There are three main types of rock, including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock. But only one of these types features fossils. To understand why, we have to look at how the rock is made.
, fossils are most abundant in shale, sandstone and limestone, though they also appear in conglomerates and breccias.Shale, first and foremost, forms when the super-fine fragments of stones and minerals that are classified as “silt” settle and solidify. With fragments around 0.002 to 0.05 millimeters across, this type of sedimentary stone can preserve the traces of ancient animals and plants in incredible detail.
Appearing in an assortment of terrains, including seas, streams, beaches, deserts and dunes, sandstone tends to feature a wider array of fossils, including small aquatic animals as well as larger land animals.Alternatively, limestone forms when the accumulations of calcium carbonate, found inside bodies of water, crystalize or when the fragments of shells and corals fuse together.
While conglomerates tend to contain smooth sediments, breccias tend to contain sharp sediments. This means the fragments that comprise these two types of stone travel different distances before being deposited and condensed.
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