THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 269

genic silica and allogenic clay material, usually ~ith sorne calcite as
well, compacted into a hard rack having the luster of unglazed
porcelain.
Many different combinations can be conceived, but, fortunately
The Composítíon and for purposes of description and classification, only a few of the pos-
sible combinations are quantitatively important. The most common
15 Texture of Sedímentary of these are mixtures of the following four types of material:
(1) Typically allogenic constituents.
Rocks (a) Sand} silt} and pebbles. Relatively large detrital grains (p.
279) consisting chiefiy of quartz, other common rock-forming
silicates, and fragments of rock.
(b) Clay and the finest silt. Minute detrital grains (p. 279) con-
sisting chiefiy of clay minerals, but usually including other
fine-grained micaceous minerals such as sericite and chlorite
General Classification and also tiny fragments of quartz .

com~onents ~:e~ d~:t~I;;~ :~;~~

1 (2) Typically authigenic constituents.
. Two kinds of sedimentary hav: (e) Lime carbonates. Chiefiy calcite, dolomite, and ankerite.
d. o- chapter One conslsts of matena m en e
:~~!sr:~d ~~~ludes th~ primary minerals of the parent rack t~geth~l: (d) Chert. Precipitated silica in the form of opal, chalcedony, or
microgranular quartz.
'th 'such undissolved decomposition products as the clay ~meras,
:~e other consists of material that has crystallized. in the s~dlm~nt~~~ The composition of the common sedimentary rocks can be de-
. nt The first kind in other words, consists of mmera s t la scribed in terms of these four classes of constituents, each class being
env1ronme · ' d · · · t1 e
originate outside the area of deposition, are transpor.te mto lt m 1, regarded as a sort of "end member," which may be mixed with the
form of solid particles, and are mechanically deposlt~d. ~~ese co~~l others in any proportion. Sorne sedimentary rocks, such as pure
onents are termed allogenic or detrital. T~e ~mer~ s o t .e s.eco ' chert, chemicallimestone, * and sand, consist entirely of a single "end
Eind, which originate by chemical preci~ltatwn elther .w~thm th~ member," but much more abundant are the rocks of mixed composi-
basin of deposition or later within the sedlmentary deposlt lt~elf, tr~r tion, which are classified according to their chief components.
called authigenic. The authigenic minerals ar:, of course, t. e e ue.. No sharp boundaries divide the various kinds of sediment, and
components of the chemical and organic deposlts and of the mterstl any classification of sedimentary rocks is necessarily arbitrary. The ,,
tial cements in detrital sediments. . d h. li' essential fact to be remembered is that variations among sedimentary
Most sedimentary rocks are mixtures of allogemc an aut lg:I e rocks are continuous and that all types are therefore gradational.
components. Sorne recent deposits, to ?e sure, are completely det~Ital¡ This fact is illustrated graphically by Figure 91, in which sediments
but few indeed are the ancient sedlmentary rocks that are . ' are shown as mixtures of only three components. In these triangular
urely detrital or purely authigenic. Many rocks are calledkbyfnam diagrams-the corners of one triangle representing carbonate, clay,
P · . we commonly spea • o and chert, and those of the other carbonate, clay, and sand-points on
that indicate that they are mixtures. . f 1
eferring to m1xtures o a
.
d t
limestone and calcareOUS san S oneJ r
. 1·
. z·
nd of argtllaceous t
either triangle represent all possible mixtures of the three compo-
genic silicate sand and authlgemc ca ote, a. nents repres\pted by its corners. Mixtures involving sand and authi-
stone and calcareous shale} referring to mixtures of clay ..
and authigenic calcite. Sorne composite rocks, however, do ~ot l, "It is not intended to imply here that all of the calcite and dolomite in sediments
am:m~:emc, although most of it is. Debris eroded from older Iimestones may accu·
compound names: marl} for example, is a mixt~re of .clay an ca e to form detrital limestone.
in nearly equal amounts, and porcellanite contams mlxtures of a u
268
 THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 27 l
nearly pure but are very commonly mixed with sand, clay, or lime
carbonates. Still other authigenic components include such iron-rich
minerals as hematite, siderite, glauconite, and chamosite, and sedi-
slliceous ments that contain an abundance of these are commonly termed
limestone
ironstones.
The chapters that follow are devoted to the description of the most
common sedimentary rocks, broadly grouped as arenaceous rocks,
argillaceous rocks, and the carbonate rocks limestone and dolomite.
Each of these groups will be subdivided according to mineral content
and textures, and ap. attempt will be made to emphasize the grada-
tions from one class to another. A final chapter is allotted to descrip-
tion of miscellaneous sedimentary types that are locally abundant.
Before we begin detailed descriptions of these rocks, however, certain
general fea tu res of rock fabrk and mineralogy remain to be discussed.
~e \ argillaceous ¡ sandy
o"''o \ sandstone cloystone
r;,C.~ \
1, orshale Occurrence and Stability of Minerals
' R.;,eé-;. <::¡~¡¡;f¡cri<;,.= in Sediments
sond
- OETRITAL ROCKS
Fi ure 91. General Classification of Sedimentary Rocks . . l Any mineral may occur as an allogenic mineral in sedimentary rocks.
g
h med category
· ·ndicated by omlttmg fixe(.
1S l d
To do so it need only be present in the source area and survive the
The arbitrary character o f eac na . 1 ks are mixtures of sand an process of sedimentation. Many common rock-forming minerals,
. Pure detnta roe ·,
boundaries from the d ¡agram. f 1 ¿· gram. pure chemical or orgam.c however, are unstable; they tend to be destroyed or altered during
t m line o ne ¡a ' ¿· te
and lie along t h e b ot 0 . e The entire interme m ·
eLay ' T r long th e top 1m · · weathering, transportation, or diagenesis, and are therefore less com-
rr ixtures of carbonates and Sl ¡ca ¡e a¿· t which are mixtures of allogeniC .
· h re common se ¡men s, k the onc mon in detrital sediments than in the source rocks. Minerals that
a::ea represents t e mo . ·¿· l"ne between detrital roe s on
. d authigenic materials. The d!Vl mg 1 b h "zontal median line through remain essentially unchanged by sedimentary processes are called
,l¡~nd and chemical rocks on the other would e la or5lOCJ1 allogenic material are stable. But stability in this sense is relative, and on this basis min-
w · ·ng more t 1an ;o .
the diagram; that is, rocks contall~l . less are classed as chemical or orgamc: erals do not fall readily into two groups. They resist destruction in
·11 d detrital, whereas those contammg . .
e<~ e . k and also those involvmg si1t varying degrees: at one extreme are such minerals as calcite and
chert toget h er In the same
·~··enic . roe 'd f they would be e1assl'fiec1 olivine, which dissolve or decompose very readily under sorne surface
in place of sand, need not be Illustrate , or and near-surface conditions; at the other extreme are such minerals
in similar fashion. . ks involves consicleration as quartz, which effectively resist change in all sedimentary environ-
. fi . of sedimentary roe . ments. Between these extremes are many minerals of intermediate
Complete classi cauon . addition to those
. . ·neral components m
of other authlgemc mi h . 'pies of classification are stability.
. f"o· 91 but t e pnno . . Consider, for example, the common ferromagnesian silicates of
cluded m lou:e ' l re sediments in whlch a lllLJ.I./<u.

same. Phosphorztes) for examp ~Í· a variety of apatite called us rocks. Subjected to chemical weathering or to intrastratal
·::onstituent is the cryptocrysta me actl·cally pure but is utions in buried sediments, olivine decomposes most readily, fol-
· · 1 may occur pr ' by pyr<i!;Xenes, hornblende, and biotite, the same order in which
jJhane. Thls matena b nates to form phosphatic
mixed with sand, clay, or car ? d'ments containing the normally'crystallize from cooling magmas. Among feldspars the
shales, and limestones. Evapontehs adr;i:: ~nd various halides, varieties decompose more readily than those richer in al-
solub1e sal ts, su eh as o-ypsum,
o
an Y '. These too, may ; the most stable are albite, orthoclase, and microcline. Quartz
tation of which is caused by evaporauon. '
 THE COMPOSITION
d' . AND TEXTURE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Iagenesis. In approximate . d 273
the commonest are l' . or er of increasing stability
and muscovite stubbornly resist decomposition. The stability series A o Ivme, pyroxene l . l
among these minerals, then, is similar to the magmatic reaction n¡oo-5o), hornblende ande . 1. ' ca CIC P agioclase
a( n d a l usite,
. stauro1ite ' k . sme-o
. .Igoclase ' sp h ene, epidote
series, the last-formed or lower-temperature igneous silicates being . ' yamte silhma . t '
mt_e, garnet, and spinel. ' m e, magnetite, ilme-
the most stable in sedimentary environments.
Rock-forming minerals may be arranged into a ge~eral stability (b) Mznerals that are commonl auth. .
generally stable during d' y . zgenzc. These minera1s are
series to express their relative resistance to destruction by normal d. ¡agenesis pa t. 1 1
processes of sedimentation; but it is an error to assume that the Iagenesis; in other words, the t' r ICU a: y during marine
they are deposited in d. y end to resist alteration once
series remains the same under all conditions. Calcite, for example, is
stroyed by weathering aa~ed Imb en~. But they tend to be de-
readily dissolved by surface solutions during weathering in warm hu- .~ a raswn and th f
mid regions where vegetation is abundant, but it is not so readily dis- e asse as unstab1e wh 1 ere ore must be
l d · en t ley are detrita1 I ·
solved in arid regions where vegetation is scarce. In the depositional ord er of mcreasing stabil'tI Y t h e commonest . n approximate
environment, and during later diagenesis, calcite commonly crystal- ous carbonates apatite gl . are gypsum, vari-
. 1 ' ' auconite p ·t
lizes as an authigenic mineral, and is then perfectly stable. Alkali t1cu arly lime varieties) hl . ' yn e, zeolites (par-
. .
m1crochne. ' e onte' albite ' orth ociase, and
feldspars, also, judged by their frequent formation as authigenic crys-
tals, are stable during diagenesis of marine sediments; yet they are (2) ~table minerals. M inerals that e e e .
zng all stages of the sed.
.
ff tzvely reszst destruction dur-
destructible and comparatively unstable under most conditions of zmentary cycle Th .
ot etrital and authia . . . ese mmerals occur as
weathering and transportation. Among the clay minerals formed by bl h d. t>emc consutuents Th
e ay mmerals collectively * . e ·commonest are
weathering, kaolinite is generally stable under acid conditions and · , quartz chert m
zircon, rutile, brookite and ' ' uscovite, tourmaline
montmorillonite under alkaline conditions, but there is evidence that ' anatase. '
both tend to change slowly to illite or chlorite during marine diagene~
All the minerals included in th f .
found in sedimentary rocks b le oregomg table are commonly
SlS.Very little is yet known about the relative stability of minerals in The most abundant are qu~rt:\~~~ha. few are_likely to be abundant.
various diagenetic environments, as, for example, in marine com- sto~e, and the clay minerals, ~hich a:; the chi_ef comp~nent of sand-
pared with fresh or very saline waters, but the stability series is pre- argillaceous sediments N the chief consutuents of the
sumably different in each. Some common minerals, however, are microcline, a1bite, and.oli:xoctloasnethedlis_t are the feldspars orthoclase
apparently never authigenic and probably always tend to be elimi• d 1 . t> -an esme th b '
o omite, and silica in the f f ' e car onates calcite and
nated by intrastratal solution during diagenesis. Such, for example, ably less abundant are th _orm o _chert. Widespread but consider-
. e Iron oxides lim .
are the high-temperature silicates of igneous rocks (olivine, pyroxene, ot er mmerals torrether const't '
hornblende, and calcic plagioclase), which are not known to crystal· h t> I ute probabl 1omteh and hematite · All
avera?e sedimentary rock. Locall h y ess t an 3 percent of the
lize at the low temperatures of the sedimentary environment. Since consutuents may be so e y, owever, sorne of the less common
. oncentrated as to b .
these minerals are common in igneous and metamorphic rdcks and n:nts m partic.?lar deposits, and of these ecome prmcipal compo-
scarce in the older sedimentary rocks, they must be largely elimina mte, hematite, siderite o·Iau . the most common are limo-
' o con1te ' chamoSI·te, gypsum, anhydrite,
during sediment history.
The purposes of this discussion can best be served by classi
a* To se minerals s ta bl~ IS
verycall
:s:~s~ach s~;i~~r
the clay
general . to classify them as a .
the more common minerals into the following general groups.
y3;~able,
weathering or di vanety of clay mineral is and ts corre_ct only in

regÍ~nsr ex~mple, th~

nite and kaolinit,fo I , only under particular conditions ( durmg either

~e:rh:~~~s ~he mmera~ abundf~~ i~ce!

(l) Unstable minerals. Jn temperate are clay minerals generaS:- d-329). Montmorillo-

~~ :J~yb-~~Opica~ Il~r:~ i~lapy:

(a) M inerals that are rarely if ever authigenic. These uu.uc1au . • by intensive gibbsite is by weathering
tend to be destroyed or altered during any or all stages . most generally stable forr! and t;opical
manne env¡ronments. climates. rero-
aps
the sedimentary cycle-by weathering, transportation,
 ·····••''"' '

THE COd~:OSIT~ON AND TEXTURE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 273

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
genes1s. In approximate arder of . .
and muscovite stubbornly resist decomposition. The stability series the commonest are ol' . mcreasmg stability
- 1vme, pyroxene 1·
among these minerals, then, is similar to the magmatic reaction (Anl00-50), hornblende andesin r ' ca C1C plagioclase
series, the last-formed or lower-temperature igneous silicates being andalusite, staurolite 'kyanite e~oll~gocl~se, sphene, epidote,
. ' ' S1 1manlte magn . 'l
the most stable in sedimentary environments. mte, garnet, and spinel. ' etlte, 1 me-
Rock-forming minerals may be arranged into a general stability (b) Minerals that are commonl authi .
series to express their relative resistance to destruction by normal generally stable during d. y · . - genzc. These minerals are
. 1agenes1s particular! d ·
processes of sedimentation; but it is an error to assume that the 1agenesis; in other word th
dthey ' y unng marine
are deposited in a s, d' ey tend to resist alteration once
series remains the same under all conditions. Calcite, for example, is
readily dissolved by surface solutions during weathering in warm hu- stroyed by weathering a~~ 1~en~. But they tend to be de-
mid regions where vegetation is abundant, but it is not so readily dis- classed as unstable whe ha raswn an~ therefore must be
. n t ey are detntal I ·
solved in arid regions where vegetation is scarce. In the depositional ord er of mcreasing stabil"t
1 y t h e commonest .aren approx1mate.
environment, and during later diagenesis, calcite commonly crystal- ous carbonates apatite 1 . gypsum,
1. van-
. . ' ' g aucomte pyrite
lizes as an authigenic mineral, and is then perfectly stable. Alkali t1cu 1arly lime varieties) hl . ' . ' zeo Ites (par-
microcline~ ' e onte, albtte, orthoclase, and
feldspars, also, judged by their frequent formation as authigenic crys·
tals, are stable during diagenesis of marine sediments; yet they are Minerals
(2) Stable
ing all minerals.
stages of the sed. that effeet'zvely resist destruction dur-
destructible and comparatively unstable under most conditions ol' zmentary cycle Th .
weathering and transportation. Among the clay minerals formed by both detrital and authi . . . ese mmerals occur as
. gemc constltuents Th
weathering, kaolinite is generally stable under acid conditions aml el. ay mmerals collectively' * quartz,. eh ert mu
. e e .commonest are
montmorillonite under alkaline conditions, but there is evidence that Z1rcon, rutile brookite d ' s ov1te, tourmaline
' ' an anatase. '
both tend to change slowly to illite or chlorite during marine diagene-
All the minerals included in the f .
found in sedimentary rack b. oregomg table are commonly
sis.Very little is yet known about the relative stability of minerals in · s, ut only a fe l'k 1
The most abundant are quartz h. h . w are 1 e y to be abundant.
various diagenetic environments, as, for example, in marine com- stone, and the clay minerals ;.,: ~e 1S the chi~f component of sand-
pared with fresh or very saline waters, but the stability series is prc· argillaceous sediments N t' 1Ch a:e the c~1ef constituents of the
sumably different in each. Sorne common minerals, however, are· · · · ex on t e hst are th f Id
m1croclme, albite' and ol1'goclase-and es1ne
. th e eb spars orthoclase '
apparently never authigenic and probably always tend to be elimi· dolomite, and silica in th f f. ' e car onates calcite and
a ly less abundant are the iron oxides ·. 1 ~spread but consider-
nated by intrastratal solution during diagenesis. Such, for exampk, b e orm o chert W'd
are the high-temperature silicates of igneous rocks (olivine, pyroxcnc. other minerals together . ' hmomte and hematite All
hornblende, and calcic plagioclase), which are not known to crystal constitute probably 1 th 3 ·
average sedimentary rack. Locall h ess an percent of the
lize at the low temperatures of the sedimentary environment. Sinrc constituents may be soco y, owever, sorne of the less common
n~nts m particular deposits, and of these t come pnnCipal compo-
these minerals are common in igneous and metamorphic rocks a11d . . ncentrated as to be . .
scarce in the older sedimentary rocks, they inust be largely eliminawl mte, hematite, siderite, glaucon't h he .most common are limo-
. 1 e, e amos1te, gypsum, anhydrite,
during sediment history.
The purposes of this discussion can best be served by classifyin¡,¡
*To call the clay
,.
. ~ense. ~ach variety of clay min::l a~ a gr~mp and is correct only in
minerals stable is to classify th
the more common minerals into the following general groups.
d or d~genesls, only under particular cond'f s stnctly stable, during either
an . for example, are the clay mineral/ ~ns (pp. 327-329). Montmorillo-
(1) Unstable minerals. . regmns, whereas the mineral gibb . ~ nerally produced by weathering
(a) Minerals that are rarely if ever authigenic. These mineral& Site ¡s ~bundant in many cla s ro-
tend to be destroyed or altered during any or all stages ol
mtensive weathering in sub-tro i
most generally stable form of clay in p ca~ pyer~aps,
and t:opical climates. Illite is
marme envuonments.
the sedimentary cycle-by weathering, transportation, o1
 THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE OF . .
comm . • SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 27r,
27 4 SEDIMENTARY ROCKS on sedirnentary minerals ( l ..
he _ay ~nnerals, quartz, alkali feld-
.J
spar, and carbonates) are both
halite, and collophane. All other minerals are normally to be re- . b aut 1gemc and II ·
tion etween mechanically d . d a ogemc. The distinc-
. a~ matenals that
garded as minar accessories. h b . eposite fragments d .
It is particularly noteworthy that the most widespread sedimentary ave een chemically precipitated or rec
on textura! features. It is th f rysta:hzed IS based primarily
minerals, and particularly the ones that may be abundant in sedi-
tures into two broad el ere ore appropnate to divide rack tex-
mentary rocks, are among those that are stable during diagenesis.
That is, they are minerals that may crystallize at low temperatures. mental~ and those that asses-namely
are no n-c lastzc.
.'
those th t l
a are e astic, or frag-
The most common of all, quartz and the clay minerals, are stable in
Non-clastic Textures
all sedimentary environments.
A typical non-cla""&tic fabric consists . .
molded to each other that th . of mterlockmg crystals so
ere 1s no · 'bl ·
Textures of Sedimentary Rocks space. It may be likened t .
o a mosa1c and ¡
VISI e mtergranular pore
The term "texture" refers to the fabric of a rock-to its physical' as crystalline granular The . d' ·¿ ' s ·Commonly referred to
v~nety of shapes and sizes, and . WI~ m It may have a
· · m IVI ual grains · h' ·
make-up as distinct from its mineral or chemical composition. Similar
smooth and regular or jagged a d ~eir boundanes may be either
textures are to be found among rocks of very different mineral com·
.clastic sediments a few n n :rregular. There are also in non-
ph
' . amor ous~ textures, like
position, and rocks of diverse texture may be similar mineralogically. on-crystallme or
Limestone, for example, has many textural varieties. All these consist that of opal, but they rarely h
Th e aractenze large
e essential features of non-clasti . masses of rock.
1 e ~ry~tallme textures arise by
essentially of calcite, but some are coarsely crystalline and others are
the growth or enlargement of
so fine-grained that no individual crystals are easily visible. Some are b
can est be described by considerin th
crysta s Withm an
ag~egate, and they
g elst~ges of their development.
composed of grains all of a single size, whereas others are mottled by
The crystals first precipitated f
large crystals scattered through a matrix of smaller ones. In somc vel d . rom a so utwn are sm ll d
limestones crystals of calcite interlock tightly, producing a non-porou~ ope m a saturated solutio h. h a ' an are en-
they may grow freely These ~ :". ~e nourishes them and in which
salid surface with whÍch th Inlit~a c:rstals may be attached to any
structure like a mosaic, but other limestones are porous. The calcitt•
crystals may be arranged in a lamellar or fibrous fashion having a . e so utwn IS in cont
m suspension. However th act, or they may form
which produce most che~ic:l aqd~eous solutions in seas and lakes
recognizably organic structure; they may be sparry crystals havinH
a crude columnar structure such as develops by crystal growth nor· 1 d . se Irnents are so fl.u'd 1 d h
mal to the walls of an open cavity; more commonly they are equalll · ow ensity that any suspended . 1 an ave such

whid~
The accumu1ated precipitate .. crysta s quick1y settle to the bottom
grains and the rock has a sugary appearance. Some limestones an•
do not interlock. Lime mud lfs a porous aggregate of crystals
oolitic, consisting of innumerable small spheroids each usually hav s, or example are of th'
ing concentric structure. In still others the calcite has the charactrl .d o not 1ong remain in this cond't' 1 wn.
Th e' crystals are lS sort, but
d they
of sand grains, which may be either uncemented or very firmly u· y t e weight of additional d' presse closer
.. t b h se lment and th
mented by calcite precipitated in the pares between the grains. All o grow by precipitation from th ' ey may con-
.. ....a.ul::~ in the pares of the de . I e saturated solution that
the features referred to in this example are textures, and they con, . · posit. n most chemi 1 d'
stitute a significant and useful basis of rack classification. 1east
· partia1 recrystallization
· of th e ongmal
. . p · · ca se · Iments,
To decide how a sedimentary rock was deposited, one must study mcreased pressure resulti'n f b . reclpltate IS induced
. . g rom unal Th' ·
both the mineral cornposition and the textural relationships betwtell metamórphic or diagenet' . IS IS a low-tempera-
IC process and the r 1 .
individual cornponents of the rock. Mineral content alone will 1101 . prope~y be called crystalloblasti~ ( . 166) esu tmg textures
suffice. Authigenic and allogenic minerals, for example, cannot hl" Without anyrecry8 t a11·Izatwn · whatsoever P r · ·· ·
. so1utions would be d ' P eCipitation from dilute
distinguished simply by cornposing two lists, one of presumahly M expecte to result · h
authigenic mineral species and the other of allogenic species, for il ore compact deposits m 1 m rat er porous
ay resu t from crystallization of
great many minerals would be found on both lists. In fact, the lll(l8l
 THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE .
mm. or large . . . OF SEDIMENTAR
v'd d . r m diameter Th Y ROCKS 277
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 1 e Into coarse .
and fine-grained -gramed (> 5 mm.), medi~m
. . ese, of course m
ay be further subdi·
concenttated bTine, but even the evaporites in desiccated lake basins but the individ, ; < l ~m.) types. If che cexcur ·gra>~?d (l-5 mm.),
have a large intergranular porosity so long as they remain unburied
and umecrystallhed. Compact, non-porous textures do result, how·
eye, ic may be cail gran': cannot be discin uis:e" V>~>bly crystalline
commonly ap· r d ed m>crocrystalline. T;. d mth the unaided
ever, where crystal aggregates grow by slow accretion outward from 0.01 to O 2 mp le Tto aggregates of crystals lS te:m lS probably most
· m h rangm · d'
a solid surlace into a saturated solution. To nourish these growths, visible except . e texture of rocks in h' hg m Iameter from
there must be a continuing supply of ions in solution, and these A h at very high . w IC no cr t n· .
P anitic is a conv . magmficacion is callee! ys a · m>ty is
must be brought to the site of crystallization by. diffusion or by crypcocryscalline"t emenc tenn including both . cryptocrystalline.
movement of the solution itself. 1f these conditions are roet, a coro· Both even- de~,tures m hand specimens microcrystalline and
pact aggregate results, as, for .,xample, in roany g<Vity and fissure · an uneven · ·
fillings and in the cement that fills the pores of roany rocks- blastic textur~
m sedimentar
:r:ocks, corresponding to gra:obtelxt~res
-gramed crystallin
are common
Since sediments of chemical origin all consist of minerals that are h . . m metamor h · asuc and h
P ynuc cexcures . . P " rocks or to eq . porp yro-
at least appreciably soluble in water, they are particularly susceptible depends in m Igneous rocks. The h mgranular and por-
to recrystallization during diagenesis, especially alter temperature ' part, on the . e aracter of h
ome crystalline sed'Imenta vanous habits of th e compone t e fabric
and pressure are increased by burial. These rocks therefore ver¡ sas chose o! dolomice
feld:"~
. ry rocks contain euhed nc crystals.
cotnn10nly have crystalloblastic textures. DuTing siniple recrystalli· limestones, but mucÍrp,;:e>ce, quartz, and alkali crystals, such
zation of original sediroent, witbout addition of any new nünerals, dral grains M ore commonly th . p r that replace
the grain she of an aggregate tends to be enlarged, so that individ· · ost gr · ey consi t h
ary granular ap ams are roughly equidime . s w olly of anhe-
ual crystals become tightly interlocked. Boundaries between thc pearance to h nswnal g· ·
such as fibrous pr. . c e rack. Ctystals h . , wmg a sug·
crystals may be relatively smooth, as in a mosaic, or they roay be to produce a ' .Ismatic, and platy, may b avmg other habits
jagged and incerpenecracing. In eicher case che fabric is wichouc vis· vanety ¡ st e arranged in '
ustraced on later pages m 0 . ruccures. Sorne no l . many ways
ible spaces becween grains. Where replacernent of che original sulr· Figures 112-114 n-e astic fabrics are il-
1
Ciastic Texture , 119-123, 132, and 133.
stance by new nünerals cakes place, thé result roay be different.
Reduction racher than increase of grain size may occur, as in dolo·
roitization or silicification of coarse limescones, and porosity may be h Rocks 1 formed
. b Y accumulat· f .
produced if the new roaterials occupy less Volume cban the original. ave e astlc texture Th . Ion o romeral and
posicion, and che . e parucles may have an . rock fragments
The éffects of solution during diagenesis are to be found in roany
~hwn,
or very cighúy. J..::ay be_ packed togecher in ya:ze, fot;n, or COID·
rocks concaining minerals soluble in water. This rozy, of course, sorne incergranular clame aggregates, like sand y loosely
produce cavities, thUS increasing the porosicy of the rock. Stylolilc.\
tigyh~rystakl~IZation ~ome no~-porous
impermeable b poromy, buc they may be an grave!, have
are commonly regarded as a <esult of solution along some burie<l Or,. by very of authigenic and
surface which is kepC closed by pressure as soluble material is re· u d pac mg and h emenc m th
n er pressure.of deep b . per aps parcial soluci e pm:es.
moved. Where adjacent grains in a rack interpenetrace in a mannet
suggesting differential solution along the geain boundaTies, they at<
an aggregace which .
"clascic " · h
. '
~>mulatescrystalline
owever s as
unal, a clascic rack m on of grams
ay be welded in co
granular text
said to have rnicrostylolitic boundaúes (Fig. ll5B). Such contaW " is lor incober , 1 appropriace for such . ure. The cenn
commonly have a liccle opaque roatter concentrated along them, ami texcure of an enc porous sand; indeed ic consohdaced rocks as
chey roay transect a grain or fossil fragmenc in such a way as tu
In al! ¡
Í
clearly visible aggregace whose ori•in:U lrmay be applied co the
. r can be inferred wich a agmencal characcer is
suggest that it has been partly removed alter deposition.
By whatever process they arise, non-dastic crystalline cexcur01 ;w::: ragmental agQT . ssurance .
may cousisc of innumerable very small crystals or fewer large on"· .' the'material
. b egates
rs conveniently
. subdivid~
havmg a w'd f' e rnng<' of particle sizes,
ag~n·
¡;racrocrystalline, or crystalline granular, texCuTC is chac of
. .· ' or purposes of d escnpt· 10
· n,

gaces in which che grains are visible co the unaided eye, being O.'J
 SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE O .
into grains and matrix, which are roughly analogous to the pheno- . b 27 F SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
edded, or they may accumulate as ill-sorted a 9
crysts and groundmass of porphyritic igneous rocks. No particular they become mixed with det 't . . ggregates. Commonly
grain size is implied in the distinction; the terms have reference to n a1 SI 11cates but in f bl
t h ey are undiluted. Diagenetic recr .' . avora e localities
the relative size of particles and to their disposition in the aggregate. which such rocks are particular! ystalh~ation and replacement, to
By statistical size analysis, however, it is found that even the most trace of the original clastic t t y suOsceptlble, may later destroy all
poorly sorted clastic sediments include a cbntinuous series of sizes . . ex ure. ften howev h
ongmal clastic grains are discernible withi' er, t e ?utlines of
between their smallest and their largest particles. There is thus no gates. Among the chemical d' . n the recrystalhzed aggre-
distinct difference in particle size between what are called "grains" se Iments hmeston · ·
apt to be clastic, and probably 'f es, 1n particular, are
and what is called "matrix," as there always is between phenocrysts . more o them are el t' h .
crysta11 me. Fümres 115-117 '11 . as IC t an stnctly
and groundmass in igneous rocks, put smaller particles are normall.y o 1 ustrate clastic texture ¡'n 1'
1mestones.
Es:1zed between the larger ones, and in the aggregate they have the
_<p_p~~!_a.nce of a matrix containing and surrounding the larger Size and Sorting of Clastic Grains
_g!~~ns. The distinction between the two is based simply on this vis:
~ize, being one of the most readil visibl .
ual C()ll~ras_tL_which _can be se en only in the aggregate and results rs the basis for classification -of y . e properties of a particle,
--
from ··-· the
- .. different form and darker color of the finer material. H
-·~-·------·
gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Each ufnchonsohdated clastic sediments as
grains compose more than about two-thirds of a rock, sorne Of them, · · o t ese terms has b ·
titauve definition as foiiows: een grven quan-
at least, will be in contact, and the matrix simply fills in the poten-
tia} pores between them. Where grains are much fewer, they "ftoat" Names of Particles
Diameters of Particles*
in the matrix; in other words, they are loosely packed and scattered boulders · · · - - · · · · · more than 2S6 mtn.
through the matrix, in which they appear to be suspended. Only] cobbles
Grave! - ·- · · · · · · · · · · · · .from 2S6 mm
clastic rocks that are goorly sorted, having a wide range of particle · { pebbles · · · · · · · · · · · · · · .. from 64 mm · · · · · · · · · · · · · · .. to 64 mm.
sizes, can be said to contain a matrix. Well-washed and well-sorted granules ............... from 4 mm · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · to 4 mm.
-_~etritgs, no matter what the size of its particles, is said to be com~ . very coarse ............. from 2 mm.' ............... to 2 mm.
coarse. .. ............ · to 1 mm.
-posed-of grains alone. ' · · · · · · · · · · · · · ... from 1 mm
Sand medium · · · · · · · · · · · · · · .. to .S mm.
Except for those most recently deposited, few clastic sedimentary · · · · · · · · · · · .... from S mm
{ fine .................. from ·
.2S mm · · · · · · · · · · · · · · to .2S mm .
rocks are altogether lacking in authigenic cement. Minerals coro. very fine
. . .............. from .12S mm· · · · · · · · · · · · to .12S mm.
monly crystallize in the voids between fragments, precipitating first S1lt ........................... from .062 (or · OS) · · · · · · · · · · to - .062 (or. OS) mm.
on the grain surfaces and gradually filling the pores by continued Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. · mm .... to .OOS mm .
growth. Cement is very common)n fairly well-sorted silts, sands, and · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · .. .less than .OOS mm.
gravels, but it is much less common in argillaceous sediments, proh· From this classification arises the f ·¡·
ably because the impermeable character of clay tends to prevent deposits, conglomerate sandstone ~lmt 1 Iar nomenclature of detrital
' ' sz stone and clayst
migratiori of solutions and the precipitation of large amounts ol' ne.t A n aggregate composed m . l f ' . one or mud-
cement. Argillaceous material alone is a firm bonding agent when am y o sand-sized grains is called
he size of a partii:Ie can be defined in va .
compacted, and it commonly serves to consolidate sedimentary rocks mesh t?rough which particles will pass n~us w~y:-by volume, by diameter, by
that do not contain precipitated cements. ~~e diameter of irregular, non-spheroida? we_¡g t: or by settling velocity in a
lameter" refers to the average or mea d _grams IS not easy to define; in this
All detrital rocks have clastic texture; so also do many sediments nr.-cruarn'P name5 derived. from Greek d nL l~meter of a particle. .
composed of authigenic minerals, such as calcite and dolomitc, a~g-;eg~tes, J;sammite or arenite f~~ San atm roots are ps~phite or rudite for
which, having been precipitated on the sea ftoor, are moved about 1rgzllzte IS als~ a clay rock, but the term dy rocks, _and pelzte or lutite for clay
mdu~ated and' perhaps slightly re . stalli~~stoma;lly. refe;s t? o?e that is very
and thus take on the appearance of clastic grains. As they move 011 argzllaceous, lutaceous and pel't. ~h . d .. Ad~ect¡yes mdlcatmg clay mate-
1 zc, t ose md1catm
, p · · ' d
the sea floor, the authigenic particles may be sorted and current• sammztzi:; those indicating gra 1 g san Y material are arena-
ve or conglomerate are rudaceous and
 SEDIMENTARY ROCRS .
THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE y /
SEDIMENTARY ROCRS 281

280 h'
h most of the particln
. and corners. According to their shape grains may be grouped quali-
~and
. r d t d. one mclay
or sandstone If conso 1 a e ' h
w lC
is silt or siltstone; and tatively as spheroidal or equjdiipensional, diflt!lsñ"'aped or platy, rod-
' '
are smaller than san
d b t coarser t an
u . 1 clay or claystone and mue ot
~ shaped or prismatic, and bla:aeY-~Ji~ped; according to their degree of
nest paruc es are . . . roundness they are angular) subangular, subrounded, and rounded.
aggregates o f t h e fi than a quarter o f the gra1ns are coa1 ~< •1
mudstone (p. 326). IÍ more . <J,J'. ,, l
1 • •
ubb:z¿. and the consolt These two properties, although frequently confused, are geometri-
egate IS grave or r ' . . 1 cally distinct and not fundamentally related. Particles of the same
than sand, the loose aggr . ( 6). This class1ficauon <>
. l era te or breccza P· 29 . .· , shape may havé varying degrees of roundness, and those of similar
dated rock lS cong om . . l nd Wl'd e1y us ed . It also has geneuc SI).,
detrital aggregates IS ~lm~ e ~ l t'c ao-gregate is determined \)y roundness may have various shapes. Dodecahedral garnet crystals,
In slZe ln a e as 1 t> for e:xample, are spheroidal whether their interfacial edges are
nificance becaus~ gra . and de osition. .
the hydrodynamiCs of eroswn p d· anv conta~<.k sharply angular or hav,e been rounded by abrasion, and a prism of
. · erfectly sorte , .m ~ _ hornblende that was originally euhedral and sharply angular may
No clastic sediment lS p v .. mlv sorted indeed. Poorly
· 1e.~-- · and are veEJ_p~~ --~d--r--g to-the-predom1na1t\
-- · become well rounded without losing its general prismatic shape
ran o-e of naruc
~--"-=-- d · nated accor m (Fig. 92).
-~;ted rocks are general1y esig k that contains 55 percent sand.
.
grain siZe present. or e F :xample , 1a roe be called a sandstone. TI H .
15 percent silt, and 30 percent e ay mday not distino-uish the ro< k
" l e however, oes t> . b
name "sandstone a on.' f well-washed sand grains. lt lS ~st,
from one composed enurely o k by a term that contauls
h h terogeneous roe
therefore, to call suc a e 'fi m It may be called all
. . by some speo e ter . sions. Thin sections lend themselves to this sort of qualitative eval-
aq ualifying ad)ecuve, or . k . 'll be caBed a zvacke.
b · this boo 1t Wl · uation, but in them roundness is more reliably represented than
argillaceous sandstone, ut m l . di'ments have great genet t<
. . a amono- e asuc se . sphericity. Being sliced along a random plane, each grain in a thin
Differences m sortmt> . dt> here o f roughly definincrt> the tenm
significance, and there IS nee. To say that the particles ol section reveals two random diameters which commonly do not ade-
. · tl ese d1fferences. quately represent its shape-or sphericity-but do give a good idea
used in charactenzmg 1 . y greatly in size means t 1tal
unsorted and poorly sorted d~posltls var than the smaller ones. Sand of its degree of roundness. ,:j

. ny tzmes arger . b . Sphericity and roundness differ in significance. §Eheri9.ty is

the larger parucles are ma than the finest clay parucles ~ "
grains, for example, are larger k. which the two, together wiiii largely inherited; it depends on the shapes of miñerais 1n :- the
thousand times or more, and a. rodc tm ether is poorly sorted . ..1].!1'_ parent rocks or on their fracture habits, and is relatively little al-
all intermediate . .
s¡zes, are mixe og still in an argi'llaceous tered during transportation. It does exercise a major influence, how-
. · uld be far QTeatt:I -------- · d 1 ever, on .the hydrodynamical behavior of a particle, affecting its
rancre in par~I_Ü~.sg~__\.YQ __ -----------1:>- t in mixtures ~f s_an_ an< .
~- . o · ld be less gi~----- --------- · . settling velocity and mode of transport in a fluid current. Thus it
conglome_r~!.~bl!..L !L~2.:9-,----ld- th. erefore be S.()fll~what bettt '
hiCh wou ---···- ·- h' l 1 affects selective t-ransportation, for grains are commonly sorted by
, QTavel '.Yit_h_Q.ill.,.S..1!l-..Yt...-'.Y. ..-------·-: ·----d·m··-en-t: resulting fro~ __ 1 g}.. Y
="='·· - t d clasuc se 1 "'
n the best-so..r.._s:....----..::.==-:-=~:;:.......-.::..------~ "- · -· · · ---·- fi shape as well as by size and density. ,Roundnes§, on the other hand,
sorted . J - ....... ·==----- ti eles have no IP...QLe -than ......... · --
ve 01
has little effect on the behavior of a particle i~ a fluid; it is, rather,
~-~ele~t0e d~!tion.!.. lb0~,Eg~lalr t ~ktha~~l,l_,S$)};.1::~ may
· ·.· ¿· ter OI the sma eS '/=::'t=--==--------· e ' l Ulll a measure of the amount of abrasion d~~i;;g: ·t;~~~p~rtatiq_l}__ ªgg_gf
ten tnne~_th~",!-}tl0.<: -------: -- .... : · f narticles thas?X.e -~al_!:_.Y---- -
-------~------- ov1ded 1t co~2-r---------· the susceptibility of particles to abrasiQ.lJ,
b~n<;. ..QL.~-'-PL-----~-
Subdivision of clastic deposits according to the roundness of their
J.QiilljJl..lÜ~.~' particles cannot ~e applied to very fine-grained deposits because
. . d Roundness of Clastic Grains small particles are! not abraded and are invariably angular; but it
SphenClty an . . is rea,.gily applied to the coarser deposits. Thus breccia is a coarse-
. . 'ts deo-ree of approxlmauon lo
. .
The sjJhenczty, or s
hajJe of a o-ram lS 1
o d
t> e • do· ·s
is the angularity Ot ltS e "'(.
J.
grain~d clastic rock cornposed of angular grain; a similar rock con-
spherical forro, whereas ltS roun ness
 THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE OF SEDIMENTARY ,ROCKS 283
SEDIMENT ARY ROCKS
SUBROUNOED
ROUNOEO taining grains that have been abraded and hence are somewhat
SUB ANGULAR
ANGULAR rounded is conglomerate. Among sand rocks, grit is an aggregate of
coarse angular grains. Gannister is a fine-grained quartzose sand-

ooo o
stone consisting of angular grains cemented with authigenic silica.
The term microbreccia is appropriately used for ill-sorted sandy
EQUIOIMENSIONAL rocks in which the grains are sharply angular. \ ¡_ +' -
V< ¡;¡¡u~ ewm J: llld VIo~

ELONGATE
o o o o Packing of G~ains
The partid es of <a ~las tic aggregate can be arranged and packed
together in many different ways. If they are so arranged as to occupy
the smallest possible total volume, the pore space between particles

QUARTZ CHIPS ¿) ó o is at a minimum. Such packing one might expect to find in aggre-
gates subjected to high pressure at considerable depth, and in sorne

a o o
PROOUCED BY
aggregates of this kind the grains have been sufficiently deformed,
or differentially dissolved at points of contact, to become locked
CRUSHING
together in a mosaic with very low porosity. In natural clastic ag-
gregates, the pardcles are not, as a rule, so closely packed; such aggre-
gates are generally rather porous.

QUARTZ GRAINS D D D O
The possible packing schemes can be systematically analyzed
where all particles are identical and no deformation of individual
particles occurs. Such an analysis has been made by Graton and
FROhl
OISINTEGRATED
GRANITE CJ CJ a a Fraser* for aggregates of uniform spheres, and their findings, al-
though not directly applicable to natural aggregates, are neverthe-
less most instructive. If the spheres are systematically arranged in a

~~ S~ici:;J Roun~~~Gni~ Q
cubic fashiont and packed so as to touch each other, the aggregate
texture is open and has a porosity of 47.5. percent. If the spheres are
packed in a rhombohedral fashion,t the aggregate has the smallest
d" bulk volume that can be produced without distortion of the grains,
Figure 92. Two· Ime . . . l or elongate. Gros~· and its porosity is only 26 percent. Between these extremes are sys-
. either eqwd¡menswna . 1'
· two dimensions, grams are . d) d the broad secuon o tematic packing schemes which yield intermediate values of bulk
As seen m . fa pnsm (ro , an • l
. f a sphere the small sect10n o h h rod· disk- and bla< <'"
sect!Ons o ' .
< •

l The long secuons t roug ' ' . lll volume and porosity. But the packing arrangement may also be hap-
. k are all equidimens10na . . h n in the lower and mH < <'
a d rs T . l quartz grams, s ow 1 hazard, or non~systematic, producing porosities as high as 45 or 50
aped grains are elongate. yprca . . . l ~ather than markedly e ongat~.
sh d be eqmd1mensrona . h 1, percent. Chance packingJ the arrangement normally to be expected,
arts of the diagram, tef to classes of roundness, whrc can J1
P The four vertical coiumns tepresent f~u~ 11 corners sharp, having radius of
described qualitatively as follows. Antu ~r da Subangular: corners not sharp bul *L. C. Graton arid H. J. Fraser, "Systematic Packing of Spheres with Particular Rela-
f
curvature equal to zero; surface not a ra e surface not abraded. Subrouwkdi tion to Porosity a~ Permeability," four. Geol., vol. 43, pp. 785-910, 1935 .
.¡-In cubic packing (the unit cell contains eight spheres each centered at one of the
have very small radius of curvature; ~~~:e~ not completely abraded. Roun<krl¡ eight corners of a cube whose edge is the diameter of the spheres. Rhombohedral pack-
corners very noticeably rqu~ded but s e of sharpest edges is about equal W lng "has a unit cell of eight spheres each at the comer of a regular rhombohedron
entire surface abraded; radms .of curvatur wh<fSe edges equal the diameter of the spheres.
radius of maximum inscribed crrcle.
 SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE
is a combination of systematically packed grain colonies surroundcd OF SEDIMENTARY. ROCKS 285
by, or alternating with, colonies packed haphazardly. The average
porosity of chance-packed aggregates of uniform spheres is slightly
less than 40 percent.
Variations in size, sphericity, roundness, and sorting of the grains
in a clastic aggregate complicate the possible packing schemes enor
mously. Irregular, non-spherical grains might be so arranged thal
the irregularities of one fit those of another in roughly complemen
tary fashion, like the stones in a well-built stone wall. Such an ar
rangement reduces bulk volume and porosity, whereas a loase, hap
hazard packing of the same irregular particles produces especially
porous texture. Where an aggregate is poorly sorted, containing a
wide range of particle sizes, the smaller are packed between the larger,
A
and low porosity and bulk volume per unit of salid volume are to B
be expected. This is the well-known relationship between sortiug Figure 94.
and porosity-namely, that poor sorting produces lower porosity. Recent Sands as Seen in Thin Section
Thin sections, being random planes cut through a chance-packcd
A. Firm beach sand Point Re es Cal'f .
aggregate of natural grains, do not represent precisely the actual collection in order to presye , 1 orma. ~mpregnated with plastic before
rve texture D 1am 3 U .
packing and porosity of the aggregate. The petrographer examinin¡:, rounded grains very well sorted· • · •. mm. ncompacted sub-
is a lithic sand with h¡'gh f ld , p roslty v~ry h¡gh-about 30 percent. This
0
clastic aggregates in thin section must therefore interpret his obscr- e spar content· lt co t · b d
vations in the light of his general understanding of the relation
between the thin section and the three-dimensional aggregate from
i::~;~l:n~i;~~~:~s ;~;~t~ra~~~~- stippled), fel~s;~~s ~shuo::n:i~~e:~e:;va~;:
which it is sliced. W e are again indebted to Graton and Fraser for B. Sand from channel of J acalitos Cree k C . . .
with plastic before collection in d ' oalmga, Cahforma. Impregnated
an ideally simplified illustration of the problem. Figure 93 shows
Uncompacted subangular grains fa~~/:e;~ s~:~:~ve o:ex~ure. Dia~. 3 mm.
the distribution of voids and grains seen on a random plane utl grained !ayer at bottom Th¡'s . ¡· h' , p oslty very high; finer-
• IS a 1t IC sand derived f · .
through a chance-packed á.ggregate of uniform spheres, and it clearly mentary terrane including volcanic sandstones· it . rom a mlxed sedl-
of andesite, argillite shale chert and , . contams about 40% chips
feldspar. ' ' ' serpentme, 35% quartz, and 25%

reveals sorne of the shortcomings of th. n . h

to 1 sectwns w en carelessly used
represent texture The ·
. d . . grams are not correctly represented as to
an sortm?, and many of them do not appear to be in contact
Unless the sectwn cuts exactly through the point of cont t b .
tw · h ac etween
Figure 93. Distribution of Voich o g_rams, t _ey _appear to be separated, and where a grain is sliced
and Spheres on a Random Pla1111 near Its margm lt appears smaller than it actually I·s Th' .
Section Through an Aggregatc ol co . . . · · 1n secuons
urse, are not mfimtesimally thin· a small th' d d' . .'
Uniform Spheres Chance-packed in u 'bl d · ' Ir 1menswn 1s
Container e un er a microscope, and where grain boundaries are not
to th! plane of the section, two grains may overlap and
Figure after L. C. Geaton and H. J. Fraser, ]ournal of Geology, vol. 43, l!l.~.~.
S tohbe m contact when they are actually separated by a thin
p. 848, figure 14. Note that the correct size of spheres is rarely apparent and tlnll
uc contacts are hazy rather than sharp and el
many are apparently not in contact. Th h · ear.
ese s ortcommgs do not invalidate textura! observations made
 THE COMPOSITION AND TEXTURE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 287
- SEDIMENTARY ROCKS cient and deeply buried sandstones are very tightly packed indeed,
280 . d for them. Compare
. 'd d d e allowance lS ma e . sorne so tightly that their grains interlock. Where little or no ce-
in thin sectwns provi e u f two natural unconsoh,
h' h shows the textures o -· 93 ment is visible in these rocks, one must assume that the detrital
Figure 94AB, w IC . d h'n
1
sections, with F1gure ·, grains themselves have been forced into intimate contact. A some-
ear ID ran o m t · f
da:ed sands as t h ey ap P h ked ag2Tegate of uni orm
. th ough a e ance-pac · b • • what similar appearance may also be produced by a form of cemen-
representing a secuon r d . dified by variauons m
f the natural san s IS mo tation, common in quartzose sandstones, in which the detrital grains
spheres. The aspect o 11 the aggregate of spheres
· but they as we as · of quartz are enlarged by authigenic growth until they interfere and
particle form an d siZe, . do not appear to be m
have open textures in which most grams the pores are completely closed; such a process does not require
tight packing of the grains (Fig. 107BC).
contact. . . ht be expected, a more compact The term "pack!llg" refers specifically to the arrangement of
Most buried sands have, as rnig . d In thin sections this is
· t recently deposite . . ¿· clastic grains, entinily apart from any authigenic cement that ínay
fabric than those JUS . (FI'g 95) a feature 1n I-
. king of the grams · · ' . have crystallized between them. Thus, in estimating the packing of
recogmzed by closer pa~ . han()'e in the packing. arrangement cemented aggregates, the cement should be regarded as equivalent to
. sorne post-depositwnal e b 1' h d Many an-
catmg . have been accomp IS e . the voids in an unconsolidated rock. Sorne completely cemented
(compaction), however It may
sandstones consist of very loosely packed detrital grains, which, ex-
cept for the cement, have textures like those of unconsolidated sand.
Cementation in these probably occurred soon after deposition, at the
latest before deep burial of the detritus could produce tight pack-
ing. Other deposits were more tightly packed before cementation,
and the proportion of cement is correspondingly less.

Orientation of Grains
Preferred orientation of grains is common in sedimentary rocks. In
clastic sediments, mica and other non-spheroidal particles generally
lie with their longer diameters approximately in the hedding plane.
B With micas, indeed, this tendency is so pronounced that the orienta-
A tion of the flakes can be used to indicate the stratification planes when
Figure 95. other evidence is lacking. Preferred orientation may go undetected
Seen in Thin Section in sorne sedimentary rocks, but few of them are without it.
Uncemented Sandstones as . . . 2 5 ,m. Very
. B 1 · W1sconsm. D1am. · . .,. . Preferred orientations of grains in sedimentary rocks may be
A · St · Peter sandstone (OrdoviCian),f
· ·
e bolt, ded quartz grains. The texture
su roun ¡ caused ejtber by tbe pmcess of deposition or by hüer deformation
ell-sorted sandstone cons¡stmg 0 d ntil they are in close an'
w rains have been compacte u Mica flakes are oriented as fJ;,e,r, "are deposited, and many are the
is very porous, but g
locally intimate contact. Compar
e texture in Figure 94A.
. b 1 surface Kettleman
strearn, gravels in which dfs'k~shaped pebbles lie roughly parallel,
M' ene) 8 000 feet e ow , .. with their broad surfaces dipping upstream, in what is known as
B Temblor arkosic sandstone ( wc , , 1 orted sandstone conslstm¡;
· .
Hills California. Dlam. 2.5
mm
.
Moderate y s ) t
d feldspar (with cleavage , o- imbricate structure. In glacial till the long axes of pebbles and cob-
, · s of quartz an . - 1 d) tend to\.lie parallel to the direction of ice motion. The platy
of abundant subangu1ar gram . d) d ck particles (heavlly st!pp e .
gether with fewer biotite tfiakes (lme. l ahn roaused rearrangement and com· structure of sorne shales, on the other hand, may develop during
deep buna as e d b' . t .
Texture very porous, b u . F' ure 94B. Note deforme wu e paction or deformation by the parallel orientation of platy clay
. f . . Compare the texture m ¡g
pactwn o grams. .
pinched between compacted grams.
2
88 SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
· 1 h. fl ·¡1 ·te An anisotropic fabric in quartz sandstone,
m1nera s, e 1e Y 1 1 · . · d.ff
. h s probably produced by compactwn coupled w1th 1 er-
h
w 1c wa · p· l08B
ential solution of quartz grains, is illustrate~ m . 1gure ·
In a rock whose grains have preferred onentatwn, many pro~er­
ties as viewed in thin ·section vary with the plane of the sectwn:.
When disk-shaped particles, for example, lie parallel to the plane. of
·fi · thin sections cut across and parallel t0 the beddmg
16 Sandstones
strau canon, . d.ff k·no·
will reveal different shapes and sizes of grams, ~ erent pa.c 1 ~
arrano-ements and porosities, and perhaps even d1fferent mm.e~a.
fre u~ncies. Other mass properties of the. roc~s, s~ch as ?ermeab1ht~
an:Í conductivity, also vary with the diTectwn m :Vluch they a~e
d Because of this fact, thin sections used m petrograpluc
measure . . ld ll b ut normal to
examination of sedimentary rocks shou usua Y-~...L~----. ~·----·-
.the stratific;giQ!l: !~very thin-bedded rocks,. moreover.z.-secgof1s. n~r~ Classification
-;;1~-bedding are cut across sever~llan:mae rather than a smole
. one, and thus give a more representauve plcture of the rock.
Sandstones are t~~t~·i~ sediments contammg abundant grains of
sand and coarse sil t.* They range from clean sandstones to those
in which the sand is mixed with abundant fine silt and clay. Authi-
genic minerals may occur in them as precipitated cement, but sand-
stones are classified by their detrital components alone. The presence
of appreciable cement may be signified by an appropriate adjective;
calcareous and siliceous cements are the most common.
Two types of sandstones are defined by degree of sorting. One is
apure or nearly pure sand rock, which in this book is called arenite.
It is relatively well sorted, containing little if any clay. Sandstones
of the second type are impure; they are unsorted or poorly sorted
mixtures of detrital materials, their principal mark of distinction
being an abundant matrix made up of clay and fine sil t. The impure
sandstones are grouped together under the general term wacke.t
Many of them, because of their lack of sorting and the angularitY"of
their grains, resemble microbreccia) and this is often an appropriate
descriptive name.
Considerable genetic significance attaches to the two types of sand-
stone just defined. Arenite is selectively and slowly accumulated and
well washed by currents, whereas wacke consists of sediment "poured
·in" to a basin of deposition at a comparatively rapid rate without
__
,__ · ble ~election or reworking by currents after deposition.
sandstones discussed in this chapter do not include calcarenites, the clastic
¡¡;ne:stones and dolomites; these are considered later, with calcareous rocks.
Fischer, "Die Petrographie der Grauwacken," Preussische Geologische Landes-
]ahrbuch, vol. 54, p. 326, 1933.