I worked for a sand & gravel/ Ready Mixed Concrete company in the '70s. At that time we were pouring the ballast (sand/gravel/clay mix) into a hopper and it traveled up a conveyor belt to the plant. It consisted of a series of screens, small to large mesh with water poured on from above, and the screens shook (it was really loud.) These screens were on a slope. The smaller particles (soft sand) came out on the first screen. Course sand came off the second screen. These screens had a lot more water poured on than the later screens. The 2 sands were pumped into piles on either side of a turret. Huge piles they were, each at least 70 feet tall.
The gravel continued down the screens. 1/4" came out first (pea shingle in the UK), then the larger sizes up to 1 1/2". Anything bigger went off into the end hopper. I drove a tractor with a trailer. I backed under any hopper with a peak (showing it was about to overflow) I filled my trailer and backed into the appropriate heap and dumped my load onto the heap.
Hope this helps!
Sediments can be picked up by water, wind, or ice. Water can transport sediments in rivers, streams, and oceans, while wind can carry sediments in the form of dust or sand. Ice, through processes like glaciers, can also transport sediments across landscapes.
Sediments are created through the erosion of rocks or organic materials by wind, water, ice, or gravity. These sediments can then accumulate and be deposited in new locations, where they can form new landforms through processes such as sediment compaction, cementation, and lithification. Over time, these processes may lead to the formation of landforms like mountains, valleys, and plains.
Chemical sediments are sedimentary rocks that form from the precipitation of minerals dissolved in water. These minerals accumulate on the ocean floor or in lakes through processes like evaporation or chemical reactions. Common examples of chemical sediments include limestone, gypsum, and halite.
Loose rock sediments are compressed and cemented together over time through processes like lithification, which involve pressure, heat, and chemical reactions. These processes bind the sediment particles together to form solid rocks, such as sandstone or shale, through compaction and cementation.
Weathering, erosion, and deposition are the three processes that contribute to the formation of sediments. Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller pieces, erosion transports the sediments to new locations, and deposition is the settling of these sediments in new areas.
Sediments in sedimentary rocks are often caused by precipitation.
Sediments form during the erosion and weathering processes that break down rocks into smaller particles. These sediments may then undergo deposition and compaction to form sedimentary rocks in the rock cycle.
The action of water and gravity cause them to form in layers.
Sediments have been transported over time through various natural processes such as erosion, weathering, and transportation by wind, water, glaciers, or gravity. These processes can move sediments from one location to another, shaping landscapes and depositing sediments in different environments. Eventually, these sediments can be compacted and cemented together to form sedimentary rocks.
Hydrogenous sediments form when minerals precipitate directly from seawater as a result of chemical reactions or biological processes. For example, manganese nodules and phosphorite deposits are examples of hydrogenous sediments that form in this way in the deep sea. These sediments accumulate slowly over time on the ocean floor.
Sediments can be picked up by water, wind, or ice. Water can transport sediments in rivers, streams, and oceans, while wind can carry sediments in the form of dust or sand. Ice, through processes like glaciers, can also transport sediments across landscapes.
The weight of overlying sediments, tectonic forces, and the presence of water can press sediments together to form sedimentary rocks through the processes of compaction and cementation.
Sediments are created through the erosion of rocks or organic materials by wind, water, ice, or gravity. These sediments can then accumulate and be deposited in new locations, where they can form new landforms through processes such as sediment compaction, cementation, and lithification. Over time, these processes may lead to the formation of landforms like mountains, valleys, and plains.
Chemical sediments are sedimentary rocks that form from the precipitation of minerals dissolved in water. These minerals accumulate on the ocean floor or in lakes through processes like evaporation or chemical reactions. Common examples of chemical sediments include limestone, gypsum, and halite.
Loose rock sediments are compressed and cemented together over time through processes like lithification, which involve pressure, heat, and chemical reactions. These processes bind the sediment particles together to form solid rocks, such as sandstone or shale, through compaction and cementation.
Weathering, erosion, and deposition are the three processes that contribute to the formation of sediments. Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller pieces, erosion transports the sediments to new locations, and deposition is the settling of these sediments in new areas.
Weathering and erosion