KHEWRA SALT MINE | World's second largest salt mine in Pakistan (Maijs 2024)
Sāls diapazons, pauguru un zemu kalnu sērijas starp Indus un Jhelum upju ielejām, kas atrodas Pakistānas Pendžabas reģiona ziemeļu daļā. Savu vārdu tas cēlies no plašām akmens sāls atradnēm, kas veido vienu no bagātākajiem sāls laukiem pasaulē; to vecums ir Prekambrijas vecums un biezums pārsniedz 4900 m (vairāk nekā 1600 pēdas). Diapazons ir aptuveni 186 jūdzes (300 km) garš no austrumiem līdz rietumiem, un tā platums centrālajā un austrumu daļā ir no 5 līdz 19 jūdzēm. Tā vidējais augstums ir 2200 pēdas, bet augstākais augstums Sakesar kalnā ir 4992 pēdas (1522 m). Papildus sāls atradnēm, kas iegūtas no seniem laikiem, sāls diapazonā ir ogles, ģipsis un citi minerāli.
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Zemes forma ir virkne zemu kalnu, no kuriem augšējie slāņi ir noņemti ar erozijas palīdzību. Veidojot Potavara plato dienvidu terasi (1700 pēdas) uz dienvidrietumiem no Rāvalpindi, tā sastāv no divām nesimetriskām, paralēlām grēdām, kuras dala gareniska ieleja. Abu grēdu dienvidu nogāzes ir stāvas; ziemeļu nogāzes ir slīpas. Zemākā ir ziemeļu grēda (cuesta - ti, slīpa līdzenums, kuras kulminācija ir klints augšdaļā) ar vidējo augstumu no 2300 līdz 2600 pēdām un ar ļoti stāvām dienvidu nogāzēm. Rietumos un austrumos diapazons sadalās atsevišķās kalnu masēs vai masīvos. Uz rietumiem no Sakesar diapazona gaita mainās uz ziemeļrietumiem ar zemu garenvirziena diapazonu. Indus upe plūst cauri Kālābāgh diapazoniem,plūst starp vertikālām klintīm, kas nav pieejamas komunikācijai. Sāls klāsta virsotnes ir slīpas, paugurainas un plakanas. Augstākās virsotnes ir Sakesar rietumos un Chel (Chail) masīvs, kas atrodas 3 700 pēdu austrumos. Ziemeļu nogāzē ir izveidojusies dziļu gravu (Badlands) sistēma.
Structurally, the Salt Range is a highly upheaved block of the northwestern part of the Indian Platform, or Shield, raised to a significant height along the southern fracture, with the sedimentary strata sloping uniformly to the north. The incline of the strata in the central part is around 10°, and in the western, eastern, and northern parts it is up to 45°.
The climate of the Salt Range is continental and arid, changing from tropic to subtropic. Tropical air prevails during all seasons of the year except the cold winter months, when the relatively cool polar air penetrates at the tail end of high-pressure systems (cyclones). This is a cold, damp season. During summer, precipitations are connected with the equatorial, moist, southwestern (Indian) monsoon, which reaches the limits of its occurrence in West Punjab but brings the largest amounts of precipitation (more than 50 percent annually).
Agriculture is limited because of the poverty of the soil and lack of water for irrigation. Small areas on the slopes and in the longitudinal valleys are being terraced for irrigation using the water of lakes and springs. In the valleys dry farming prevails.
In the flora of the Salt Range there are both African-Arabian and Mediterranean elements. Before the loss of the natural vegetation, the area was covered in the south by xerophyte (drought-resisting) thin forests and in the north chiefly by savannas. At present a small mass of thin forest has been preserved by conservation on the southeast. Among the forest trees are acacia, pine, wild olive, and others. Other characteristic vegetation includes spurge (Euphorbia) and camel thorn and other scrubs and brushwood.
On the southern slope of the Salt Range are located the largest deposits of rock salt in Pakistan, at Khewra, Warchha, and Kālābāgh. Coal deposits are found at Dandot, Pidh, and Makarwāl Kheji. Traces of petroleum are associated with limestone and sandstone deposits in the western part of the Salt Range. In the salt-bearing series in the eastern part of the Salt Range, layers of bituminous shales and dolomites are found. In the eastern parts, too, beds of bauxite occur.
Large deposits of high-grade gypsum and anhydrite, an important calcium mineral, are found near Jalālpur. Economically, the salt and coal mines and limestone quarries are the most important. The only population centre of any size associated with the Salt Range is Jhelum. Most of the towns in the range itself serve the mines and quarries.
The main ethnic groups of the region are the Pandzhabt, Dzhat, and Aran peoples, who speak Indian languages (mainly Lakhrda). While there is marginal farming in the valleys and on the few terraces and some animal husbandry on the overgrazed hillsides, the principal occupation is salt mining.
