Sign up for Lesson Plans, discounts & more!

Sedimentary Rock Examples


Common clastic sedimentary rocks are listed on the table below. They are listed by grain size in decending order. Grain size is one factor in classifying sedimentary rocks.Clicking on the name of the rock will bring up a larger picture and a description of the rock type in a new window.



Examples of Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
Conglomerate Conglomerate is made up of rounded pebbles cemented together.
Breccia Breccia is made up of angular pebbles cemented together.
sandstone Sandstone is sand grains cemented together into solid stone.
siltstone Siltstone is made from silt particles cemented together.
Shale Shale is made from silt particles cemented together. It is similar to siltstone but with even finer grain size,

The table below shows examples of common chemical sedimentary rocks. Clicking on the name of the rock will bring up a larger picture and a description of the rock type in a new window.

Examples of Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
Evaporates
Halite Halite is made when a body of seawater becomes closed off and evaporates. As the water evaporates it the remaining water can no longer hold the same amount of salt. The salt precipitates out and is deposited as crystallized halite or rock salt.
selenite Selenite is an evaporate made of calcium sulfate that has many forms. Clear flattened crystals are called selenite. Satin spar and alabaster are also common forms.
Carbonates
Limestone Limestone is made primarily of calcium carbonate or calcite. The most common source of this calcite is the shells of marine organisms.
Fossiliferous Limestone Fossiliferous Limestone is limestone that contains the remains of ancient plants or animals in the form of fossils.
Siliceous Rocks
Chert Chert is a microcrystaline sedimentary rock that is silica rich. It has many forms and colors.
Organic Sedimentary Rocks
Coal Coal is composed of organic matter in the form of plant fragments. Coal can be:
  • Lignite is black and has a crumbly consistency.
  • Bituminous coal can be dull to shiny and black.
  • Anthacite is usually considered metamorphic


metamorphic rock collection igneous rock collection sedimentary rock collection


Sedimentary Rocks

Share this page:
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

INTERESTED IN MORE? IF SO, YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SITES:

fossilicious.com - Our online fossil and mineral rock shop.
fossils-facts-and-finds.com - An educational site about fossils.