SEDIMENTARY

PETROLOGY
Clastics in Thin Section
Identification of Common
Clastic grains and
Classification
This is not meant as a substitute
but a supplement to studying
thin sections with the microscope
 Review the Sandstone classification

Q Quartzarentie
95%

Subarkose Sublitharenite
25%
F e d ls p a t
rk o s e

Lith
h ic lith a
ose

L ith ic a

a
Ark

reni
re n ite

te

Feldspars 20 50 20 Rock
(+granite and Fragments
Gneiss clasts)
 Calclithite

Chert arenite SS/SH arenite

Sedarenite

Volcanic arenite Phyllarenite

 Quartz -low interference
colors
Overgrowth

Dust line
Quartzarenite-with Dolomite
cement (rhombs)
Feldspars
Microcline (K-feldspar)
-scotch plaid twin

quartz
 “Dirty” K-Feldspar
Alteration can be used to distinguish
untwinned feldspar from quartz
Plagioclase-note twinning
 Plagioclase

Note alteration on large grain

 Rock Fragments

Chert
-cryptocrystalline quartz
Sandstone rock fragment
 Shale rock fragment

Watch out-that was Kerry’s

bowling ball
Carbonate rock fragments (CRF)
-carbonate, usually calcite with
high order interference colors
Calcite cement

CRFs commonly contain fossils

CRFs show truncation of cements
at grain boundaries
Volcanic rock fragment (VRF)
plagioclase laths-ophitic texture
VRF phenocryst calcite
cement
Metamorphic rock fragment (MRF)
foliated texture (gneiss or
schist grain)
MRFs -schist grains
note mica
Other grains

Muscovite -clear in plain light

 Muscovite-high interference colors
in polarized light

biotite-green/brown in plain light, high

interference colors in polarized light,
pleochroic
Glauconite
Calcite cement
 CRFs

Classify? Calclithite
Chert
 CRFs

Classify? Calclithite
Chert
Classify? Volcanic
arenite
Classify? Calclithite
Note fossils in upper clasts
dolomite in lower clast
quartz
Classify? Quartzarenite
? Quartz

?
? Dust lines
Qtz Overgrowths
 ? VRF-Why?
Plagioclase laths

Classify ? Calcite
?Volcanic arenite cement
 Classify: Arkose
Quartz

K-Feldspar/
? microcline
? CRF ? QTZ

SS rock
? fragment
Cement? Calcite

Classify: Sedarenite
 ? Carbonate Rock
Fragments

Classify? Calclithite
Classify? Chert Arenite

Chert Quartz and

clasts Chalcedony cement
Classify: SS arenite
 Classify: calclithite

That was a 7-10 split.

What is the ball made
of?

That was a gutter ball.

Cement? calcite
Classify: sublitharenite
Classify: Volcanic arenite

Cement? calcite
Classify: Calclithite
Classify: Arkose

? mica
Classify: Quatzarenite
Classify: Chert Arenite