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How does sedimentation turn reef material into rock?
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coral reef
The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is the world's largest coral reef.
Reef material transforms into true rock through a gradual process involving the dissolution, redeposition, recrystallization, and chemical transformation of the reef's components.1
While living coral and algal frameworks form the foundation, the overall reef complex is also built through the accumulation of carbonate sand and mud, which are trapped and stabilized by various plants and algae. Over time, these materials are accreted to the reef structure. This resulting geological formation is often referred to as coral-reef limestone, a type of rock composed of reef-forming coral and fossilized reef material.23