Geology 200
Geology for Environmental Scientists
Major Concepts
Sedimentary rocks form by the processes of
weathering, g, erosion,, transportation,
p , and
deposition, or by chemical precipitation.
Two main types
clastic: pieces of older rocks (clasts)
chemical:
h i l precipitated
i i d or formed
f d in
i place
l
Sedimentary structures are critical to
interpreting sedimentary rocks.
The Rock Cycle
Major Concepts
Major sedimentary environments:
fluvial and alluvial
eolian
li
glacial
delta
shoreline
organic reefs
shallow marine
deep marine
Major Concepts
Sedimentary rock layers are
hierarchically grouped or subdivided
into both:
rockk stratigraphic
i hi units
i
time stratigraphic
g p units
Well cover this in the section on
stratigraphic
t ti hi correlation.
l ti
Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
Produced by weathering of rocks.
Breccia - large,
large angular grains
Conglomerate - large, rounded grains
Sandstone - sand sized grains
Siltstone - silt sized grains
Shale and Mudstone - silt and clay
sized grains
Grain Size
Grain size can be an indicator of the
energy of the environment.
environment
Generally speaking, higher energy
water or wind
i d currents are required
i d to
move larger grain sizes.
Grain Size,
Size cont
contdd
S e ranges:
Size a ges: small
s a too large
a ge
boulders, >256 mm (>1 ft.)
cobbles,
bbl >64>64mm (>3 iin.))
pebbles, >4mm
granules, 2-4mm
sand,
sand 1/8
1/8-22 mm
silt, >1/256 mm
clay,
l <1/256
1/2 6 mm
Fig. 5.4. Grain size ranges for classification of
common clastic sedimentary rocks
Grain Sorting
Grain sorting can also be an indicator
of the energy of the environment.
Well-sorted
W ll d sediments
di are deposited
d i d in
i
high energy environments. Currents
sort the grains by size.
Poorly
Poorly-sorted
sorted sediments may indicate
weak currents, or transport by glaciers.
Well sorted sand g
grains and an outcrop
p of
well-sorted sandstone.
Poorly sorted glacial deposit ranging from
cobbles to mud-sized particles.
particles
Conglomerate
Conglomerate deposited as an alluvial
f
fan, Cretaceous
C t off Utah
Ut h
Sandstone
Sh l
Shale
Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
Produced by chemical precipitation.
Evaporites - formed by evaporation of
seawater
Salt, NaCl
Gypsum, CaSO4
Carbonates
Limestone, CaCO3
Dolostone, CaMg(CO3)2
Gypsum
yp
Limestone
Fossiliferous
F ilif
Limestone
Carbonates
Typically, carbonates form in warm,
clear water free of clastic sediment.
Carbonate grainstone - composed of
sand-sized grains from invertebrate
skeletons
k l t or oolites.
lit
Carbonate mudstone - clayy and silt-
sized grains from pellets and
calcareous algae.
Carbonate
Grainstone:
Oolitic
Limestone
Oolite Shoals
Carbonate Mudstone:
Micritic Limestone
Carbonate Mud Banks in Florida Bay
Investigating Carbonate Mud Banks in
Fl id Bay
Florida B
Investigating Carbonate Mud Banks in
Fl id Bay
Florida B
Coal
Classified as a chemical rock by most
textbooks But it is not a chemical
textbooks.
precipitate. Instead it forms from plant
debris not consumed by bacteria and
other organisms. It is an organic rock.
Takes about 10 ft. of peat to form 1 ft.
of bituminous
o b u ous co
coal..
Types of coal:
peat
lignite
bituminous
anthracite
th it
Upper Freeport Coal, Preston County, WV
Examples of Sedimentary
Structures
Sedimentary Structures
Provide clues to depositional
environments Some examples:
environments.
Cross bedding - rivers, dunes, tidal
channels
h l
Graded beddingg - storms and turbidites
Ripple marks - lower energy
Mud cracks - subaerial exposure
Bedding planes are primary
sedimentary structures.
structures
Modern Sedimentary Structures:
Mudcracks on a flood plain
plain.
Ancient Sedimentary Structures:
mudcracks in rocks 1 billion y
years old.
Modern Sedimentary Structures: Current
ripples on a modern beach.
beach
Beach in Ireland at low tide
Sedimentary Structures: Current ripples on
an ancient beach,, 400 MY old.
The p
processes by
y which symmetrical
y
and current ripples are formed.
Geometry of sand dunes, both eolian
and aquatic.
TOP
BOTTOM
6
5
4
3
2
1
A modern marine transgression is
exposing Holocene peat deposits on the
Louisiana coastline.
Change of the Louisiana Coastline
Middle Pennsylvanian, Kanawha Fm.,
Rt 19,
Rt. 19 Nicholas Co
Co., WV