An overview of karst geology in Myanmar

WEI Yanlan; LI Wenli; HUANG Chenhui; QIN Fengrui

doi:10.11932/karst2023y006

2023 No. 4

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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

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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

An overview of karst geology in Myanmar

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

More Information

Corresponding author: LI Wenli, liwenli@mail.cgs.gov.cn

Received Date: 13 July 2022

Publish Date: 25 August 2023

Abstract

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 However, due to outdated infrastructure and other reasons, the research on karst geology in Myanmar started late with a weak foundation.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.
- Myanmar /
- karst geology /
- karst landscape /
- cave

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References

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