What is the Difference Between Chemical and Detrital Sedimentary Rocks?

The main difference between chemical and detrital sedimentary rocks lies in their formation processes.

Detrital Sedimentary Rocks:

• Formed from the solid particles or grains that are weathered and eroded from pre-existing rocks.
• Also known as clastic sedimentary rocks.
• Examples include shale, sandstone, and conglomerate.
• Classified and named based on their grain size and sorting.

Chemical Sedimentary Rocks:

• Formed due to chemical processes, such as precipitation of ions in a solution.
• Examples include micritic limestone, fossiliferous limestone, chert, halite, gypsum, and anhydrite.
• Not classified by grain size or sorting, as they do not contain grains that are visible without a microscope.

In summary, detrital sedimentary rocks are formed from weathered and eroded particles of pre-existing rocks, while chemical sedimentary rocks are formed through chemical processes, such as precipitation from a water solution. Most sedimentary rocks have elements formed by both detrital and chemical processes.

Comparative Table: Chemical vs Detrital Sedimentary Rocks

Here is a table comparing the differences between chemical and detrital sedimentary rocks:

Chemical sedimentary rocks are formed when grains precipitate out of a water solution, while detrital sedimentary rocks are formed from weathered and eroded fragments of pre-existing rocks. Chemical sedimentary rocks do not contain visible grains, except for fossil grains, while detrital sedimentary rocks are composed of discrete particles compacted and cemented together. Chemical sedimentary rocks are classified by the composition of minerals in the rock, while detrital sedimentary rocks are classified and named based on grain size and sorting.