Sulaimani University

College of Science
Geology Department

Practical General Geology

Year 2009-2010
Lab No. (6)

Sedimentary rocks
Objective: Identification and description of Sedimentary rock, classification of it based
on mode of formation.
Scientific Content
Sedimentary rocks accumulate from the operation of surface properties over time. The
crust comprises only the outer 0.3% of the radius of the earth, and sedimentary rocks
make up a relatively minor proportion of the crust. Some 70% of the rocks at the earth
surface are sedimentary in origin, and these include the familiar sandstone, limestone
and shale, and the less common but equally well-known salt deposits, ironstone, coal,
and chert.
Sedimentary rocks of the geological record were deposited in the whole range of
natural environments that exist today. Sedimentary rocks are formed through physical,
chemical, and biological processes.
Sedimentary rocks are those rocks which formed from the weathered product of preexisting rocks that have been transported, deposited, and lithified. They are represent
5% by volume of earth crust and covered 75% by area. There are three methods for the
sedimentary rock formation:

Accumulation and cementation of rock fragments and minerals.

Chemical precipitation

Organic remain

Classification of sedimentary rocks according to mode of

formation.
A. Clastic (detraital)

Grain size

Gravel >2mm

Sand 2-1/16mm

Clastic or
detraital

Conglomerate
Sandstone
breccia

Silt 1/16-1/256mm
Siltstone

Clay < 1/256mm

Claystone or Shale

B. Non Clastic (Non detraital)

1

Chemical
Biochemical

Non clastic or Non detraital

Calcareous
Limestone
Dolomite
Stalactit
Stalagmite
Travertine

Silicate
Chert

Evaporite
Gypsum
Anhydrite
Rock salt

Animal origin
Plant origin
Carbonceous
Siliceous
Phosphate Calcareous Siliceous
Chalky Lst
Coal
Diatom
Radiolaria Phosphatic
Fossiliferous Lst
chert
rock
Coralline Lst