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clastic petrology
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clastic petrology

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Clastic petrology is a branch of sedimentary petrology focused on rocks composed of distinct particles or clasts, known as clastic rocks. These rocks are formed from fragments of pre-existing rocks and minerals that have been transported and deposited.1

Clastic rocks are classified based on the size of their constituent grains, ranging from clay and silt to sand, pebbles, cobbles, and boulders. Common examples include:23
* Conglomerate and breccia: Formed from coarse clasts (pebbles, cobbles, boulders), differing in clast roundness.2
* Sandstone: Composed of sand-sized grains, providing significant information about depositional environments.23
* Mudrock (siltstone, claystone, shale): Made of finer-than-silt-sized materials.23

Clastic petrology examines the mineral composition and shape of these fragments, as well as their transportation and depositional processes.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
  1. sedimentary rock - Terrigenous clastic rocks
  2. geology - Sedimentary petrology
  3. sedimentary rock

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