Journal of Geology & Geophysics
Open Access

Abstract

Isolated Paleomagnetic Component and its Dating from the Malha Formation, Southwestern Sinai, Egypt

Khashaba A, Soliman SA, Takla EM, Farouk S and Mostafa R

The age of Malha Formation that located at Gebel Sarbut el-Gamal in the southwestern Sinai is a controversial point, due to the absence of index fossils. Therefore, 125 oriented core samples have been collected for paleomagnetic investigation to determine the age assignments of this formation. Rock magnetic experiments revealed that, the hematite is the main magnetic carrier within the studied rocks. Analysis of the demagnetization data isolated a single primary component of magnetization with D=351°, I=36.2° with α95=3.7° and the corresponding pole lies at lat.=77.8°N and long.=257.4°E. The calculated paleomagnetic pole has been found to be primary and enforced, suggesting the age of Malha Formation to be (Aptian-Albian). For the reliability of the obtained pole, a comparison with the published corresponding poles of Cretaceous age in Egypt was done.