Focus on Sedimentary Environments

Pleistocene coral reef

Windley Key Quarries, Florida Keys, USA


	A thin section of the reef rubble, seen in plane-polarized light. View in cross-polarized light

Interpreting the thin section

This is a difficult thin section to describe and interpret, whether you view it in plane-polarized or cross-polarized light. The primary components and textures have been obscured. It is still possible to see the outlines of shells and other skeletal grains in places.

What processes are likely to have been responsible for the alteration of this rock? Think about this, then check your answer.

Credit: this thin section is from a sample kindly supplied by Florida State Parks staff.