Pétrologie des roches sédimentaires

Diagenesis transforms loose sediment into a consolidated rock; this is lithification. It's a relatively simple process: if water flowing through sediment, like sand for example, is oversaturated with certain minerals, it causes these minerals to precipitate in the pores of the sand, which then bind the sand particles together; resulting in a sedimentary rock known as sandstone. The degree of cementation can be low, creating a brittle rock, or it can be extensive, leading to a very solid rock.