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Laboratory 6

Sedimentary EnvironmentsClassification Charts

Pamela J. W. Gore

Georgia Perimeter College

Copyright 1982-2004 Pamela J. W. Gore

Please print these charts in landscape mode rather than in portrait mode.

Table 1


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CONTINENTAL SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS

ALLUVIAL FAN FLUVIAL LACUSTRINE DESERT (DUNES) PALUDAL

Rock Type Breccia,conglomerate,arkose

Conglomerate,sandstone,siltstone, shale

Siltstone, shale, limestone, or evaporites (gypsum)

Quartz arenite(sandstone) or gypsum

Peat, coal,blackshale,siltstone

Composition Terri genous Terrigenous Terri genous, carbonat e, or evaporite

Terrigenous or evaporite

Terrigenous

Color B rown or red B rown or red B lack, brown, gray, green Yel low, red, t an,white

Black,gray, or brown

Grain Size Clay to gravel Clay to gravel(Fining upward)

Clay to silt or sand(Coarsening upward)

Sand Clay to silt

Grain Shape Angular Rounded to angular --- Rounded ---

Sorting Poor Variable Variable Good Variable

InorganicSedimentaryStructures

Cross-bedding andgraded bedding

Asymmetricalripples, cross-bedding, gradedbedding, tool marks

Symmetrical ripples,lamination, cross-bedding,graded bedding, mudcracks,raindrop prints

Cross-bedding Laminatedto massive

Organic or BiogenicSedimentary

Structures

--- Tracks,trails,burrows

Tracks, trails, burrows, rarestromatolites

Trac ks , trails Rootmarks,burrows

Fossils --- Rare freshwater shells, bones, plantfragments

Freshwater shells, fish,bones, plant fragments

--- Plantfossils,rarefreshwater shells,bones, fish


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Table 2

TRANSITIONAL SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS

DELTA BARRIER BEACH LAGOON TIDAL FLAT

Rock Type Sandstone, siltst one,shale, coal

Quartz arenite, coquina Siltstone, shale, limestone,oolitic limestone or gypsum

Siltstone, shale,calcilutite, dolostone or gypsum

Composition Terrigenous Terrigenous or carbonate Terrigenous, carbonate, or evaporite

Terrigenous, carbonate,or evaporite

Color Brown, black, gray,green, red

White to tan Dark gray to black Gray, brown, tan

Grain Size Clay to sand(Coarsening upward

Sand Clay to silt Clay to silt

Grain Shape --- Rounded to angular --- ---

Sorting Poor Good Poor Variable


Cross-bedding, gradedbedding

Cross-bedding,symmetrical ripples

Lamination, ripples, cross-bedding

Lamination, mudcracks,ripples, c ross-bedding

Organic or BiogenicSedimentaryStructures

Trails , burrows Trac ks , t rails , burrows Trails , burrows S tromat olit es , t rails ,tracks, burrows

Fossils Plant fragments, shells Marine shells Marine shells Marine shells

Table 3


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MARINE SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS

REEF CONTINENTAL SHELF CONTINENTAL SLOPE AND RISE ABYSSAL PLAIN

Rock Type Fossiliferouslimestone

Sandstone, shale,siltstone, fossiliferouslimestone, ooliticlimestone

Litharenite, siltstone, and shale (or limestone)

Shale, chert, micrite,chalk, diatomite

Composition Carbonat e Terrigenous or carbonate

Terrigenous or carbonate Terrigenous or carbonate

Color Gray to white Gray to brown Gray, green, brown Black, white red

Grain Size Variable,frameworks, few tono grains

Clay to sand Clay to sand Clay

Grain Shape --- --- --- ---

Sorting --- Poor to good Poor Good


--- Lamination, cross-bedding

Graded bedding, cross-bedding,lamination, flute marks, tool marks(turbidites)

Lamination

Organic or BiogenicSedimentaryStructures

--- Trails, burrows Trails, burrows Trails, burrows

Fossils Corals, marineshells

Marine shells Marine shells, rare plant fragments Marine shells(mostly microscopic)

Return to Contents

Go to Depositional Sedimentary Environments Lab and Exercises

https://web.archive.org/web/20090228095248/http://facstaff.gpc.edu:80/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/sedenvirons.htmhttps://web.archive.org/web/20090228095248/http://facstaff.gpc.edu:80/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/contents.php


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This page created by Pamela J. W. Gore , pg [email protected] u

Georgia Perimeter College

July 14, 199 8

Modif ied June 22, 1999

Modif ied December 1 2, 20 03
mailto:[email protected]

sedimentary environments cghart

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