What does "epiclastic" mean?

Juda Conway

I have to admit I had to look that one up. Challinor's Dictionary of Geology says: "A rock formed from the fragments or particles broken away from pre-existing rocks to form an altogether new rock in a nes place. All the rocks usually called 'clastic' are epiclastic except the pyroclastic kind. The term is contrasted with 'autoclastic rock' (in the sense recommended in this Dictionary)." The Dictionary of Geological Terms says: "Textural term applied to mechanically deposited sediments (gravel, sand, mud) consisting of weathered products of older rocks. Detrital material from pre-existent rocks." It sounds like epiclastic means the same thing as either sedimentary (the first definition) or sediments (the second definition).

Sincerely,
Scott Rowland

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