Clastic deposition covers about 75% of the Earth’s surface and clastic sedimentary rocks can be categorized into 3 groups based on grain size. Table 1 demonstrates grain size and type of sedimentary rocks.
Table 1 – Grain Size and Sedimentary Rock
(Ref: http://www.takenote.it/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/table13.jpg)
Fine Grained Sedimentary Rocks – Mudstone
Mudstone is a fine grain sedimentary rock and this is the most abundant type of sediments. Its grain size is less than 1//16 mm, so people cannot differentiate it with normal eyesight. Typical mudstones are siltstone, claystone and shale and the most common minerals are quartz, feldspar, calcite and clay. The fine grained rock can show the least about its formation because of a very small grain size. Mudstone is defined as sediment with a large component of clay sized material. Mudstone occurs due to slow settling from slow currents. This fine grain sediment is typically formed on blanketing ridges, continental shaves, seafloor, abyssal plain and in trenches. Continue reading
