cementált

Cementált is a term used in geology, especially in Hungarian-language literature, to describe sedimentary rocks in which grains are bound together by a mineral cement. Cementation is a diagenetic process in which dissolved minerals carried by pore fluids precipitate within the spaces between grains, binding them into a coherent rock. This process typically occurs after some compaction during burial.

Common cements include calcite (CaCO3), silica (silica minerals such as quartz or opal), and iron oxides/hydroxides. Clays and other minerals can also act as cements. The type of cement influences the rock's porosity and permeability; for example, silica cement tends to produce strong rocks with low porosity, while calcite cement can preserve pore spaces to varying degrees.

Cemented sedimentary rocks, such as sandstone or conglomerate that have undergone cementation, are widespread and often serve as groundwater aquifers or hydrocarbon reservoirs. Cementation can help preserve sedimentary structures and fossils, though it frequently reduces porosity and permeability compared with the original unconsolidated sediment. Cementation can occur at shallow burial or deeper diagenetic settings, depending on fluid chemistry and temperature.

Etymology/usage note: the word cementált translates to "cemented" and is used in some languages to describe lithified sediments.