Adeem Niaz

The government will invest Rs 100 million during this fiscal year to advance an ongoing project for the geological mapping of 50 toposheets of outcrop areas to find mineral potential in Balochistan province.

According to a document available with INP-WealthPK, 50 geological mappings of toposheets in outcrop areas, out of 354 unmapped toposheets in Balochistan are being carried out under the Petroleum Division’s project. Last year, Rs 30 million was allotted for the project under the Public Sector Development Programme 2021-22.

The geological maps give a bird's-eye perspective of the distribution of different types of rocks and economically valuable minerals present in a certain area, both on the surface and underneath.

The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) hopes to establish a database through the mapping in order to conduct further research into the probable occurrences of dimension stones, aggregates, and limestone reserves for the industry.

The project description said that these maps are crucial for all upcoming comprehensive geological projects, such as those involving the investigation of minerals, civil engineering, soil surveys, land use, town planning, groundwater, seismic risks, environmental geology, and soil conservation.

According to experience across the globe, the majority of demands, including those involving research in stratigraphy, structure, and tectonics, sample collection for laboratory studies, mineral evaluation, and identification of promising areas for further exploration of natural resources, seem to be best satisfied by geological maps of 1:50,000 scale.

The paper said that Balochistan has an outcrop area of 335,360 square kilometres (524 toposheets), of which 108,800 square kilometres (170 toposheets) have been mapped and published at a scale of 1:50,000, and the maps are obtainable.

Under this project, the outcrop region with the most promising mineral potential would be mapped. The knowledge obtained from this mapping would then be applied to the rest of the outcrop area. According to the document, this project will help map the outcrop area in detail at a scale of 1:50,000 and maintain a database for future exploration of the occurrences of metallic and non-metallic mineral potential, dimension stones, aggregates, and limestone reserves for the industry in potential targeted areas of Balochistan.

The GSP has set a goal for the current fiscal year that includes filling project positions, gathering and reviewing technical data, performing geological mapping on 16 toposheets, measuring 32 stratigraphic sections, gathering field rock samples, conducting chemical analyses, and conducting petrographic studies, in addition to digitising geological maps.

A database would be created from the data gathered during geological mapping and the laboratory testing of rock samples, which would be used to interpret each unique occurrence of mineral deposits and other natural resources.

The studies would serve as a foundation for the exploration of mineral resources using additional geoscientific research projects like geophysical surveys and geochemical studies, which would be followed by drilling operations, and they would significantly contribute to the growth of the mining sector and mineral industry.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk