Honeycomb sandstone

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This sample of coarse-grained sandstone boasts a lithic arenite composition and serves as an exemplary illustration of honeycomb weathering. Honeycomb weathering can arise from multiple factors, but the most prevalent cause is the infiltration of saline water followed by salt crystallization. Known as haloclasty, this process allows saltwater to penetrate rocks like sandstones primarily through their permeable cement components. When the water subsequently evaporates, salt crystals form and grow, causing physical deterioration of the weaker cement and liberating individual sand grains. This common occurrence is frequently observed in coastal areas. The specific sample originates from the Newcastle coastline in Australia, where lithic sandstones from the Newcastle Coal Measures are exposed along the coast. These particular sandstones possess relatively weak cements composed of clays, iron oxides, and smaller amounts of silica. Reconstructed model uploaded on February 2nd, 2021.