Diagenetic magnetization of the Caerfai Bay Shales (Cambrian), South Wales

Summary. The Lower Cambrian Caerfai Bay Shales in Dyfed, South Wales, are marine red beds which have been reddened by the diagenetic alteration of volcanic detritus. The pole position of their dominant component of magnetization coincides with those from Lower Ordovician igneous rocks in Great Britain. There is also a subordinate antiparallel component, and some indication of magnetization spanning the folding of the strata, implying a relatively slow acquisition of CRM in a predominantly reversed field. This is consistent with our observation that the magnetization of these marine beds is carried by authigenic haematite.