TITLE:
New Data on Coal, Gypsum, Iron and Silica Sand Deposits and Geochemical Exploration (Pakistan): Revision of 25 Years History of Dinosaur Discoveries from Pakistan
AUTHORS:
Muhammad Sadiq Malkani
KEYWORDS:
Coal, Gypsum, Ironstone, Silica sands, Geochemical Exploration, Dinosaurs, Titanosauriformes, Titanosaurs, Theropods, Revision, Balochistan, Pakistan
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.14 No.3,
March
29,
2024
ABSTRACT: Discoveries of many coal seams at depths by
drilling carried by Geological Survey of Pakistan in Sor Range and Harnai
Gochina, extended the coal seams at depth which is challenge for mine owners to
exploit feasibly. Bed to bed gypsum samplings (and their chemical
analyses) of huge gypsum deposits from Sulaiman foldbelt is a base for
industrialist and also planers to develop cement and gypsum industries to
increase export and foreign exchange for the development of area and Pakistan.
Low and high grade sedimentary iron deposits, silica sand and uranium host
rocks and their extensions in Sulaiman and Kirthar foldbelts are presented.
Anomalies of a few base metals arise as a result of geochemical exploration
carried at part of Loralai District of Balochistan. Theropod dinosaurs were
frequent in India, while Poripuchian titanosaurs (Sauropoda, Dinosauria) were
frequent in Pakistan. Besides some ichnotaxa, many bone taxa such as 1
titanosauriform, 14 titanosaurian sauropod (including one new titanosaur), and
3 theropod dinosaurs are established from Pakistan. Among these 12 titanosaur
species and 3 theropod species are named in about 10 km2 area of
Vitakri dome and 2 titanosaur species are named in about a few hundred square
meter area of Mari Bohri (Kachi Bohri) which is about 10 km westward from Vitakri dome. Pakistan is a unique
country which discoverd 14 diversified titanosaurs in a short area and also in
a short period (67 - 66 million years ago/Ma). About 400 bones found from a few meter thick upper part of
upper shale horizon of latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation which is base for
titanosaur taxa. Cranial material is in low fraction (but include significant
diverse snouts), caudal vertebrae are prominent, the cervicals, dorsals and
sacrals have significant numbers, forelimb and hind limb bones have balanced
fraction. Humeri, femora and tibiae are most common. To know the position of
Pakistani titanosaurs among titanosaurs and sauropods, there is a need to
extend list of characters for phylogenetic analyses. This broad feature list
should include main characters of titanosaurs from Pakistan and also from
global world.