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• Introduction
• Rocks Workshop at Cliffe Castle
• Types of Rock
• Igneous Rocks: examples and uses
• Sedimentary Rocks: examples and uses
• Metamorphic Rocks: examples and uses
• The Rock Cycle
• Geologists and studying rocks

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Rocks at Cliffe Castle Museum

Sedimentary Rocks: examples and uses

Here you will find examples of common sedimentary rocks to aid you in your journey.

 

Sandstone

Stone made of sand, literally.

Due to its easily worked nature, sandstone has had a huge impact as a building material around the globe. In areas where it is the native rock, e.g. Bradford, West Yorkshire, almost every building is built from it. Cliffe Castle Museum is constructed from sandstone.

 

Limestone

Limestone is made primarily from the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). It is formed from the remains of billions of tiny sea creatures that have been compacted and cemented below the ocean floor.

It is used as a building stone, in the production of lime (an important soil improver for farming), glass making, industrial carbon dioxide and cement. Chalk is a form of limestone.

 

Shale (mudstone)

Mud, silt and clay are the ingredients of shale, compacted to form a soft, easily broken, usually dark coloured rock.

Shale can be used as a filler in the production of paint, used in brick making and is sometimes used as a road aggregate.