Sedimentary Rock Identification

1) Using the characteristics described below, fill in the table on your answer sheet
for the nine (A-I) unknown sedimentary rocks. Samle ! is e"tra credit.#
There are two types of sedimentary rocks:
$%AS&I$ rocks are composed of grains or fragments of rocks and minerals that
have been eroded, transported, deposited, and cemented together.
$'()I$A% rocks are composed of minerals that have been precipitated from
water by inorganic processes or biological processes (shell formation).
Identification of $%AS&I$ R*$+S reqires that we observe grain si,e, grain shae,
the degree of sorting of the grains, their comosition, and other features that are key
to the en-ironment they formed in.
.rain Si,e: !ediment and sedimentary rocks often have similar names. "nowing the
sediment grain si#e and name may help yo when determining the name of a specific
clastic sedimentary rock. In terms of depositional environment, think abot the strength
of the water crrent that wold be reqired to carry each of these (also consider wind and
glaciers$).
.rain Si,e Sediment /ame Rock /ame
%arger than & mm 'ravel conglomerate
& mm to (.() mm !and sandstone
(.() to (.((& mm !ilt siltstone
!maller than (.((& mm clay !hale
.rain Shae: This refers to the degree of ronding of the grains. 'enerally, the more
ronded the grains, the frther they have been transported from the sorce. *ll those
rogh edges have worn off.
well+ronded ronded sb+ronded sb+anglar anglar
.rain Sorting: !orting refers to whether the particles are relatively niform in si#e or are
many si#es. * well+sorted sediment consists of grains of niform si#e and a poorly+sorted
sediment contains particles of many si#es.
poorly+sorted sediment moderately+sorted sediment well+sorted sediment
$omosition0 The grains in a sedimentary rock tend to be those things that are resistant
to weathering. ,ne of the most resistant minerals is qart#, ths many sandstones are
made predominantly of qart# grains. -eldspar is less resistant than qart#, bt still
resistant enogh to be the primary mineral grain in some rocks + these are called
feldspathic sandstone or arkose. !ome sedimentary rocks, sch as conglomerates, are
made of sediment that is simply fragments of other rocks + these are called lithic
fragments.
*ther 1eatures0 These inclde strctres that are keys to the environment in which the
rock formed. .ere are a few e/amples:
0edding + the layering of sediments as they are deposited1 may be millimeters
thick or many meters thick
2ross+bedding + sets of bedded sediments at varios, on+lapping, inclined angles1
reflects changing direction of wind or water crrents
3ipple marks + very small dnes whose long a/es are perpendiclar to the crrent
that formed them
4dcracks + desiccation cracks formed by the drying+p of a mddy srface
(then bried again and preserved)
-ossils + these occr in both clastic and chemical rocks
0iotrbation and Tracks + anything from a worm brrow to a dinosar footprint
(n-ironment of 2eosition0 This is yor chance to be a geologic !herlock .olmes. *ll
of the preceding characteristics, grain si#e, shape, sorting, composition, and other featres
give s cles as to how and where the rock formed. !ince sedimentary rocks are
deposited at the srface of the earth, they tell s what the climatic conditions were at the
time (althogh, like !herlock .olmes, all cles are open to interpretation$) -or e/ample,
the fact that we find limestone in 4ontana tells s that those areas of the state mst have
been inndated by a shallow sea, since that is one of the only environments where this
type of limestone cold form. -igre 15.6 in yor te/t (page 557) is a good diagram
showing depositional environments. 8se this along with the table below to answer the
following qestion.
$ontinental
2eositional
(n-ironment
Sedimentary 3rocess Rock &ye
*llvial -an
!tream deposits from fast+flowing
water. *lso debris flows and rock
slides from ad9acent montain slopes.
conglomerate and
coarse sandstone,
moderately to poorly
sorted
3ivers
:eposition from fast and slow+
moving crrents on channel beds and
bars. %ow+velocity deposition on
floodplains dring overbank flow.
!andstone,
moderately to well+
sorted, also shale
from low+velocity
floodplain deposits
:eserts
!ediment transport by wind.
-ormation and migration of dnes.
!andstone, very well+
sorted and ronded,
qart#+rich
'laciers
:eposits range from nsorted till in
moraines left by retreating ice to well+
sorted, fine+grained silt deposits in
lakes.
4ddy
conglomerates,
breccias and
sandstones, very
poorly sorted and
anglar
%akes
:eposition of fine+grained sediment
in deep water. *lso evaporation of
lake water casing chemical
precipitation, especially in arid
environments.
!iltstone and shale,
finely laminated,
moderately to well+
sorted. *lso
evaporites sch as
gypsm or halite
$oastal
:eltas
:eposition in fast to slow+moving
water in channels at moth of river.
3eworking of sediments by waves.
:eposition of organic debris in
swamps.
!andstone,
moderately to well+
sorted and shale, may
be fossiliferos, coal
0eaches 3eworking of sediment by waves. !andstone, fine+to
-ormation and migration of dnes.
coarse+grained, well+
sorted, qart# rich.
Tidal -lats
.igh to low+velocity flow in channels
and as sheet+flow. ;eriodic wetting
and drying.
!andstone and shale,
fine+grained, well+
sorted, may be
organic rich or
contain fossil
fragments, mdcracks
typical.
)arine
3eefs and
%agoons
*ccmlation of calcareos skeletal
debris in reefs with re+working by
waves. *lso deposition of fine+
grained material in lagoons
-ossiliferos and non+
fossiliferos
limestone
!bmarine
2anyons and
-ans
.igh to low velocity flow throgh
sbmarine canyons and deposition of
progressively finer material with
waning flow. ;eriodic nderwater
slides and debris flows.
2onglomerate,
sandstone and shale,
moderately well+
sorted, typically in
graded beds (coarse to
fine pward). *lso
nsorted debris flow
deposits.
*byssal ;lain
:eposition of clay and very fine+
grained skeletal particles on the ocean
floor. *lso chemical deposition,
especially near mid+ocean ridges.
2lay, chalk, chert,
manganese nodles
Identification of $'()I$A% R*$+S reqires identification of the primary mineral. These
rocks can either be fragmental like clastic rocks, or they may have interlocking crystals typical of
a chemical precipitate. The ma9ority of chemical rocks are made of calcim carbonate (calcite) or
calcim+magnesim carbonate (dolomite).
$'()I$A% S(2I)(/&AR4 R*$+ $%ASSI1I$A&I*/
Rock 3roerties Rock /ame
2omposed of calcite1 may be inorganic (crystalline) or composed of the remains
of organisms. -i##es strongly in hydrochloric acid.
%imestone
2omposed of the mineral dolomite1 may be inorganic (crystalline) or composed
of the remains of organisms. -i##es weakly in hydrochloric acid + typically only
when scratched.
:olomite
2omposed of interlocking crystals of calcite1 may be white, yellow, brown1
forms arond hot springs
Travertine
2omposed of interlocking crystals of gypsm1 forms from evaporation of
seawater or brines
3ock 'ypsm