This study seeks to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in the southern part of Thal Desert of Pakistan. The primary focus lies in identifying potential sources of contamination and evaluating their impact on groundwater and the ecosystem. Groundwater samples were collected from diverse sources including shallow hand pumps, tubewells, and dug wells, with depths ranging from 11 to 28 m. A comprehensive analysis was performed to scrutinize the physical, chemical, and microbial attributes of the samples. Utilizing visual aids like the Piper, Durov, and Gibbs diagrams, as well as Pearson correlation, scatter plots, Schoeller diagrams, and pie charts, the study evaluated the groundwater quality and its suitability for consumption. Results indicate that mineral infiltration from rainfall, domestic waste, and industrial effluents significantly affects groundwater quality, leading to widespread salinity. Weathering processes and ion exchange were identified as key factors contributing to elevate levels of bicarbonates, sodium, magnesium, and chloride ions. Employing the Water Quality Index (WQI) on 40 groundwater samples, findings reveal that 52.5% of samples demonstrated poor to not suitable quality, with 27.5% categorized as poor, 2.5% as very poor, and 22.5% not suitable consumption. Conversely, 47.5% of samples showcased good to excellent quality, with 25% rated as good and 22.5% as excellent. These findings provide valuable insights for hydrogeologists to develop appropriate strategies for water treatment and address any concerns related to groundwater quality.

The reservoir quality of the Lower Goru Formation is highly variable due to its heterogeneous nature influenced by sea level fluctuations during the Early Cretaceous period. This study applies an unsupervised machine learning workflow, integrating Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for dimensionality reduction, Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) for clustering, and fuzzy classification for geological labeling, alongside petrophysical evaluation and cross-plot analysis, to assess the impact of clay minerals on the reservoir quality of the Lower Goru Formation in the NIM-Tay block, Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan. Petrophysical analysis delineates a potential reservoir zone (1455–1517 m) characterized by 13.9% effective porosity and 27.3% water saturation. The first four principal components explain approximately 90% of the dataset variance. Electrofacies classification distinguishes four facies—Impermeable Reservoir, Potential Reservoir, Non-Reservoir, and Tight Reservoir—each corresponding to specific clay mineral assemblages. Cross-plot and electrofacies analysis reveal that facies dominated by chlorite and montmorillonite preserve porosity (15%) and permeability (888.87 mD), whereas kaolinite-rich and mixed-layer clay facies significantly reduce reservoir quality. This study provides a reproducible and scalable framework for integrating machine learning with petrophysical workflows, offering improved reservoir characterization not only in the Lower Indus Basin but also in similar heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs globally.

Coal production for energy generation results in series of ecological and environmental degradation in mining areas. backfilling of goafs is considered as a suitable method for the mitigation of aforementioned problems. Being economical, sustainable and safe to use for filing voids, supporting ground and managing the waste, cemented paste backfill (CPB) is the best choice for underground mining. However, the prediction of mechanical and elastic properties of CPB based on varying composition and curing time always remain a complex and difficult job. Traditional empirical studies although advantageous are tedious, lengthy and incapable to incorporate important aspects of geo-mechanical instabilities of backfill materials. In current study, a numerical approach is applied to simulate and evaluate the compressional (Vp) and shear (Vs) wave velocities, along with Vp/Vs ratio of CPB materials with varying flyash and biochar concentration at different curing intervals (3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days). By applying a rock physics model, the proposed methodology offers a unique way to examine the effect of curing time and compositional variation on the elastic wave properties of CPB, ultimately offer insights into the internal structure and strength development over time. Simulation outcomes show that a high concentration of flyash and low concentration of biochar exhibit best elastic responses, with high Vp, Vs and low Vp/Vs ratio serving as precise indicator of materials mechanical integrity and heterogeneity. Eventually this study provides a time-efficient, cost-effective, and non-destructive method to analyze multiple backfill compositions in situations where laboratory work is lacking. Furthermore, this study promotes the use of rock-physics modeling at preliminary stage of material evaluation, with emphasizing its utility, productivity, and capability to enhance prediction precision in geo-mechanical investigations.

The groundwater resources in different areas of Pakistan are heading towards depletion along with the deterioration of quality due to over-abstraction and urbanization. The main focus of this study is to map the current hydrostratigraphical and hydraulic conditions of the late Quaternary aquifers in the central part of Thal Doab of Punjab Plains. To achieve the target, a comprehensive approach was employed combining geophysical investigations using electrical resistivity surveys (ERS) and physiochemical analysis of groundwater specimens collected from the study area. Careful calibration of resistivity models was performed by comparing them with lithologs to ensure their accuracy. The current groundwater conditions were assessed through thirty vertical electrical soundings (VES) using the Schlumberger electrode configuration up to 300m of AB/2. The interpreted results revealed the presence of four to six geo-electric sublayers comprising the intermixing layers of clay, silt, sand, gravel, and kankar inclusions. These layers exhibited very low (230 Ω-m) resistivity zones at various depth intervals. The developed 2D/3D models of aquifer systems identify the promising areas of good/fresh quality groundwater in the regions characterized by medium to very high resistivity mainly within the sand with gravel layers. However, lower resistivity values indicate the presence of marginally suitable/fair and saline/brackish groundwater showing the existence of fine sediments such as clays/silts. Additionally, twenty groundwater samples were collected to assess various parameters including pH, TDS, arsenic, fluoride, iron, nitrate, and nitrite. The spatial distribution of these parameters was visualized using 2D maps. The suitability of the groundwater for drinking consumption was evaluated in accordance with WHO guidelines.

The sustainable groundwater supply has a prime importance for the development of an area. Unfortunately, the groundwater-related issues are heading towards terrible situation regionally and locally as well. As far as the different parts of Punjab Province of Pakistan are concerned, Cholistan is almost a desert region where the groundwater scarcity is being observed in its different parts since decades. The present research is an attempt to assess the latest groundwater potential and demarcation of different groundwater quality zones exist at subsurface in the study area of Cholistan. For this purpose, hydrogeophysical studies allied with hydrogeological approach were utilized. Hydrogeophysical investigations were carried out in the study area at evenly distributed 50 sites by deploying geo-electrical survey. Lithology represented by the boreholes and geo-electrical survey results altogether deduced that the eolian deposits overlie with intermixed fine and coarse alluvium. These sediments are mainly intermixed layers of sand, clay, silt, gravel and some kankars. Overall three to six subsurface geo-electric layers were identified through the geo-electrical survey and the resistivity values were categorized as high, medium and low across the study area. 2D and 3D maps were developed deciphering different groundwater quality zones in terms of electrical resistivity behaviour with depth. Spatial maps of hydrogeological values in terms of Dar-Zourrak parameters were also developed for further precise demarcation of different qualities of groundwater pockets. Furthermore, hydraulic parameters were estimated and represented in 2D maps to evaluate aquifer potential zones across the study area. Hydrogeophysical and hydrogeological approaches integrally depict that most of the part of study area holds better groundwater conditions with high potential but the salinity prevails in some parts that goes to persist with depth.