Scheme for Sedimentary Rock Identification

INORGANIC LAND-DERIVED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

TEXTURE GRAIN SIZE COMPOSITION COMMENTS ROCK NAME MAP SYMBOL

Pebbles, cobbles, Rounded fragments Conglomerate

and/or boulders
embedded in sand, Mostly
silt, and/or clay quartz, Angular fragments Breccia
feldspar, and
Clastic Sand clay minerals;
(0.006 to 0.2 cm) Fine to coarse Sandstone
(fragmental) may contain
fragments of . . . . .
Silt Very fine grain Siltstone . . . .
(0.0004 to 0.006 cm) other rocks . . . . .
. . . .
and minerals
Clay Compact; may split
Shale
(less than 0.0004 cm) easily

CHEMICALLY AND/OR ORGANICALLY FORMED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

TEXTURE GRAIN SIZE COMPOSITION COMMENTS ROCK NAME MAP SYMBOL

Halite Rock salt

Fine Crystals from
to chemical
Crystalline Gypsum Rock gypsum
coarse precipitates
crystals and evaporites
Dolomite Dolostone

Crystalline or Precipitates of biologic

Calcite origin or cemented shell Limestone
bioclastic Microscopic to fragments
very coarse
Bioclastic Compacted
Carbon plant remains Bituminous coal

Scheme for Metamorphic Rock Identification

GRAIN TYPE OF
TEXTURE SIZE COMPOSITION METAMORPHISM COMMENTS ROCK NAME MAP SYMBOL

Fine Low-grade Slate

metamorphism of shale
FOLIATED

ALIGNMENT

Regional
MINERAL

(Heat and Foliation surfaces shiny

pressure from microscopic mica Phyllite
Fine crystals
to increases)
AMPHIBOLE
MICA

medium
FELDSPAR

Platy mica crystals visible

QUARTZ

GARNET

from metamorphism of clay Schist

or feldspars
PYROXENE
BAND-

Medium High-grade metamorphism;

ING

to mineral types segregated Gneiss

coarse into bands

Carbon Metamorphism of
Fine Regional bituminous coal Anthracite coal

Various Various rocks changed by

Fine Contact heat from nearby Hornfels
minerals (heat)
NONFOLIATED

magma/lava

Metamorphism of
Quartz quartz sandstone Quartzite
Fine
to Regional
coarse Calcite and/or Metamorphism of
or Marble
dolomite limestone or dolostone
contact

Coarse Various Pebbles may be distorted Metaconglomerate

minerals or stretched

Source: The University of the State of New York, 2011. Reference Tables for Physical Setting/EARTH SCIENCE.
URL: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/reftable/earthscience-rt/esrt2011-engr.pdf
Physical Setting/Earth Science Reference Tables — 2011 Edition 7