Beachrock is a sedimentary rock that results from rapid lithification of sand and/or gravel by calcium carbonate cements in the intertidal zone. It occurs predominantly on tropical coasts, but is also found as far north and south as 60° latitude. In contrast to the implications of the name, beachrock outcrops are not restricted to beaches but some are found on tidal flats, in tidal channels, and on reef ridges. To date the origin of beachrock is not fully understood having been variously attributed to physicochemical precipitation, biologically induced cementation, or a combination of both.
Occurrence, composition, texture, and cements
Beachrock exposures are typically patchy with bedded layers that dip gently (<10°) toward the sea. Hopley (1986)suggested that the largely intertidal occurrence of beachrock makes its fossil occurrence a potential indicator of sea level. Problems with this approach include possible failure to recognize other deposits that might get cemented close to...
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Gischler, E. (1978). Beachrock. In: Middleton, G.V., Church, M.J., Coniglio, M., Hardie, L.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-3609-5_22
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