Magheramenagh
Also within
Geology & landscape
Mining / Industrial: Quarry · Geological Period: Carboniferous
Description
Magheramenagh Carboniferous stratigraphy Waulsortian limestones are superbly exposed in Magheramenagh Quarry in the form of a lenticular mound with some 10-12m of massive to unbedded limestones. The term Waulsortian refers to a submarine 'reef' formation with distinctive associated rock and fossil animal characters of a particular age, that being late Tournaisian to early Visean. The rocks contain a range of fossils, including abundant crinoidal material, together with bryozoa but only occasional brachiopods and solitary corals. These indicate a mid-Tournaisian to Arundian age, between 343 and 339 million years old, and are thus within the age range for the Waulsortian. Magheramenagh Quarry is the most northerly occurrence of the Waulsortian in Ireland, great Britain and in western Europe and is about 80km north of the limit formerly imposed on the development of this facies in Ireland. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/magheramenagh-assi