Geology of the central Kohistan Arc, Northern Swat, Kalam (NW, Pakistan), results of a new 1:50,000 scale geological mapping

The study area in, northern Swat, Pakistan represents a critical segment of the Cretaceous to Tertiary Kohistan arc. It is characterized by complex interplay of plutonic, volcanic and metamorphic systems, whose magmatic and tectonic relationships remains poorly constrained. The study aims to elucidate the tectonomagmatic evolution of the central-western Kohistan Arc, by providing a new detailed geological map (Ahmad et al., 2025b), based on field work combined with petrographic observations, geochemical, structural and age data. The geological map also integrates previous field data, which was carefully revisited during recent field studies. Macroscopic observations and age relationships of the key lithological units are defined, revealing a magmatic sequence of late Cretaceous to mid-Eocene plutonic rock suites intruding Cretaceous (meta?) volcanic and metasedimentary rocks. Plutonic rocks of the study area comprise the late Cretaceous Matiltan and Bhankhwarh granites, mafic to intermediate Paleocene to Early Eocene plutons like the Smoky diorite, and the Gabral and Deshai quartz diorites and associated gabbroic dykes and plugs, followed by the younger mid-Eocene Diwanger quartz monzonite, Shahibagh granodiorite, and Jut Banda granite. The foliation of the wall rocks runs NE–SW and dips steeply toward the northwest. Minor faults and shear zones are also present in the plutonic rocks. The present study improves the understanding of the geological evolution of the northern Swat Kohistan Arc.