PGEG311 Sedimentary Petrology Fall 2022

Lab 7: Carbonate rock constituents – skeletal grains

Introduction
The origin of most limestone is primarily biogenic and fragments of carbonate-secreting
organisms are present in almost every carbonate rock. The recognition of skeletal grains allows
you to identify the animals or plants responsible for producing the sediment. Even more
important, the fossil fragments also give you valuable information on the sedimentary
environment where the biota lived.

Tasks
During this lab we will review some of the major fossil carbonate producers. Observe all
samples, giving the appropriate rock name using the Dunham classification (Tucker, page 129,
figure 4.20). When assigning the rock name you should prefix it with the dominant grain type
e.g., rudist rudstone. If there is no dominant grain type the prefix can be ‘bioclastic’. Answer all
related questions as precisely as possible. For each of the thin sections there is an associated
hand specimen. After you have completed all the thin section descriptions, match each hand
specimen to its thin section and give your reasoning.

CATS00072
Rock name:
In this limestone there are long, slightly curved, recrystallised shapes. What do you think these
grains are?
Are these grains mostly complete or fragmented?
What percentage of the thin section do these shapes make up?
The sediment also contains small, round, dark-grey to brown particles. These are non-skeletal
grains that are called peloids.
Describe the internal structure of these peloids:
What percentage of the thin section do these particles make up?
Draw a labelled sketch showing both of the constituents described above.
PGEG311 Sedimentary Petrology Fall 2022

I think that thin section CATS00072 belongs to hand specimen number SD______ because:

CATS00064
Rock name:
This sample contains many shells. As the thin section surface cuts them at different angles you
will see different orientations of the shells. Examine a number of them. What do you think they
are? (Be as precise as possible.)

Are most of the shells complete or fragmented?

What does this tell you about the energy levels in the environment of deposition?
What can you observe inside the shells (use a higher magnification)?

What is the dominant mineralogy of this thin section?

What is the evidence for your answer to the above question?

Draw a labelled sketch showing the important features of this thin section, magnification x4.

I think that thin section CATS00064 belongs to hand specimen number SD_____ because:
PGEG311 Sedimentary Petrology Fall 2022

CATS00099
Rock name:
This sample shows a variety of Eocene benthic foraminifera from central Italy. Consider that, as
with CATS00064, different orientations of the same species will look quite different in a thin
section. Draw a sketch for two different foraminifera species, with scale, and highlight the
differences between them.

Are most of the forams complete or fragmented?

Is the depositional environment of this rock marine or non-marine? (Check page 121 of Tucker.)

What is the dominant mineralogy in this thin section?

I think that thin section CATS00099 belongs to hand specimen number SD_____ because:

CATS00134
Rock name:
In this thin section you can observe a variety of fossils such as bivalves, gastropods, ostracods,
crinoid ossicles (seen in the previous lab), bryozoans or unidentifiable micritized bioclasts.
Your textbook and the PI folders on the instructor’s desk may help you to identify these fossils.
You should look at several thin sections in order to see all the fossils. Then draw a representative
area of one thin section. Make sure that you include at least three fossil types including the
crinoid ossicles and label them. For each type state if they are mostly complete or fragmented.
PGEG311 Sedimentary Petrology Fall 2022

I think that thin section CATS00134 belongs to hand specimen number SD_____ because:

CATS00135
Rock name:
In this thin section you can easily observe rhodoliths which are unattached, branching, benthic
marine red algae. They grow as nodules that are characterized by an irregular, alternating
“brain-like” texture.
Name the other dominant skeletal grain in this thin section.

Are they mostly complete or fragmented?

Draw a representative area of this thin section and label all the fossils.

I think that thin section CATS00135 belongs to hand specimen number SD_____ because: