Advanced Search
  • Included in CSCD
  • Chinese Core Journals
  • Included in WJCI Report
  • Included in Scopus, CA, DOAJ, EBSCO, JST
  • The Key Magazine of China Technology
Volume 42 Issue 4
Nov.  2023
Turn off MathJax
Article Contents
Article Navigation >  CARSOLOGICA SINICA  > 2023  >  42(4): 753-762
WEI Yanlan, LI Wenli, HUANG Chenhui, QIN Fengrui. An overview of karst geology in Myanmar[J]. CARSOLOGICA SINICA, 2023, 42(4): 753-762. doi: 10.11932/karst2023y006
Citation: WEI Yanlan, LI Wenli, HUANG Chenhui, QIN Fengrui. An overview of karst geology in Myanmar[J]. CARSOLOGICA SINICA, 2023, 42(4): 753-762. doi: 10.11932/karst2023y006
shu

An overview of karst geology in Myanmar

doi: 10.11932/karst2023y006

  • Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS/Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & GZAR/International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, China

  • Received Date: 2022-07-13
    Abstract
  • With a widespread area of karst accounting for about 12% of the national territory, Myanmar, the second largest country in Southeast Asia in terms of karst area, has great potential of karst resources. However, due to outdated infrastructure and other reasons, the research on karst geology in Myanmar started late with a weak foundation. Having been in the developing stage of karst geology research in Myanmar, comprehensive karst geological data is conducive to understanding karst in this country. On the basis of systematic data collection, this study synthesizes remote sensing data with geologic map, hydrogeologic map, and structural map on various scales. It comprehensively analyzes the background conditions of karstification from the geological evolution process, lithologic combination, and climate and environment, and summarizes the karst distribution law and the characteristics of karst landscape in Myanmar.Extending to the borders of Thailand, Laos and China, karst in Myanmar covers an area of 70,000 km2, distributed in the high land and mountainous area of Shan State to the east of the Irrawaddy River and the south of Andaman Sea. Some karst landforms are also developed in Kachin State in the north, Chin State in the west and Sagaing State in the northwest. Mainly developed in the Permian-Lower Triassic limestone and Early Ordovician limestone, karst on the Shan Plateau in the east is the largest karst area in Myanmar, with an area of about 63,000 km2. The belt-shaped karst extends 1,500 kilometers from Shan State to Myeik Archipelago in a south-north direction. Intensity of karstification in Myanmar is controlled by many geological factors such as stratigraphic lithology, geological structure and environment. Thick Paleozoic carbonate strata, warm and rainy climate, complex tectonic movements and active biological activities are all conducive to the occurrence of karstification. The thick layers of Permian-Triassic, Triassic, Ordovician, and Silurian periods, pure limestone, and dolomite are the main layers of karst development, especially 5,000-meter-thick Permian-Triassic limestone in Shan State. With the highest biodiversity in the world, active biological activities in Myanmar facilitate karstification. The karst landform in Myanmar is controlled by stratigraphic lithology, with the development of peak forests, peak clusters, and karst cave landscapes. From north to south, karst landforms change from limestone ridges, canyons, cluster-peak depressions to peak forest plains. Hpa-an is a transitional area from high mountain karst to depression karst.

     

    • FullText(HTML)
  • loading
    • References(73)
  • [1]
    Crawford J. Report of the mission to the King of Ava in 1826–27[J]. Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, 1829, 3:359-370.
    [2]
    Clift W. On fossil remains found on the left bank of the Irawadi[J]. Transactions of the Geological Society of London, 1829, 2:369-375.
    [3]
    D'Amato P G. A short description of the mines of precious stones in the district of Kyatpyen, in the Kingdom of Ava[J]. Journal of the Asiatic Society, 1833, 2:75-76.
    [4]
    La Touche T H D. Geology of the Northern Shan States[R]. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 1913, 39: 1-379.
    [5]
    Rau S S R. The Geology of the Mergui district[R]. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 1930: 1-55.
    [6]
    Brown J C, Sondhi V P. The geology of the country between Kalaw and Taunggyi, Southern Shan States[R]. Records of the Geological Survey of India, 1933, 67: 166-248.
    [7]
    Chhibber H L. The Geology of Burma[M]. London: Macmillan, 1934.
    [8]
    Chhibber H L. The Mineral Resources of Burma[M]. London: Macmillan, 1934.
    [9]
    Cotter G D P. The geology of parts of the Minbu, Myingyan, Pakkoku and Lower Chindwin districts, Burma[R]. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 1938, 72: 1-130.
    [10]
    Clegg E L G. The Cretaceous and associated rocks of Burma[R]. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 1941, 74: 1-101.
    [11]
    Iyer L A N. The geology and gem-stones of the Mogok Stone Tract, Burma[R]. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, 1953, 82: 1-100.
    [12]
    Tha H L A. A note on the petrology and the provenance of the Webu and Marble ('Alabaster') inscription stones of the Kyaukse area[J]. Journal of the Burma Research Society, 1959, 42:113-118.
    [13]
    Maung Thein, Ba Than H A Q. The Pre-Paleozoic and Paleozoic stratigraphy of Burma, a brief review[J]. Union of Burma Journal of Science & Technology, 1970, 2:275-289.
    [14]
    Maung Thein. A preliminary synthesis of the geological evolution of Burma with reference to the tectonic development of Southeast Asia[J]. Geological Society Malaysia, Bulletin, 1973, 6:87-116. doi: 10.7186/bgsm06197307
    [15]
    Zaw U K. Geology and geothermometry of vein-type W-Sn deposits, Tavoy township, Tennasserim division, Southern Burma[J]. Mineralium Deposita, 1984, 19:138-144.
    [16]
    Zaw U K, Thet D K M. A note on a fluid inclusion study of tin-tungsten mineralization at Mawchi Mine, Kayah State, Burma[J]. Economic Geology, 1983, 78:530-534. doi: 10.2113/gsecongeo.78.3.530
    [17]
    Goossens P J. The metallogenic provinces of Burma: Their definitions, geologic relationships and extension into China, India and Thailand[C]//Proceedings of 3rd Regional Conference, Southeast Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, 1978: 431–492.
    [18]
    Mitchell A H G, Marshall T R, Skinner A C, Baker M D, Amos B J, Bateson J H. Geology and exploration geochemistry of the Yadanatheingi and Kyaukme-Longtawkno areas, Northern Shan States, Burma[J]. London: Overseas Geology and Mineral Resources, 1977, 51: 1–35.
    [19]
    Marshall T, Amos B J, Stephenson D. Base metal concentrations in kaolinised and silicified lavas of the Central Burma volcanics[J]. Geological Society, 1983, 11:59-68. doi: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1983.011.01.08
    [20]
    Mitchell A H G. The Shan Plateau and Western Burma: Mesozoic-Cenozoic plate boundaries and correlation with Tibet[M]//Sengör A M C, Ketin İhsan. Tectonic Evolution of the Tethyan Region. The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic, 1989: 567–583.
    [21]
    Mitchell A G H. Late Permian-Mesozoic events and the Mergui Group Nappe in Myanmar and Thailand[J]. Journal of SE Asian Earth Sciences, 1992, 7:165-178. doi: 10.1016/0743-9547(92)90051-C
    [22]
    Mitchell A G H. Cretaceous-Cenozoic tectonic events in the Western Myanmar (Burma)-Assam region[J]. Journal of the Geological Society, 1993, 150:1089-1102. doi: 10.1144/gsjgs.150.6.1089
    [23]
    Guillaume Bertrand, Claude Rangin, Henri Maluski, Hervé Bellon. Diachronous cooling along the Mogok Metamorphic Belt (Shan Scarp, Myanmar): Trace of the northward migration of the Indian syntaxis[J]. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2001, 19:649-659. doi: 10.1016/S1367-9120(00)00061-4
    [24]
    Bertrand G, Rangin C. Tectonics of the western margin of the Shan plateau (central Myanmar): Implication for the India-Indochina oblique convergence since the Oligocene[J]. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2003, 21:1139-1157. doi: 10.1016/S1367-9120(02)00183-9
    [25]
    Maurin T, Rangin C. Structure and kinematics of the Indo-Burmese Wedge: Recent and fast growth of the outer wedge[J]. Tectonics, 2009, 28:1-21.
    [26]
    Thomas Maurin, Frederic Masson, Claude Rangin, U Than Min, Philippe Collard. First global positioning system results from northern Myanmar: Constant and localised slip rate along the Sagaing Fault[J]. Geology, 2010, 38:591-594.
    [27]
    Khin Mar Phyu. Mineralogical and petrological studies of the rocks of Twinnge-Ye Nya Oo area, Thabbeikkyin townships, Mandalay division[D]. Yangon: Yangon University, Myanmar, 2009.
    [28]
    Yin Yin Myint. Mineralogical and petrological aspects of igneous rocks and associated metamorphic rocks of Northern Pyetkaywe Batholith, Myittha townships, Mandalay division[D]. Yangon: Yangon University, Myanmar, 2009.
    [29]
    Nwe Nwe Oo. Mineralogic, geologic and genetic aspects of corundum deposits, Bawpadan-ChintheTaung area, Mogok[D]. Yangon: Yangon University, Myanmar, 2010.
    [30]
    Kyi Khin Takashi Sakai, Khin Zaw. Arakan Coastal Ranges in western Myanmar, geology and provenance of Neogene siliciclastic sequences: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the Himalaya-Bengal System[C]. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 2017, 48: 81-116.
    [31]
    Thet Tin Nyunt, Massonne H J, Tay Thye Sun. Jadeitite and other high-pressure metamorphic rocks from the Jade Mines Belt, Tawmaw area, Kachin State, Northern Myanmar[C]. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 2017, 48: 295-315.
    [32]
    Joerg Dreybrodt. Myanmar cave documentation project[DB/OL]. http://myanmarcaves.com/.
    [33]
    Khin Zaw, Win Swe, A J Barber, M J Crow, Yin Yin Nwe. "Chapter 1. Introduction to the geology of Myanmar" in Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics[M]. London: The Geological Society of London, 2017: 1-13.
    [34]
    Claude Rangin. "Chapter 3. Active and recent tectonics of the Burma Platelet in Myanmar" in Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics[M]. London: The Geological Society of London, 2017: 53-63.
    [35]
    Soe Thura Tun, Ian M Watkinson. "Chapter 19. The Sagaing fault, Myanmar" in Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics[M]. London: The Geological Society of London, 2017: 413-437.
    [36]
    Christophe Vigny, Anne Socquet, Claude Rangin, Nicolas Chamot Rooke, Manuel Pubellier, Marie Noëlle Bouin, Guillaume Bertrand, M Becker. Present-day crustal deformation around Sagaing fault, Myanmar[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2003, 108(B11):2533. doi: 10.1029/2002JB001999
    [37]
    Myint Thein. Current tectonic activity along the Sagaing fault, Myanmar, indicated by alluvial fans[C]//Barber A J, Khin Zaw, Crow M J. Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 2017, 48: 443-452
    [38]
    Metcalfe I. Pre-Cretaceous evolution of SE Asian terranes[J]. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 1996, 106: 97-102.
    [39]
    Pinaki Bandopadhyay, Douwe van Hinsbergen, Debaditya Bandyopadhyay, Alexis Licht, Eldert Advokaat, Alexis Plunder, Biswajit Ghosh, Arnab Dasgupta, João Trabucho Alexandre. Paleogeography of the West Burma block and the eastern Neotethys Ocean: Constraints from Cenozoic sediments shed onto the Andaman-Nicobar ophiolites[J]. Gondwana Research, 2022, 103:335-361. doi: 10.1016/j.gr.2021.10.011
    [40]
    Thura Oo, Tin Hlaing, Nyunt Htay. Permian of Myanmar[J]. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2002, 20:683-689. doi: 10.1016/S1367-9120(01)00074-8
    [41]
    Myint Then. The Pre-Tertiary carbonate rocks exposed at the NE margin of the Central Myanmar Basin and their development his-tory[J]. Journal of the Myanmar Geosciences Society, 2015, 6:1-22.
    [42]
    Barber A J, Crow M J. Structure of Sumatra and its implications for the tectonic assembly of Southeast Asia and the destruction of Palaeotethys[J]. The Island Arc, 2009, 18:3-20. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1738.2008.00631.x
    [43]
    Ueno K, Myint Then, Barber A J. Permian fusuline fauna from the Minwun Range[C]//Central Myanmar (Abstract). 5th Symposium of the International Geosciences Programme (IGCP) 589, Yangon, Myanmar, 2016: 6.
    [44]
    E L Advokaat, M L M Bongers, A Rudyawan, M K Boudagher Fadel, C G Langereis, D J J Van Hinsbergen. Early Cretaceous origin of the WoylaArc (Sumatra, Indonesia) on the Australian plate[J]. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2018, 498: 348-361.
    [45]
    Morley C, Arboit F. Dating the onset of motion on the Sagaing fault: Evidence from detrital zircon and titanite U-Pb geochronology from the North Minwun Basin, Myanmar[J]. Geology, 2019, 47:581-585.
    [46]
    Geological map of Myanmar, scale 1: 1,000,000[M]. Naypyitaw: Department of geological survey and mineral exploration (DGSE), 2008.
    [47]
    Geological map of Myanmar, scale 1: 2,250,000[M]. Naypyitaw: Myanmar Geosciences Society, 2014.
    [48]
    Garson M S, Amos B J, Mitchell A H G. The geology of the area around Neyaungga and Ye-ngan, Southern Shan States, Burma[M]. London: British Geological Survey, 1976, 2: 9-68.
    [49]
    Bender Friedrich. Geology of Burma[M]. Berlin: Gebruder Borntraeger, 1983: 43-100.
    [50]
    Michael F Ridd. "Chapter 16 Karen–Tenasserim Unit" in "Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics"[M]. London: The Geological Society of London, 2017: 365-384.
    [51]
    Aung A K, Cocks L R M . "Chapter 14 Cambrian-Devonian stratigraphy of the Shan Plateau, Myanmar (Burma)" in "Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics"[M]. London: The Geological Society of London, 2017: 217-342.
    [52]
    Joerg Dreybrodt, Urs Etter, Nyi Nyi Aung, Naw Yuzana Win, Fleur Loveridge. Karst and cave conservation in Myanmar[C]. International Congress of Speleology, France, 2021.
    [53]
    Fauna & Flora International[DB/OL]. https://www.fauna-flora.org.
    [54]
    韦延兰, 李文莉, 杨象鹏, 周立新. 泰国岩溶地质概述[J]. 中国岩溶, 2021, 40(6):1077-1091.

    WEI Yanlan, LI Wenli, YANG Xiangpeng, ZHOU Lixin. Overview on karst geological of Thailand[J]. Carsologica Sinica, 2021, 40(6):1077-1091.
    [55]
    Piccini L, Vivo A D, Mastro F L, Stratford T. Preliminary overview on the karst area of Kalaw (Myanmar)[C]//15th International Congress of Speleology, 2009.
    [56]
    Malcolm Rev H. Account of the caves near Moulmein[J]. Asiatic Journal, 1837, 24(2):10.
    [57]
    Anderson A R S. Bats in Burmese caves[J]. British Caver, 1953, 24:34-35.
    [58]
    Anon. Moulmein caves[J]. Indian Antiquary, 1872, l:160-161.
    [59]
    Duroiselle C. Note on clay tablets from caves near Moulmein[J]. Asiatic Society, 1913, 9(10):424.
    [60]
    Annandale N, Gravely F H. The limestone caves of Burma & the Malay Peninsula. Part II. The fauna of the caves[J]. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1914, 9(10):402-423.
    [61]
    Chhibber H L. A short note on the limestone caves in the neighbourhood of Nyaung-binzeik, Kyaikmaraw township, Amherst district, Lower Burma[J]. Burma Research Society, 1927, XVII(I):124-131.
    [62]
    Hamilton Smith E. Visiting Myanmar-people, landscapes, caves and bats[N]. Australasian Cave and Karst Management Assoc, 2002, 49(12): 21 -22.
    [63]
    Heath K. Caves in the Shan states of Burma[J]. British Caver, 1942, 9: 35-36.
    [64]
    Dunkley J R, Sefon M, Nichterlein D, Taylor J. Karst and caves of Burma (Myanmar)[J]. Cave Science, 1989, 16:123-131.
    [65]
    Bates P, Tin New, Pearch M, Kin Maung Swe, Si Si Hla Bu, Thanda Tum. A review of bat research in Myanmar (Burma) and results of a recent survey[J]. Acta Chiropterologica, 2000, 2(1):53-82.
    [66]
    Bates Paul, Daw Tin New. Myanmar: An atlas of karst conservation[J]. Caver, 2001: 36-39
    [67]
    Hamilton-Smith E. Batting in Myanmar[N]. Australasian Bat Society, 2002, 19 (12): 39-41.
    [68]
    Mouret C. "Asia, Southeast" In: Gunn, J. Encyclopedia of caves and karst Science[M]. New York and London (Fitzroy Dearborn), 2004: 100-104.
    [69]
    Joerg Dreybrodt, Helmut Steiner. Karsts and caves of the Shan Plateau in Myanmar[C]//Asian Transkarst Conference, Lichuan, China, 2015: 203-207.
    [70]
    Waltham T, Eavis A. Caves in Myanmar[J]. Cave and Karst Science, 2004, 31(1):3-6.
    [71]
    Joerg Dreybrodt, Michael Laumanns. Karst and caves of Myanmar (Expeditions to the Shan States 2011-2013)[R]. Band, 2013, 51: 4-93.
    [72]
    Michael Laumanns. Karst and caves of Myanmar[R]. Band, 2010, 39: 1-121.
    [73]
    Joerg Dreybrodt, Fleur Loveridge. Karst and caves of Myanmar (Expeditions to the Southern Shan and Kayah States 2014-17)[R]. Band, 2018, 75: 1-85.
    • Relative Articles
    • Supplements(0)
    • Cited By
  • 加载中

Catalog

    通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
    • 1. 

      沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

    1. 本站搜索
    2. 百度学术搜索
    3. 万方数据库搜索
    4. CNKI搜索
    Get Citation
    PDF(1130.0KB)
    XML

    Article Metrics

    Article views (257) PDF downloads(57) Cited by()
    Proportional views
    Related

    Website Copyright © CARSOLOGICA SINICA 桂ICP备05009877号-1

    Sponsor: Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Sponsored by: Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Address: No.50, Qixing Road, Guilin, Guangxi

    Post Code: 541004 Tel: 0773-5812949 7796657 Email: zgyr@mail.cgs.gov.cn; zgyrbjb@163.com

    Supported by: Beijing Renhe Information Technology Co., Ltd.    

    /

    DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
    Return
    Return