Types of Sediments

Clastic: weathered rock and mineral particles

Classified by size coarse, medium, fine grained

Features: rounding & sorting

Nonclastic: Chemical or bio-chemical particles

Classified by composition carbonate, silicate, oxides, organic

Sedimentary Rocks: Clastic & nonclastic sediments that are deposited,

compacted, then lithified.

Classification of Sedimentary Rocks

Some of these rocks we can find

in many different environments,
but others have a very specific
origin.

Observe these environments near shorelines and in oceans and consider the
kind
of sediment present
Tidal flat
at each

Beach

Delta
Lagoon

Coastal
dunes

Reef

Offshore
delta
Barrier
island

Deep seafloor

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Clastic/Detrital Rocks

Transportation: controls size, sorting and rounding of sediments

Sorting (relative size of grains in rock)

Rounding (shape of individual particles)

Texture (overall size of grains)

Composition (type of grains in rock)

Deposition: location where the velocity is low enough to allow

grains to settle to the surface. This controls the texture (grain size)
and composition.

Lithification (compaction & cementation)

Three typical cements - calcite, silica, and iron oxides.

Iron oxides occur in very small quantities, but typically

responsible for red, orange and green coloration in
sedimentary rocks.