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graywacke

  (grā'wăk', -wăk'ə) pronunciation
n.

Any of various dark gray sandstones that contain shale.

[Partial translation of German Grauwacke : grau, gray + Wacke, rock (from Middle High German, from Old High German waggo, boulder).]


 
 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: graywacke

Sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized grains in a fine-grained clay matrix. The sand-sized grains frequently include rock fragments of wide-ranging mineralogies (e.g., pyroxenes, amphiboles, feldspars, and quartz). The clay matrix may constitute up to 50% of the volume. Of the clay minerals, chlorite and biotite are most abundant. The matrix tends to bind the grains strongly and form a relatively hard rock.

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more

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