Lithification is the process through which sediments are converted into sedimentary rock. This process involves several steps, including compaction (the squeezing together of sediments under pressure) and cementation (the crystallization of minerals within the pore spaces between sediment grains, binding them together). Lithification is an essential part of the rock cycle and occurs over geological time scales as loose sediments accumulate and undergo changes due to pressure, temperature, and chemical conditions.
Lithification definition
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