Pelite
Pelite (Greek Pelos, Clay) is a descriptive name for a clastic rock with a grain size of less than 1/16mm (originally sand or silt) Examples include slate and mudstone. The equivalent Latin-derived term is Lutite. Pelite is more commonly used for a metamorphosed sediment.
The term pelite is not to be confused with Pilite a rarely used name for an altered olivine that has partially pseudomorphically replaced by an assemblage of carbonate–chlorite–actinolite and can be identified only in a thin section.
Pettijohn [1] gives the following descriptive terms based on grain size, avoiding the use of terms such as clay or argillaceous which carry an implication of chemical composition. The Greek terms are more commonly used for metamorphosed rocks, and the Latin for unmetamorphosed:
| Texture | Common | Greek | Latin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coarse | Gravel(ly) | Psephite (psephitic) | Rudite (rudaceous) |
| Medium | Sand(y) | Psammite (psammitic) | Arenite (arenaceous) |
| Fine | Clay(ey) | Pelite (pelitic) | Lutite (lutaceous) |
References
- ^ Pettijohn F.J. (1975), Sedimentary Rocks, Harper & Row, ISBN 0-96-045191-2
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