Case Hardening of Sandstone
James L Conca, George R. Rossman
Division of Geological and Planetary
Sciences
California Institute of Technoogy
Pasadena, CA 91125
Abstract
The case-hardened cryst developed on the Aztec Sandstone in
the Valley of Fire, Nevada, has been characterized by a variety of
techniques, including electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy.
The case-hardened cryst consists mainly of host rock, with a
fine-grained cement and wind-deposited kaolinite. The cement is usually
calcite, but in some cases the hydrated calcium borate, colemanite, was
found to be the case-hardening cement.
last updated: 3-Sep-2017