ASSIGNMENT FOR BASIC GEOSCIENCE (SKPP 2213)

TITLE: CLASSIFICATION OF SILICI CLASTIC AND

CHEMICAL SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

PREPARED BY

NICHOLAS GAWAN ANAK TADONG

SX152971KPPF30

FOR

PROF DR RADZUAN BIN JUNIN

TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

1.0 CLASTIC ( SILICI CLASTIC) SEDIMENTARY ROCK

1.1 COMPOSITION 3
1.2 CLASSIFICATION 4
1.3 SANDSTONE 5
1.4 CONGLOMERATES 5

2.0 CHEMICAL SEDIMENTARY ROCK 6

2.1 CLASSIFICATION 6
2.2 EVAPORITES 7
2.3 COQUINA 7
3.0 CONCLUSION 9

Reference:

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1.0 CLASTIC ( SILICI CLASTIC) SEDIMENTARY ROCK

Clastic rocks are composed of fragments, or clasts, of pre-existing minerals and rock. A clast is a
fragment of geological detritus, chunks and smaller grains of rock broken off other rocks by
physical weathering. Geologists use the term clastic with reference to sedimentary rocks as well
as to particles in sediment transport whether in suspension or as bed load, and in sediment
deposits.

1.1 Composition

The composition of siliciclastic sedimentary rocks includes the chemical and

mineralogical components of the framework as well as the cementing material that make up
these rocks. Boggs divides them into four categories; major minerals, accessory minerals, rock
fragments, and chemical sediments.

Major minerals can be categorized into subdivisions based on their resistance to chemical
decomposition. Those that possess a great resistance to decomposition are categorized as stable,
while those that do not are considered less stable. The most common stable mineral in
siliciclastic sedimentary rocks is quartz. Quartz makes up approximately 65 percent of
framework grains present in sandstones and about 30 percent of minerals in the average shale.
Less stable minerals present in this type of rocks are feldspars, including both potassium and
plagioclase feldspars. Feldspars comprise a considerably lesser portion of framework grains and
minerals. They only make up about 15 percent of framework grains in sandstones and 5% of
minerals in shales. Clay mineral groups are mostly present in mudrocks (comprising more than
60% of the minerals) but can be found in other siliciclastic sedimentary rocks at considerably
lower levels.

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1.2 Classification

Siliciclastic sedimentary rocks are composed of mainly silicate particles derived by the
weathering of older rocks and pyroclastic volcanism. While grain size, clast and cementing
material (matrix) composition, and texture are important factors when regarding composition,
siliciclastic sedimentary rocks are classified according to grain size into three major categories;
conglomerates, sandstones, and mudrocks. The term clay is used to classify particles smaller than
.0039 millimeters.

Figure 1.2 SilisiClastic Sedimentary Rock Chart

However, term can also be used to refer to a family of sheet silicate minerals. Silt refers
to particles that have a diameter between .062 and .0039 millimeters. The term mud is used to
refer to when clay and silt particles often mix to create aggregates sediments. Hence, the term
mudrock is used to refer to rocks that are composed of silt and clay particles. Furthermore,
particles that reach diameters between .062 and 2 millimeters fall into the category of sand.
When sand is cemented together and lithified it becomes known as sandstone. Any particle that
is larger than two millimeters is considered gravel. This category includes pebbles, cobbles and
boulders.

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1.3 SANDSTONES

Sandstones are medium grained rocks composed of rounded or angular fragments of sand
size, that often but not always have a cement uniting them together. These sand size particles are
often quartz minerals but there are a few common categories and a wide variety of classification
schemes that are given are used to classify sandstones based on composition.

1.4 CONGLOMERATES

Conglomerates are coarse grained rocks dominantly composed of gravel sized particles
that are typically held together by a finer grained matrix. These rocks are often subdivided up
into conglomerates and breccias. The major characteristic that divides these two categories is the
amount of rounding. The gravel sized particles that make up conglomerates are well rounded
while in breccias they are angular. Conglomerates are common in stratigraphic successions of
most, if not all ages but only make up one percent or less, by weight of the total sedimentary
rock mass. In terms or origin and depositional mechanisms they are very similar to sandstones.
As a result, the two categories often contain the same sedimentary structures.

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2.0 CHEMICAL SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Chemical sedimentary rock forms when mineral constituents in solution become

supersaturated and inorganically precipitate. Common chemical sedimentary rocks include
oolitic limestone and rocks composed of evaporite minerals, such as halite (rock salt), sylvite,
barite and gypsum.

Figure 2.0 Chemical Sedimentary Rock Chart

Chemical sedimentary rocks form by precipitation of minerals from water. Precipitation

is when dissolved materials come out of water.For example: Take a glass of water and pour some
salt (halite) into it. The salt will dissolve into the water. If you set the water in a hot and dry
place (like Arizona) the water, but not the salt, will evaporate away. As the water evaporates, the
concentration of salt gets higher and the water will eventually become saturated and will not be
able to dissolve any more salt. At this point, as the water continues to evaporate, the salt will
come out of solution and will be precipitated in the glass.

This is a common way for chemical sedimentary rocks to form and the rocks are
commonly called evaporites. They are typically made up of the minerals halite (calcium chloride,
or rock salt) and gypsum (calcium sulfate).. This is how rocks such as limestones form.
Limestones commonly form in oceans, which do not evaporate away. For example, when cold
sea water heats up, it can no longer hold as much calcium carbonate (calcite, the mineral that
limestones are made out of) in solution. When this happens, the calcium carbonate is precipitated
out of the water as calcite, forming limestone. Limestones can also form from the shells of
different sea critters that settle out on the bottom of the ocean.

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2.1 EVAPORITES

Evaporites is a name for a water-soluble mineral sediment that results from concentration
and crystallization by evaporation from an aqueous solution.There are two types of evaporite
deposits: marine, which can also be described as ocean deposits, and non-marine, which are
found in standing bodies of water such as lakes. Evaporites are considered sedimentary rocks and
are formed by chemical sediments.

2.3 COQUINA

Coquina is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the
transported, abraded, and mechanically-sorted fragments of the shells of molluscs, trilobites,
brachiopods, or other invertebrates. The term coquina comes from the Spanish word for "cockle"
and "shellfish".For a sediment to be considered to be a coquina, the particles composing it should
average 2 mm or greater in size. Coquina can vary in hardness from poorly to moderately
cemented. Incompletely consolidated and poorly cemented coquinas are considered grainstones
in the Dunham classification system for carbonate sedimentary rocks. A well-cemented coquina
is classified as a biosparite according to the Folk classification of sedimentary rocks.

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3.0 CONCLUSION

Three major types exist on the earth, these include sedimentary, igneous and
metamorphic rocks. The classification is based on how these rocks form; Sedimentary rocks
forms the largest share of the rocks on the earths surface; Rocks are important in mapping of
natural resources with Plate tectonics playing major role in various rock type distribution and
abundance; Igneous and metamorphic rocks are both encountered in geothermal environments;
Igneous rocks especially very recent are good indicators of volcanism hence heat source for
geothermal system to exist; and Sedimentary rocks play a major role in reconstruction of earths
history also important resources like coal and oil can be found in sedimentary environments.

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REFERENCES

Carlson, D.H, Plummer, C.C and Hammersley, L., 2008: Physical geology, earth revealed. McGraw-
Hill. New York, NY 100200.

Discover and dive, 2014: Ring of fire. Website: www.divediscover.whoi.edu

Ehlers, G.E. and Blatt, H., 1997: Petrology, Igneous sedimentary and metamorphic. CBS publishers and