Guide to Geological Formations

CLAYSTONE: Consists of clay minerals. Clays are non-consolidated extremely fine

grained rocks. They are generally soft and sticky or plastic.
Claystone may be altered to clays by crushing and as a reaction with the drillin
g fluid.
Claystone can be tested for calcite/ dolomite. When there is carbonate in the cl
aystone it will dissolve in 10% HCL and can be called Marl.
Marl is the term given to very calcareous claystone. Chalk/ Clay @ 50/50.
Marl will leave a clay residue after the dissolution of carbonate in 10% acid.
A Calcimetry test will show increase/ decrease in Calcium.
Colour is variable due to the presence of minerals:
Red - Iron (heamatite)
Green - Iron (in the reduced ferrous state)
Grey- black -Carbonaceous (coal)
Brown -Organic matters.
Yellow-brown -limonite or goethite.
Shales; Shales are claystones which have been compacted to a high degree. The fe
atures are as for claystones, except that shales are finely laminated or fissile
and will split along the bedding plane.
Siltstone; Siltstones are composed of very fine quartz particles in a clay matri
x. They are, from the grain size, an intermediate between claystone and sandston
e. Silstone under a microscope may include small silvery pieces of mica.
Sandstone: Sandstone , usually,consists out of quartz particles.
A sandstone comprises four components, such as:
a) Grains -usually quartz .
b) Cement-a mineral or several minerals binding the grains together. e.g quartz,
calcite or dolomite. Cements are formed after deposition.
c) Matrix-fine particles:clays, silts, incorporated into the sediment at the tim
e of deposition.
Due to the pulverising action of the bit, grains are
lt.
Sandstone may be mistaken for a fine silt stone.
To be able to tell: Grain size. Under the microscope
be visible.
A sample of the Desilter or mudcleaner underflow may
If pulverised: Cutting appear very soft and pasty.
Completely grind down the cutting - no clay material
iltstone.

often grounded to a fine si

Unpulverised grains should
tell soon.
should be present, unlike s

Limestone: Limestone is any rock composed primarily of Calcium Carbonate.

Chalk is the very fine-grained pure Limestone (Upper cretaceous). It is formed b
y the accumulation of the skeletons of a plantonic marine algae called coccolith
s. It may contain chert or flint (stone).
Pure limestone will Bubble, dissolve in cold 10% HCL-acic. It will leave no (or
very little) residue.
The mineral Calcite, of which pure limestone is formed , is generally colourless
or white although it may be tinted by impurities.
Evaporites. Evaporites are sediments from evaporation of saline(salt) water.
Typical evaporites sequences contain Potash/Magnesium salts(Carnalite, Sylvite),
Rock salts(Halite),
Gypsum or Anhydrite, Calcite or Dolomite.
Gypsum: White and soft. No reaction with 10% HCL. Gypsum will turn white in a fl
ame as the water is driven out. Gypsum is generally been altered into Anhydrite(

De-hydrated) below 2000 ft.(Floats in Bromoform). This due to heat and pressure.
(See Mud guide- Mg-Mud.)
So, when seawater is present, Gypsum(Gips) will be the first layer, followed by
Limestone (Kalk) en than Salt. The pressure will push out the water of the Gyps
um, which will then turn into Anhydrite. The free water will make the salt move
up/sideways. Saltdomes.
On top of the rocksalt, the hotter salts can be found. (Poly halites, Magnesium,
Potassium)
Dolomite: Dolomite is Magnesium Carbonate. It might have been formed as a primar
y evaporite or as a carbonate in magnesium rich waters.
Dolomite tends to be hard. General light to dark Grey-Grey brown have been seen
and white.
They dissolve slowly in cold 10% HCL and reasonable quickly in hot diluted HCL.
Anhydrite: Gypsum, without water.
Medium hard, Milky or cloudy and will crush to white powder.( Sinks in Bromoform
).
No change when placed over a naked flame. Will dissolve in Bromium Chloride and
leave a white residue.
Rock salt: Halite, dissolves in water. Glassy or sugary appearance.
Potassium Salts: Dissolves in water and has a bitter taste.
Coal: Coal is the general name given to carbonaceous material derived from veget
ation.
Diamond bits may cause coal to burn. Coal is hard, brittle; very dark grey or bl
ack.
Low specific gravity. In water with a few drops of detergent (to lower the surfa
ce tension) and coal will float. Coal will burn. Drilling of coal seams is very
tricky. Use the lowest possible flowrate to drill and especially to trip out of
the hole. Just lubricate when pumping out.
Limonite: Limonite is a yellow-brown, non-magnetic iron ore often occuring as a
coating on quartz grains.
Siderite: Siderite is a brown iron carbonate mineral occuring in claystones.
Chert: Chert (or flint) is a hard cryptocrystalline form of silica, often presen
t as nodules(lumps) in chalk. Colour blue-grey,grey, to nearly black.
Pyrite:(Fool's Gold) is a hard brass-yellow iron sulphide. Common in Shales, e.g
Kupferschiefer,
Carbonates and coals.