Sediments in sedimentary rocks are often held together by what?

Answer 1

Cement is what binds the siliclastic framework grains together. Cement is a secondary mineral that forms after deposition and during burial of the sandstone. These cementing materials may be either silicate minerals or non-silicate minerals, such as calcite.

• Silica cement can consist of either quartz or opal minerals. Quartz is the most common silicate mineral that acts as cement. In sandstone where there is silica cement present the quartz grains are attached to cement, this creates a rim around the quartz grain called overgrowth. The overgrowth retains the same crystallographic continuity of quartz framework grain that is being cemented. Opal cement is found in sandstones that are rich in volcanogenic materials, and very rarely is in other sandstones.

• Calcite cement is the most common carbonate cement. Calcite cement is an assortment of smaller calcite crystals. The cement adheres itself to the framework grains, this adhesion is what causes the framework grains to be adhered together.

• Other minerals that act as cements include: hematite, limonite, feldpsars, anhydrite, gypsum, barite, clay minerals, and zeolite minerals.

Answer 2

Silica, calcite, iron, or clay minerals are often the cement of sedimentary rock particles.

Answer 3

Typical cementing material in sedimentary rock consists of minerals that precipitate out of aqueous solutions, like calcite, quartz, clay, and hematite.

Answer 4

cement