The paper discusses the interpretation of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) in rocks, highlighting the exceptions to conventional rules due to specific rock magnetic effects. It explores the unusual relationships between structural and magnetic axes, known as inverse or intermediate magnetic fabrics, which can occur due to the presence of certain magnetic minerals like single-domain magnetite or paramagnetic minerals. The authors address the challenges in quantitatively inferring the intensity of preferred orientation and strain from AMS data, especially when multiple minerals contribute to magnetic susceptibility. They also discuss the influence of magnetic memory in ferromagnetic grains and the effects of alternating field or thermal demagnetization on AMS. The paper reviews various rock magnetic techniques, such as measurements of susceptibility versus magnetic field and temperature, and anisotropy of remanence, which are essential for better assessing the geological significance of AMS data. It emphasizes the importance of rock magnetic criteria in interpreting AMS, particularly in identifying the responsible magnetic minerals. The authors present examples where conventional assumptions about AMS interpretation fail, such as the occurrence of inverse magnetic fabrics in basaltic dikes from Oman, and propose rock magnetic tests to explain these exceptions. The paper also discusses the mineralogical origin of inverse magnetic fabrics, including the role of matrix minerals like paramagnetic silicates and ferromagnetic minerals like hematite and magnetite. It explores the problem of intermediate magnetic fabrics, where the principal axes of the susceptibility ellipsoid do not align with the petrofabric axes, and proposes a mixing model to explain these complex relationships. Additionally, it examines the impact of mineralogy on the symmetry of magnetic fabrics, showing how the symmetry can change drastically with the proportion of different mineral components. Overall, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of the complexities in interpreting AMS data and the need for advanced rock magnetic techniques to overcome these challenges.The paper discusses the interpretation of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) in rocks, highlighting the exceptions to conventional rules due to specific rock magnetic effects. It explores the unusual relationships between structural and magnetic axes, known as inverse or intermediate magnetic fabrics, which can occur due to the presence of certain magnetic minerals like single-domain magnetite or paramagnetic minerals. The authors address the challenges in quantitatively inferring the intensity of preferred orientation and strain from AMS data, especially when multiple minerals contribute to magnetic susceptibility. They also discuss the influence of magnetic memory in ferromagnetic grains and the effects of alternating field or thermal demagnetization on AMS. The paper reviews various rock magnetic techniques, such as measurements of susceptibility versus magnetic field and temperature, and anisotropy of remanence, which are essential for better assessing the geological significance of AMS data. It emphasizes the importance of rock magnetic criteria in interpreting AMS, particularly in identifying the responsible magnetic minerals. The authors present examples where conventional assumptions about AMS interpretation fail, such as the occurrence of inverse magnetic fabrics in basaltic dikes from Oman, and propose rock magnetic tests to explain these exceptions. The paper also discusses the mineralogical origin of inverse magnetic fabrics, including the role of matrix minerals like paramagnetic silicates and ferromagnetic minerals like hematite and magnetite. It explores the problem of intermediate magnetic fabrics, where the principal axes of the susceptibility ellipsoid do not align with the petrofabric axes, and proposes a mixing model to explain these complex relationships. Additionally, it examines the impact of mineralogy on the symmetry of magnetic fabrics, showing how the symmetry can change drastically with the proportion of different mineral components. Overall, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of the complexities in interpreting AMS data and the need for advanced rock magnetic techniques to overcome these challenges.