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2: SEDIMENTARY ROCK
Introduction
Second major rock group.
(a) Weathering
(b) Transportation
(c) Deposition
(d) Lithification (Compaction and Cementation)
Weathering
Weathering - chemical and mechanical processes that act to
break up rocks such as an interaction between rocks exposed at
the Earth's surface and elements in the atmosphere.
Large quantities of sediment carried towards the sea and deltas are formed
from sediment transported by rivers.
Water and air are fluids, thus the size of detrital material that can be
transported depends on the velocity (i.e. energy) of the fluid.
In other words, rapidly moving water or air can transport larger grain
size detrital material than more slowly moving water or air.
Ice, on the other hand, is a solid. Thus, ice can transport all sizes of
sediment independent of the velocity at which the ice is moving.
For example, consider a river flowing out of the mountains into a lake.
Deposition
Deposition - process due to settlement of sediments and
loose aggregates.
The process of expulsion of water from void spaces between particles takes place
as they are forced closer together. Clayey-rich sediments can be compacted
much better than sands.
Cementation process takes place by filling the voids in pore spaces by chemical
precipitation.
(a) Silica (SiO2) - Rocks cemented by silica are among the hardest and strongest.
(b) Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
(c) Limonite
(d) Iron Oxide
This whole process of forming Sedimentary Rocks
(known as DIAGENESIS)
Classification of Sedimentary Rocks
Rocks with GRAVEL SIZE DETRITAL GRAINS (Grain size greater than 2 mm) are
called conglomerates (if the grains have rounded outlines) or breccias (if the
grains are angular in shape).
Rocks made up of SAND SIZE GRAINS (Grain size 1/16 to 2 mm) are called
sandstones. For sandstone, if it was dominated by quartz grains it will be quartz
sandstone (also called quartz arenite), if it was dominated by feldspar grains it will
be arkose and if dominated by sand - sized rock fragment grains it will be lithic
sandstone (also called litharenite or graywacke).
CLAY with grain size less than 1/256 mm (smooth) are called shale (if fissile) or
claystone (if massive).
MUD is technically a mixture of silt and clay. It forms a rock called mudstone or mud
shale if fissile.
Breccia Conglomerate
Conglomerates are
accumulated at base of
many mountain ranges, in
stream channels and on
beaches.
Conglomerate
Sandstone
Sandstones is most familiar
sedimentary rock with sand
size ranging from 0.0625 mm
to 2 mm in diameter.
Silt is a material
frequently carried in
suspension by rivers
and deposited in
floodplains and deltas.
Shales (Mudstone)
Shales (Mudstone) are shale
solidified deposits of
mud and clay.
Typical solutions that chemical sediments form from include: sea water, fresh surface
water in rivers and lakes and groundwater.
The scenario for the formation of an evaporite requires that a batch of sea water
becomes isolated from input of additional sea water, for example in a lagoon.
The isolated sea water then begins to evaporate, which concentrates the dissolved
salts and other components of sea water. As evaporation proceeds, various minerals
will be precipitated (deposited) from the water.
Minerals that are formed in this way and are found in evaporites are listed in the Table
3.8.
This group includes (1) THE EVAPORITES, (2) THE CARBONATES (limestones and
dolostone), and (3) THE SILICEOUS ROCKS.
Cont’d
Dolostones
1. Calcite (CaCO3)
2. Dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2)
(3) SILICEOUS ROCKS - those which are dominated by silica (SiO2).
Diatomite - looks like chalk, but does not fizz in acid. Made of
microscopic planktonic organisms called diatoms. May also resemble
kaolinite, but is much lower in density and more porous. Also referred
to as Diatomaceous Earth.
Limestone
Dolostone
Many plants and invertebrate animals extract calcium carbonate (limestone) from
water in their life processes and use it to construct their shells and hard parts of
calcite.
When these organisms die, their shells build up deposit of limestone with a
texture consisting of shells and shell fragments.
Soon after they are deposited, the grains commonly are modified as they are
compacted and become recrystallized.
Microcrystalline limestone also is precipitated from springs and from the dripping
water in caves.
Limestone
Dolostone
Rock composed of
mineral dolomite, a
calcium magnesium
carbonate
(CaMg(CO3)2.
It is similar to
limestone in most
textural and
structural features
arid appearance.
Gypsum CaSO4
2H2O also originates
from evaporation of
saline water. Gypsum
Characteristics of Sedimentary Rocks
(1) Texture
(2) Sedimentary Structures
(3) Fossils
(4) Stratigraphy
(5) Color
(6) Ripple Marks and Mud Cracks
Texture
Sedimentary rocks are easily recognizable by its TEXTURE, i.e. the arrangement of particles or grains
that make up the rock. There are two main types of texture of sedimentary rocks: -
(1) CLASTIC/DETRITAL:
Described as detrital since the rock fragments have been eroded, transported and deposited.
Detrital rocks with particles larger than sand size are called conglomerate or breccia.
Fine grained clastic rocks are called shale or mudstone. Usually shale is easily split into thin slabs
parallel to the depositional layering of the sediment.
Both rocks formed either as inorganic and organic process has non clastic texture.
Usually associated with chemical precipitation from water that is responsible for deposits of limestone,
dolomite, salt and gypsum.
This process is common in sea water but also occurs in lakes, streams, caves (groundwater) and
springs. The most common type of limestone is those of marine deposits.
Sedimentary Structures
These are characteristic features experienced
to the rock during the processes of sediment
transport and deposition.
The beds are inclined in the direction that the wind or water was
moving at the time of deposition.
Glyptocrinus Trilobite
Brachiopod
Stratigraphy
STRATIGRAPHY refers to strata
(layers) constructed in
sedimentary rocks due to the
ancient landforms and
depositional environments.
Q & A
Ripple Marks
Mud Cracks
Precipitation (in meteorology)
Precipitation ~ any product of the condensation.
of atmospheric water vapour that falls under gravity.
The main forms of precipitation:-
include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, graupel (snow pellets) and hail
(ice pellets).
Precipitation occurs when a portion of the atmosphere becomes
saturated with water vapour, so that the water condenses and
"precipitates".
Fog and mist are not precipitation but suspensions, because the
water vapour does not condense sufficiently to precipitate.
Precipitation (in chemistry)
Precipitation is the creation of a solid from a solution.
When the reaction occurs in a liquid solution, the solid formed is called the
'precipitate'.
The chemical that causes the solid to form is called the 'precipitant'.
Without sufficient force of gravity (settling) to bring the solid particles
together, the precipitate remains in suspension.
After sedimentation, especially when using a centrifuge to press it into a
compact mass, the precipitate may be referred to as a 'pellet‘.