[Rockhounds] Stylolites

[Alan Goldstein]

What I know of stylolites:

> Common in limestone formations.
> If I have a chunk of rock, I call the feature a stylolite. Plural if there's more than one in the rock.
> Limestone is water soluble and the pressure along bedding planes dissolved the rock at the interface. As the upper stratum settles on the lower, it forms interlocking striated notches.
> The black material in stylolites is clay minerals, carbon, or a combination thereof. 
> It doesn't form vugs. 

People often think they've found petrified wood when they find stylolites in gravel.

Alan G.

-----Original Message-----
From: Rockhounds <rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com> On Behalf Of Johan Maertens
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2019 11:33 AM
To: rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com
Subject: [Rockhounds] Stylolites

I never realized it
But must have been walking over many while hiking and collecting in limestone quarries I always assumed the squiggly lines in the rock were thin marine clay or volcanic ash deposits at one time

Now I learned about Stylolites
I collected a few last weekend
And they seem quite common.

For the non-USA members
I use the American term: stylolites are large planes (some over 1 km long/wide) Not the individual 'cones'

I looked up that geology phenomenon
And cannot quite understand

Under pressure,
Grains in rocks dissolve (dissolution anyone) All along a same line?

Is stylolite formation a dry or wet process?
Any heat involved?

Johan Maertens
Mr dot Calcite at live dot com


_______________________________________________
Rockhounds mailing list
Subscription Services:  https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Frockhounds.drizzle.com%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Frockhounds_rockhounds.drizzle.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C09802cbbfc18405ae83c08d6aa24cfbf%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636883472408049760&sdata=UraWeDI3K%2FhA17ki9FCESN7AXzlzfT7AWkde6pORSVE%3D&reserved=0
List Usage Policy: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2FTomaszewski.net%2FKreigh%2FRockhounds%2FRockhounds.shtml&data=02%7C01%7C%7C09802cbbfc18405ae83c08d6aa24cfbf%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636883472408049760&sdata=8pOraY06XzDUvk8Owu2wNxvaY0MprpWN5AgGnTjjUSM%3D&reserved=0