CONTINENTAL SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS

ALLUVIAL PALUDAL
PALUDAL
ALLUVIAL FAN
FAN FLUVIAL
FLUVIAL
Rock
Rock Type
Type Breccia,
Breccia, Conglomerate,
Conglomerate, Peat,
Peat, coal,
coal, black
black
conglomerate,
conglomerate, sandstone,
sandstone, siltstone,
siltstone, shale, siltstone
shale, siltstone
arkose
arkose shale
shale
Composition
Composition Terrigenous
Terrigenous Terrigenous
Terrigenous Terrigenous
Terrigenous
Color
Color Brown
Brown or
or red
red Brown
Brown or
or red
red Black,
Black, gray,
gray, or
or
brown
brown
Grain Size
Grain Size Clay to
Clay to gravel
gravel Clay to
Clay to gravel
gravel (Fining
(Fining Clay to
Clay to silt
silt
upward)
upward)
Grain
Grain Shape
Shape Angular
Angular Rounded
Rounded to
to angular
angular ---
---
Sorting
Sorting Poor
Poor Variable
Variable Variable
Variable
Inorganic
Inorganic Sedimentary
Sedimentary Structures
Structures Cross-bedding
Cross-bedding and
and Asymmetrical
Asymmetrical ripples,
ripples, Laminated
Laminated to
to
graded bedding
graded bedding cross-bedding,
cross-bedding, graded
graded massive
massive
bedding, tool
bedding, tool marks
marks
Organic
Organic or
or Biogenic
Biogenic Sedimentary
Sedimentary ---
--- Tracks,
Tracks, trails,burrows
trails,burrows Root
Root marks,
marks,
Structures
Structures burrows
burrows
Fossils
Fossils ---
--- Rare
Rare freshwater
freshwater shells,
shells, Plant
Plant fossils,
fossils, rare
rare
bones, plant fragments
bones, plant fragments freshwater shells,
freshwater shells,
bones,
bones, fish
fish

http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/environmentchart.htm
 TRANSITIONAL SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS

DELTA BARRIER BEACH LAGOON TIDAL FLAT

Rock Type Sandstone, Quartz arenite, Siltstone, shale, Siltstone, shale,
siltstone, shale, coal coquina limestone, oolitic calcilutite, dolostone
limestone or or gypsum
gypsum
Composition Terrigenous Terrigenous or Terrigenous, Terrigenous,
carbonate carbonate, or carbonate, or
evaporite evaporite
Color Brown, black, gray, White to tan Dark gray to black Gray, brown, tan
green, red
Grain Size Clay to sand Sand Clay to silt Clay to silt
(Coarsening upward
Grain Shape --- Rounded to angular --- ---
Sorting Poor Good Poor Variable
Inorganic Cross-bedding, Cross-bedding, Lamination, ripples, Lamination,
Sedimentary graded bedding symmetrical ripples cross-bedding mudcracks, ripples,
Structures cross-bedding
Organic or Trails, burrows Tracks, trails, Trails, burrows Stromatolites, trails,
Biogenic burrows tracks, burrows
Sedimentary
Structures
Fossils Plant fragments, Marine shells Marine shells Marine shells
shells
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/environmentchart.htm
 MARINE SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS
CONTINENTAL CONTINENTAL ABYSSAL PLAIN
REEF SHELF SLOPE AND RISE
Rock Type Fossiliferous Sandstone, shale, Litharenite, Shale, chert, micrite,
limestone siltstone, fossiliferous siltstone, and shale chalk, diatomite
limestone, oolitic (or limestone)
limestone
Composition Carbonate Terrigenous or Terrigenous or Terrigenous or
carbonate carbonate carbonate
Color Gray to white Gray to brown Gray, green, brown Black, white red
Grain Size Variable, Clay to sand Clay to sand Clay
frameworks, few
to no grains
Grain Shape --- --- --- ---
Sorting --- Poor to good Poor Good
Inorganic --- Lamination, cross- Graded bedding, Lamination
Sedimentary bedding cross-bedding,
Structures lamination, flute
marks, tool marks
(turbidites)

Organic or --- Trails, burrows Trails, burrows Trails, burrows

Biogenic
Sedimentary
Structures
Fossils Corals, marine Marine shells Marine shells, rare Marine shells
shells plant fragments (mostly microscopic)
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/environmentchart.htm
http://www.uic.edu/classes/geol/eaes350/
http://www.uic.edu/classes/geol/eaes350/