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Cementation identification and geology

The diagenetic process by which loose sediment grains are bound together by minerals precipitated from pore waters, transforming unconsolidated sediment into sedimentary rock. Common cements include silica quartz overgrowths , calcite, iron oxides hematite, goethite , and clay minerals. The type of cement affects the rock's color, porosity, permeability, and resistance to weathering. Field: sedimentology. Example: Silica cement in the Tuscarora Sandstone of the Appalachians has produced an extremely durable quartzite-like rock that forms prominent ridges, while the less-cemented shales weather into valleys.. Related terms: Diagenesis, Lithification, Porosity, Pore water.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.970235+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Cementation mean in geology?
The diagenetic process by which loose sediment grains are bound together by minerals precipitated from pore waters, transforming unconsolidated sediment into sedimentary rock. Common cements include silica quartz overgrowths , calcite, iron oxides hematite, goethite , and clay minerals. The type of cement affects the rock's color, porosity, permeability, and resistance to weathering.
What is an example of Cementation?
Silica cement in the Tuscarora Sandstone of the Appalachians has produced an extremely durable quartzite-like rock that forms prominent ridges, while the less-cemented shales weather into valleys.
Which earth-science field uses the term Cementation?
Cementation is used in sedimentology.
Which terms are related to Cementation?
Related terms in this reference are Diagenesis, Lithification, Porosity, Pore water.

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