Siltstone

Siltstone (also siltstone ) is a sedimentary rock that lies in its grain size between mudstone and fine sandstone. The siltstone is a sedimentary rock with mineral grains in a grain size of 0.002 to 0.063 mm.

Formation

In petrology distinction is made between the igneous rocks or igneous rocks, the metamorphic rocks or metamorphic rocks and sedimentary rocks or Sedimentiten. The group of sedimentary rocks is divided into three categories:

The clastic sediments ( Klastite ) or debris rocks, which consist of crushed remnants of other rocks.
The chemical sediments and evaporites, which crystallize from precipitated chemical compounds.
The biogenic sediments or Biolithe. They consist of rock-forming residue of dead organisms.

The siltstone is a clastic sediment and thus belongs to the same group as breccia, sandstone, greywacke, mudstone and shale. From the unconsolidated silt or silt is a sequence of geological processes that are collectively referred to as diagenesis, the siltstone or even a Schluffmergel. Under the continuous influence of pressure and heat, the unconsolidated sediment is compacted and consolidated by a binder.

The petrographic designation is given for the hard rocks such as the siltstone of the designation ' SF ' for ' Fine-grained sedimentary rocks '. The rock classifications are defined according to the usual rock strengths.