Investigation of raw materials for cement industry of Upper Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

Limestone is the main constituent as raw material used in manufacturing of cement. In this study the limestone deposits of Khyber Karimabad, Passu and Morkhun-Gircha Upper Hunza Valley, Gilgitbaltistan were evaluated for its suitability to be used raw material for cement industry through chemically and mineralogical techniques. The representative limestone's samples from different geological beds of the proposed area were collected. These samples were investigated petrographic study, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray diffraction (SEM-EDX), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and reserve estimation of the proposed deposit was carried out using Geological Information System (GIS). Geological review shows that there is a good potential for industrial-grade limestone, the composition of this limestone can be generally expressed in terms of CaO, MgO, Al2O3, and SiO2, that may be used in place of similar commodities of good quality cement raw materials. After analysis of results, it is concluded that limestone and other raw materials of Khyber Karimabad (KKLS) are is of good quality and can fulfills the international standards of cement and while limestone and other raw materials of Passu and Morkhun-Gircha is not suitable to be used as raw material for cement industry.