mudstone
Hardened silt formation
Mudstone is a fine-grained sedimentary rock formed from compacted clay and silt.
Unlike shale, which splits easily into thin layers, mudstone breaks into blocky chunks.
It's common in geological formations worldwide and often contains fossils preserved in the ancient mud from which it formed.
Compacted clay sediment
- siltstoneConsolidated silt deposit
- claystoneIndurated fine-grained sedimentary rock
- marlstoneCalcareous clay rock
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
deposition · cementation · compaction · consolidation · detrital · clastic · fine-grained · massive
Moldable earth for ceramics
- siteDesignated location
- quartzCrystalline silicon dioxide
- feldsparSilicate mineral group
- kaoliniteHydrated aluminum silicate clay
chlorite · calcium carbonate · iron oxide · silica · organic matter · mineral · cement · pore
Surfacing native stone
- cliffVertical rock wall
- badlandsArid, heavily eroded terrain
- erosionGradual wearing away
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
gully · ravine · bluff · escarpment · quarry · cutting · exposure · slope
Study of ancient organisms
- trilobiteExtinct segmented marine arthropod
- ammoniteExtinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- brachiopodHinged-shell marine invertebrate
- imprintsMarks made by pressing
preservation · burrows · petrification · carbonization · Jurassic · Cretaceous · Cambrian · excavation
Materials covering a mattress
- laminationBonding sheets together
- layersStacked levels or coatings
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
- horizonApparent earth-sky meeting
facies · member · interbedded · stratification · cross-bedding · graded · unconformity · overburden
shale
Compacted clay sediment
- siltstoneConsolidated silt deposit
- claystoneIndurated fine-grained sedimentary rock
- marlstoneCalcareous clay rock
sediment · deposition · cementation · compaction · consolidation · detrital · clastic · fine-grained · massive · indurated
clay
Moldable earth for ceramics
kaolinite · chlorite · calcium carbonate · iron oxide · silica · organic matter · mineral · cement · pore · permeability
outcrop
Surfacing native stone
weathering · gully · ravine · bluff · escarpment · quarry · cutting · exposure · slope · hillside
paleontology
Study of ancient organisms
- trilobiteExtinct segmented marine arthropod
- ammoniteExtinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- brachiopodHinged-shell marine invertebrate
imprints · preservation · burrows · petrification · carbonization · Jurassic · Cretaceous · Cambrian · excavation · specimen
bedding
Materials covering a mattress
- laminationBonding sheets together
- layersStacked levels or coatings
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
horizon · facies · member · interbedded · stratification · cross-bedding · graded · unconformity · overburden · exposure
- geologybedrock, fault lines, faults, rock, basalt
- rocksbasalt, granite, sandstone, marble, shale
- geologicaligneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, volcanic, tectonic
- British geologychalk, flint, limestone, shale, sandstone
- fossil sourcestar pits, amber, shale, limestone, sandstone
- sedimentsilt, sand, clay, gravel, pebble