前寒武纪年龄锆石,意味着该地区可能存在前寒武纪基底。这些特征意味着辉长岩在形成的过程中经历壳源物质的强烈混染(Nb/U、Ta/U、Ce/Pb分别为26.6~29.1、1.69~1.76、9.72~11.3)。这种经历壳源物质的强烈混染岩浆的形成可能与软流圈上涌有关,即102Ma辉长岩形成时甜水海地区处于伸展背景。结合区域地质特征,指出102Ma时研究区进入新的伸展与海盆发育阶段,并建立了喀喇昆仑地体中生代三阶段构造演化模型,即侏罗纪-早白垩世早期的正常俯冲与弧盆演化、早白垩世的平板俯冲与造山阶段及晚白垩世的正常俯冲与弧盆演化。