In geology, diamicton is a very poorly sorted sediment

Sediment

Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....

. Large sedimentary grains gravel

Gravel

Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...

 size and larger (>= 2 mm) are set in a matrix

Matrix (geology)

The matrix or groundmass of rock is the finer grained mass of material in which larger grains, crystals or clasts are embedded.The matrix of an igneous rock consists of finer grained, often microscopic, crystals in which larger crystals are embedded. This porphyritic texture is indicative of...

 of fine grains.

The term diamicton is a nongenetic term, although a common origin for diamicton is by glacial activity. Sediment deposited by glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

s in moraines is characteristically very poorly sorted, showing great lateral and vertical variations in thickness, composition and texture. Once a glacial origin for a diamicton has been determined, it can be called drift

Drift (geology)

In geology, drift is the name for all material of glacial origin found anywhere on land or at sea , including sediment and large rocks...

 or till

Till

thumb|right|Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material , and this characteristic, known as matrix support, is diagnostic of till....

. Other common sources of diamicton formation are both terrestrial and submarine slope processes, such as solifluction

Solifluction

In geology, solifluction, also known as soil fluction, is a type of mass wasting where waterlogged sediment moves slowly downslope, over impermeable material. It occurs in periglacial environments where melting during the warm season leads to water saturation in the thawed surface material ,...

, landslide

Landslide

A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...

s, debris flow

Debris flow

A debris flow is a fast moving, liquefied landslide of unconsolidated, saturated debris that looks like flowing concrete. It is differentiated from a mudflow in terms of the viscosity and textural properties of the flow. Flows can carry material ranging in size from clay to boulders, and may...

s or turbiditic

Turbidite

Turbidite geological formations have their origins in turbidity current deposits, which are deposits from a form of underwater avalanche that are responsible for distributing vast amounts of clastic sediment into the deep ocean.-The ideal turbidite sequence:...

 olistostrome

Olistostrome

The term olistostrome is derived from olio - a dish of many ingredients or stew; a mixture of heterogeneous elements; hodgepodge. and stroma - a bed covering...

s.

Lithified diamicton is referred to as diamictite

Diamictite

Diamictite : through and µεικτός : mixed) is a poorly or non-sorted conglomerate or breccia with a wide range of clasts, up to 25% of them gravel sized...

.

External links

• Ice Age Terms