Kalataer Fm

Kashi-Yarkand region (NW Tarim). The naming section is located at Kalataer (Karatal), Wuqia County, northwest Kashi, Xinjiang. Named by the Xinjiang Petroleum Administration in 1975.

In 1952–1953 the Thirteenth Airborne Survey Party of the former Soviet Union conducted an intensive study of the Tertiary and used the scheme of classification and stratigraphic name of the Tertiary of the Fergana and Tajik basins. In 1975, according to the results of Tertiary research in the Kashi and Shache areas, the Xinjiang Petroleum Administration re-established the stratigraphic sequence and designated the horizon of a sequence of marine coquina equivalent to the original Alaiyi Fm as the Kalataer Fm (Karatal Fm).

Synonym: Karatal Fm

Primarily a sequence of limestone or coquina. Generally the lithology of the Upper part is relatively uniform, represented by gray limestone and coquina; the lithology of the Lower part shows relatively great variation. In the area east of Bashibulake, there appear gypsum and marlstone above the basal limestone; in the southwestern zone of Shache, the lithology becomes coarse and the rocks in the lower part change into grayish green sandstone; near Yecheng, the rocks grade to gray clastic rocks; in the area east of Keliyang, essentially lagoonal gypsiferous mudstone is represented. The thickness is ~200 m.