Sedimentary rock is a soil type described by Tom Stevenson (2011, p.19) as ‘one of the three basic rock forms (see rock), it includes arenaceous (eg, sandstone), argillaceous (eg, clay), calcareous (eg, limestone), carbonaceous (eg, peat, lignite, or coal), siliceous (eg, quartz), and the five groups of precipitated salts, (oxides, carbonates, sulphates, phosphates, and chlorides). Sedimentary rocks are also called aqueous or stratified.’ 

Sedimentary rock arises where sediments (broken down other bits of rock) are squeezed together over time (Source: Winchester Science Centre). John Szabo MS (2016, p.249) defines sedimentary rock as ‘formed by weathered, eroded, or precipitated particles, deposited on land or under water, which are subsequently cemented together (eg. limestone and sandstone). These usually contain few different major minerals relative to igneous and metamorphic rocks, ie. they have a less diverse mineral composition.’

Bibliography

John Szabo, MS, Volcanic Wines, (London, 2016).

Tom Stevenson (2011) The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia 5th Edition by Tom Stevenson (Dorling Kindersley, 2011).