Sedimentary rocks can be subdivided into four groups based on the processes responsible for their formation: clastic sedimentary rocks, biochemical (biogenic) sedimentary rocks, chemical sedimentary rocks, and a fourth

Sediment transport and deposition
Sedimentary rocks are formed when sediment is deposited out of air, ice, wind, gravity, or water flows carrying the particles in suspension. This sediment is often formed when weathering and erosion break down a rock into

Places where large-scale sedimentation takes place are called sedimentary basins. The amount of sediment that can be deposited in a basin depends on the depth of the basin, the so-called accommodation space. The depth, shape and size of a basin depend on

Alternatively, sedimentary rocks can be subdivided into compositional groups based on their mineralogy:
• Siliciclastic sedimentary rocks, are dominantly composed of silicate minerals. The sediment that makes up these rocks was transported as

Color
The color of a sedimentary rock is often mostly determined by iron, an element with two major oxides:

The setting in which a sedimentary rock forms is called the depositional environment. Every environment has a characteristic combination of geologic processes, and

The rate at which sediment is deposited differs depending on the location. A channel in a tidal flat can see the deposition of a few metres of sediment in one day, while on the deep ocean floor each year only a few millimetres of sediment accumulate. A