Paleomagnetic investigations at Mahd adh Dhahab, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Paleomagnetic studies of 25 oriented bedrock specimens from Jabal Mahd adh Dhahab, located 160 km southeast of Al Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have yielded important structural information relating to the geologic history of this base and precious metal deposit. Samples were collected along one traverse away from the mineralized zones, across the northeast-plunging antiform that constitutes the dominant regional structure of the area, and along another traverse down the axis of the mineralized zones. Lithologies range from andesite flows through andesitic to rhyodacitic tuffs, lapilli tuffs, and volcaniclastic sediments.