This book is the outgrowth of a week-long conference on sandstone organized by the authors, first held at Banff, Alberta, in 1964 under the auspices of the Alberta Association of Petroleum Geologists and the University of Alberta, and again, in 1965, at Bloomington, Indiana, under the sponsorship of the Indiana Geological Survey and the Department of Geology, Indiana University. A 2- page syllabus was prepared for the second conference and published by the Indiana Geological Survey. Continuing interest in and demand for the syllabus prompted us to update and expand its contents. The result is this book. We hope this work will be useful as a text or supplementary text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in sedimentation, sedimentary petrology, or general petrology and perhaps will be helpful to the teachers of such courses. Though we have focussed on sandstones we have necessarily included much of interest to students of all sediments. We hope also that it will be a useful reference work for the professional geologist, especially those concerned with petroleum, ground-water, and economic geology either in industry or government. Because the subject is so closely tied to surface processes it may also be of interest to geo­ morphologists and engineers who deal with beaches and rivers where sand is in transit.

1. Introduction and Source Materials.- Sand and Sandstone Defined.- Relative and Absolute Abundance.- Distribution, Past and Present.- History of Investigation.- Economic Value of Sand.- References.- General Source Materials for the Study of Sand and Sandstone.- References and Textbooks.- Petrographic Manuals and Lexicons.- Periodicals and Serials.- Bibliographies.- I: The Fundamental Properties of Sandstones.- 2. Mineral and Chemical Composition.- The Detrital Minerals.- The Silica Minerals.- Feldspars.- Micas, Chlorites, and Clay Minerals.- Heavy Minerals.- Rock Fragments.- The Chemical Minerals.- Carbonates.- Sulfates.- Sulfides.- Other Minerals.- Organic Matter.- Relation of Mineralogy to Texture.- Mineralogy and Size.- Mineralogy and Resistance to Abrasion.- Chemical Composition.- Chemical Composition as a Function of Mineral Constituents.- Isotopic Composition.- Chemical Composition as a Function of Sandstone Type.- Chemical Classification of Sandstones.- References.- 3. Texture,.- Grain Size.- Meaning of Size.- Techniques.- Statistical Measures.- Mapping Dispersal Patterns.- Shape and Roundness.- Surface Texture.- Textural Maturity.- Environmental Recognition.- Control of Physical Properties.- Fabric.- Grain to Grain Relations.- Orientation.- Porosity and Permeability.- References Cited.- 4. Sedimentary Structures and Bedding.- Current and Deformational Structures.- Bedding.- Contemporaneously Deformed Bedding.- Biogenic Structures.- Chemical Structures.- Obtaining Maximum Value from Sedimentary Structures.- Directional Structures: Use and Interpretation.- References.- Annotated References.- General.- Classification.- Crossbedding, Ripplemark, and Sand Waves.- Hieroglyphs and Sole Marks.- Biogenic Sedimentary Structures.- Directional Structures.- II: The Petrography of Sandstones.- 5. Petrographic Classification and Glossary.- Nomenclature and Classification.- Defining Parameters.- Major Trends in Sandstone Classification.- Making a Choice.- Glossary of Rock Names Applied to Sands and Sandstones.- References.- 6. Petrography of Common Sands and Sandstones.- Feldspathic Sands and Arkose.- Definitions.- General Description.- Varieties and Types of Arkose.- Field Occurrence and Examples.- Significance and Origin.- Lithic Arenites and Related Rocks.- Definitions and Nomenclature.- General Description.- Special Types.- Field Occurrence and Examples.- Origin and Significance.- Graywackes and Related Rocks: The Wackes.- Definitions and History of Term.- General Description.- Varieties and Types of Graywacke.- Field Occurrence and Examples.- The Matrix Problem.- The Problem of Na2O.- Significance of Graywackes.- Quartz Arenites (Orthoquartzites).- Definitions and Nomenclature.- General Description.- Varieties.- Field Occurrence and Examples.- Distribution in Space and Time.- Significance and Origin of Quartz Arenites.- Hybrid Sands and Sandstones.- Greensands.- Phosphatic Sandstones.- Calcarenaceous Sandstones.- Tuffaceous Sandstones.- Relative Abundance of Sandstones and the "Average" Sandstone.- Sandstone Petrogenesis.- The Question.- The Hypotheses.- The Evidence.- The Verdict.- Annotated Bibliography of Comprehensive Petrographic Analyses of Sandstones.- Annotated References on Petrography of Modern Sands.- References.- 7. The Volcaniclastics.- Some Characteristic Petrographie Features.- Classification.- Pyroclastic Sands.- Ash Flows.- Ash Falls.- Volcaniclastics of Erosional Origin.- Distinguishing among the Volcaniclastic Sands.- Provenance.- Selected Petrographie Descriptions.- References.- Annotated References.- III: Processes that Form Sand and Sandstone.- 8. Production and Provenance of Sand.- How Sand is Formed.- The Problem of Provenance.- Definitions and Concepts.- Evidence from Detrital Components.- Mineralogy and Physical Geography.- Other Evidence Bearing on Provenance.- Reading Provenance History.- Evaluation and Summary.- Mineral Associations and Petrologic Provinces.- Definitions and Concepts.- Mapping Mineral Associations.- Examples of Provenance Studies.- Modern Sands.- Ancient Sandstones.- References.- 9. Transport, Deposition, and Deformation of Sand.- Fluid Flow and Entrainment.- Aspects of Fluid Flow.- Settling Velocity.- Entrainment of Single Grains.- Engineering Bed Load Formulas and Their Relevance.- Bed Forms in Alluvial Channels.- Beaches and Shelves.- Wind.- Turbidity Currents.- Fabric.- Soft Sand Deformation.- Annotated References.- References.- 10. Diagenesis.- Definitions.- Aspects of Diagenesis.- The Evidence of Diagenesis.- Textural.- Mineralogical.- Physical Properties.- Chemical Properties.- Summary.- Physical Changes.- Chemical Changes.- Precipitation.- Dissolution.- Recrystallization.- Incongruent Dissolution or Alteration.- Pore Water Reactions.- Sequence of Mineral Transformations.- Age of Diagenetic Minerals.- Major Diagenetic Effects.- Carbonate Cementation.- Silica Cementation.- Alteration of Volcaniclastics.- Common Accessory Diagenetic Minerals.- Cementation in Relation to Depth of Burial.- Conclusion.- References.- IV: Broader Aspects of Sand Deposition.- 11. Sand Bodies and Environment.- Tools of the Trade.- Nomenclature and Geometry.- Representation.- Stratigraphic Models.- Associated Lithologies, Vertical Sequence, and Memory.- Sand Deposition and Sand Body Characteristics in Major Environments.- Concept of Environment.- Alluvial Environment.- Deltaic Environment.- Estuaries and Tidal Flats.- Beaches and Barriers.- The Marine Shelf.- Turbidite Basins.- Eolian Environment.- Problems of Sand-Body Prediction.- Extension Problem.- Location Problem.- Sand Bodies as Permeable Conduits: A Sedimentological View.- Flow Systems and Their Geologic Controls.- Case Histories.- References Cited.- 12. Sandstones, Sedimentary Basins, and Continental Evolution.- Continental Structure and Sand Accumulation.- Geosynclines.- Cratons.- Sand Deposition and Basin Architecture.- Examples of Basin Development and Sand Accumulation.- The Coronation Geosyncline.- Central Appalachian Geosyncline.- Mesozoic Geosyncline of California.- Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa.- Illinois Basin and Adjacent Areas.- Sandstone in the History of the Earth.- Sandstone Composition in Relation to Age.- Sandstones in Relation to Evolutionary Changes in Earth.- History.- Conclusions and a Look at the Future.- References.- Appendix: Petrographic Analysis of Sandstones.- Rock Description and Analysis.- A Comprehensive Petrographic Analysis: The Trivoli Sandstone of Southern Illinois.- References.- Author Index.