( kŏn-krē'shŭn) Formation of solid material by the aggregation of discrete units or particles. This small cylindrical concretion formed around the trace of a plant root in shale of Miocene age from Sonoma County, California. Concretions can be shaped like cylinders, sheets, nearly perfect spheres, and everything in between. tion. The outer part of the Moeraki boulders erodes to reveal the inner septarian veins of calcite, which grew outward from a hollow core. Concretions form when minerals precipitate and cement sediment around a nucleus, which is usually organic, such as a piece of shell, tooth, or leaf. Depend on abstractions, not on concretions It means, coding to interfaces, not to concrete classes?. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Courtesy Robert van de Graaff, Van de Graaff & Associates, all rights reserved, Photo (c) 2008 Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com (, Photo courtesy Glen Carlson, all rights reserved, Mushroom Shaped Concretion, Topeka, Kansas, Photo courtesy bueuwe from the Geology Forum; all rights reserved, Photo courtesy Linda Redfern; all rights reserved, Photo courtesy Matt Affolter, all rights reserved, Photo courtesy Henry Klatt, all rights reserved, Courtesy Virginia Peterson, all rights reserved, Photo courtesy Mohammad Reza Izadkhah, all rights reserved, Photo courtesy Vincent Schiffbauer; all rights reserved, Courtesy Stuart Swann, North East Yorkshire Geology Trust, all rights reserved. A concretion is a clearly bound body of rock within generally softer enclosing sediments of the same composition. Common shapes of concretions include disks, spheres, tubes, or grape-like. Alden, Andrew. Antonyms for concretion include division, separation, dispersal, thinning, dissolution, melting, opening, centre, center and core. These gravel-size concretions of iron-bearing (ferruginous) material are from Sugarloaf Reservoir Park, Victoria, Australia. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/gallery-of-concretions-4122853. Often mistaken for bones, turtle shells, or fossil eggs, concretions are geological features found in sedimentary rock and soil. A concretion is a hard mass that forms when rock minerals precipitate in cracks or cavities, or through the build-up of sediment. See more. There are little cell-like structures w/in the prostate that can get clogged w/something like the build up that the dentist removes from your teeth. For languages that support interfaces, this is generally the case. (2020, August 27). However, concretions are usually formed after sediment is buried but before it undergoes a physical change and becomes rock, which is a process called diagenesis. The term concretion is derived from the Latin words con, which means "together," and crescere, which means to "grow.". Given their varied shapes, sizes, and compositions, concretions are often assumed to be dinosaur eggs, plant or animal fossils, or human artifacts. This appears to have grown as a soft mineral gel. Many people are convinced that their concretion is a dinosaur egg or similar fossil, but no egg in the world has ever been as large as this specimen. Hematite and magnetite are two common iron-oxide minerals. Concretions may be quite fragile. Given that they contain organic matter, fossil collectors often break concretions open in search of interesting fossil specimens. Why is this one on the list? Concretions are fascinating to geologists and rockhounds alike. Dictionary entry overview: What does concretion mean? Concretion from the Genesee Shale, of Devonian age, in the Letchworth State Park museum, New York. For example, a carbonate concretion that is formed due to the reduction of sulfates by bacteria also has minor portions of pyrites, while another formed by the microbial reduction of sulfate may contain mixtures of barite, calcite, and pyrite. This type of concretion can reach 3 m in diameter, and is often  found along the Cannonball River in the US state of North Dakota. b : a mass of mineral matter found generally in rock of a composition different from its own and produced by deposition from aqueous solution in the rock. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, Yakutsk, Russia – The World’s Coldest City, 10 Of The Most Notorious Serial Killers In The World. Also called a stone. Concretions usually contain carbonate minerals such as calcite or iron oxide. The curvilinear shapes of concretions are suggestive of organic remains or fossils. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Some concretions have a central particle, such as a fossil, that triggered the cementation. This hard, round mass of … An example is a limestone concretion found in a bed of shale. Concretions are hard bodies that form in sediments before they become sedimentary rocks. However, others are composed of minerals like marcasite, dolomite, siderite, ankerite, pyrite, gypsum, and barite. by Darrell Hookey. Large ironstone (ferruginous) concretions in Jurassic rocks of Laig Bay in Isle of Eigg, Scotland. 2. the state of being concreted. • CONCRETION (noun) The noun CONCRETION has 4 senses:. This site is a scientific reserve. Wash your hands. [L. cum, together, + crescere, to grow] Medical Dictionary for … 4. anything that is made real, tangible, or particular. Most often the cementing mineral is calcite, but the brown, iron-bearing carbonate mineral siderite is also common. The concretion may also display a septarian pattern, or it may contain golden barite crystals in the cavities. ThoughtCo. Alden, Andrew. ‘The areas along fault planes were subjected to a shearing action that produced a pattern of fracturing that is different from the desiccation cracking of a normal septarian concretion.’ It’s here and at #1 because bacteria and viruses can … They create white water rapids in the Athabasca River. '''Concretion''' is more commonly used to refer to a physical object or to the physical process which creates it. ' The upper flat surface may be a bedding plane of the shale host rock. However, concretions are usually formed after sediment is buried but before it undergoes a physical change and becomes rock, which is a process called diagenesis. mass noun The process by which matter forms into a concretion. In size, they can range from as small as gravel to as large as a truck. Concretions weather out of steeply tilted mudstone of Cenozoic age. This large fragment reveals the inner structure of the septarian concretions at Moeraki, New Zealand. These cracks vary in shape, volume, and shrinkage. Others have a void, perhaps where a central object dissolved away, and others have nothing special inside, maybe because the cementation was imposed from outside. 4. anything that is … Large, irregular concretions in the Scalby Formation (Middle Jurassic age) at Burniston Bay near Scarborough, U.K. ​The knife handle is 8 centimeters long. 2 : the act or process of concreting : the state of being concreted concretion of ideas in a hypothesis. Early geological thinkers had to learn to differentiate them from genuine fossils. Definition of concretion. Some unusual concretion nuclei, especially those found in coastal salt marshes in England, contain items from the Second World War, such as shrapnel, bombs, and military shells. A concretion is a compact mass of mineral matter, usually spherical or disk-shaped, embedded in a host rock of a different composition. An elongate concretion forms parallel to sedimentary strata and has been studied extensively since it provides information on the orientation of fluid flow in the host rock. The word 'concretion' is derived from the Latin con meaning 'together' and crescere meaning 'to grow'. ‘In its conception and concretion, the Otter Creek feeding facility was a monument to Horace Albright's philosophy of aesthetic conservation.’ ‘Strenuous efforts at concretion confront the inevitability of mutability.’ ‘The concern with material concretion begins with Bernstein's title, With Strings.’ Most of concretions in the eye form in the palpebral conjunctiva, which is a clear membrane to surround the inside of the eyelid; fewer can be located in the cornea and retina. The term comes from the Middle English concret, itself derived from the Latin concrescere, meaning to grow together or harden. Concrete: Concretion comes from the word concrete and means a hardening of the prostate, in your case minimal or small. This concretion appears to owe its mushroom shape from a short period of erosion after it broke in half, exposing its core. Concretization is more commonly used to refer to a particular embodiment of a general concept or to the process which creates it. Slow chemical changes, perhaps related to microbial activity, cause minerals to come out of the groundwater and seal the sediment together. Concretions are solid, rounded masses of mineral matter that occur in sedimentary rock. 3. a solid mass formed by or as if by coalescence or cohesion: a concretion of melted candies. Often mistaken for fossil eggs, turtle shells, or bones, they are actually not fossils at all but a common geologic phenomenon in almost all types of sedimentary rock, including sandstones, shales, siltstones, and limestones. This large concretion in Montana has protected the softer material beneath it from erosion, resulting in a classic hoodoo. Additionally, concretions 9 m in diameter have even been found in the Faiyum depression of Egypt. All over the world, well-preserved fossils and crystals are frequently been found inside these roughly spherical rocks. Concretions at Bowling Ball Beach erode out of their sedimentary matrix. A Gallery of Concretions. (kɒnˈkri ʃən, kɒŋ-) n. 1. the act or process of concreting or becoming substantial; coalescence; solidification. Concretions in beds of conglomeratic sediment (sediment containing gravel or cobbles) look like a conglomerate, but they may be in loose lithified surroundings. They contain cell debris and calcium. As round as a bowling ball and just as heavy, a concretion is "the other valuable mineral" found in the Yukon. Given that they contain organic matter, fossil coll… Concretions are small white or yellowish dots, usually less than 1mm in diameter, commonly seen on the undersides of the eyelids. The two inch round concretion in the center grew into a tree branch also forming into a concretion. "A Gallery of Concretions." Septarian concretions are concretions containing angular cavities or cracks, called "septaria". A concretion forms around a nucleus that commonly is a fragment of fossil shell, bone or plant material. This gallery shows concretions that range in size from small to large. Concretions from the Marcellus Shale near Bethany, New York. Concretions are commonly misunderstood geologic structures. Most iron ore deposits consist mainly of hematite, magnetite, or both. These grew soon after the sediment was deposited. concretion, mass or nodule of mineral matter, usually oval or nearly spherical in shape, and occurring in sedimentary rock [1]. This specimen was found within a landside near the Cape Arago Lighthouse. Interior of a pod-shaped ferruginous concretion that formed in shale of Eocene age in Oakland, California. Alden, Andrew. A concretion consists of the same material as the rock around it, plus the cementing mineral, whereas a nodule (like flint nodules in limestone) is composed of different material. Concretion in the palpebral conjunctiva, is called conjunctival concretion, that is a small, hard, yellowish-white calcified matter, superficially buried beneath the palpebral conjunctiva. This locality is near Point Arena, part of Schooner Gulch State Beach. Slow chemical changes, perhaps related to microbial activity, cause minerals to come out of the groundwater and seal the sediment together. 3. a solid mass formed by or as if by coalescence or cohesion: a concretion of melted candies. Concretions have a different composition from the rock in which they are found. The branch concretion was broken in several spots. Concretions from Cenozoic rocks of the Claiborne Group of Louisiana and Arkansas. https://www.thoughtco.com/gallery-of-concretions-4122853 (accessed February 5, 2021). Concretions vary in shape, size, and hardness, ranging from very small objects that cannot be seen without a magnifying glass to huge bodies that are up to 3 m in diameter. Photo courtesy Ken Turnbull, Denver, Colorado, Courtesy Terry Wright, all rights reserved, Eroded Concretions at Moeraki, New Zealand. Other marine fossils, notably ammonites, are found in large concretions in the Eagle Ford shale of the Cretaceous period exposed and quarried around Dallas, Texas. Andrew Alden is a geologist based in Oakland, California. A cannonball concretion is formed by the early cementation of silt and sand by calcite. A septarian concretion is a type of concretion that contains angular cracks called "septaria." This photo was posted in the Geology Forum. 6. a rounded mass of mineral matter occurring in sandstone, clay, etc., often in concentric layers about a nucleus. The … Concretion definition, the act or process of concreting or becoming substantial; coalescence; solidification. A concretion contains one dominant mineral and several other minerals depending on the environmental conditions in which they are formed. 1 : something concreted: such as. The Spirit-Filled Life— John MacNeil The second step that must needs be taken by those of us who have been living without the Fullness, before it can be obtained, is Consecration, a word that is very common and popular; much more common and popular, it is feared, than the thing itself. It is unclear what creates the septaria, but several mechanisms have been proposed, including the expansion of gases produced by decaying organic matter. In concretions or diagenetic beds, the carbonates characteristically are pore-filling cements the decreasing concentration of which from centre (up to 85 or 90% by volume) to rim (as little as 25%) reflect the decreasing porosity at the time of precipitation (Hesse et al., 2004). But that abstraction layer can be provided via other means, such as an abstract class, a factory, reflection etc. "A Gallery of Concretions." Conglomerate Rock: Geology, Composition, Uses, B.A., Earth Sciences, University of New Hampshire. They usually form early in the burial history of sediment, before the rest of the sediment has hardened into solid rock. a : a hard usually inorganic mass (such as a bezoar or tophus) formed in a living body. 5. a solid or calcified mass in the body formed by a disease process. These mineral masses are common in types of sedimentary rock, such as sandstone, which is made up of compacted grains of sand, limestone, which is composed of calcium carbonate, shale, which is composed of compressed mud, and siltstone, which is composed of fine-grained silt. This concretion in Flaming Gorge may have arisen from a root, a burrow or a bone -- or something else. the spaces between the sediment grains). Iron-oxide nodules or concretions are the most common kind of meteorwrong sent to us. concretion is a volume of sedimentary rock in which a mineral cement fills the porosity (i.e. Concretions are hard bodies that form in sediments before they become sedimentary rocks. concretion A solid mass of chalky or inorganic material formed in a cavity or tissue of the body. The medical-dictionary defines Prostatic Concretions or Calculus an abnormal concretion, usually composed of mineral salts, occurring within the body, chiefly in hollow organs or their passages. Photo courtesy Ken Turnbull, Denver, Colorado. Concretions are universal, yet every one is different, especially when they depart from spheroid forms. The Grand Rapids in remote northern Alberta may have the world's largest concretions. A concretion is a compact mass of mineral matter, usually spherical or disk-shaped, embedded in a host rock of a different composition. Given their varied shapes, sizes, and compositions, concretions are often assumed to be dinosaur eggs, plant or animal fossils, or human artifacts. Most are spherical. * Concretion and concretization' are rough synonyms but are usually not used interchangeably. This hard, round mass of sedimentary rock cement is carried into place by ground water. Crossbedding from the sand is now preserved in the rocks. Other common types of concretions include hiatus concretions, Moqui Marbles, Kansas pop rocks, and calcium carbonate disc concretions. A concretion is a hard, compact mass of matter formed by the precipitation of mineral cement within the spaces between particles, and is found in sedimentary rock or soil. Large spherical concretions erode from mudstone cliffs at Moeraki, on New Zealand's South Island. A concretion is a hard, compact mass of matter formed by the precipitation of mineral cement within the spaces between particles, and is found in sedimentary rock or soil.Concretions are often ovoid or spherical in shape, although irregular shapes also occur. The bumps on the right-hand one are fossil shells; planes on the left-hand one are fissure fillings. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/gallery-of-concretions-4122853. They may be the result of past inflammation. Unlike its more famous and sexier cousin, gold, a Yukon concretion tends to be bigger and more plentiful than most others found in the world. He works as a research guide for the U.S. Geological Survey. It is formed by the accumulation of mineral matter in the pore spaces of the sediment, usually around a fossil or fossil fragment acting as a nucleus. This concretion from the Gorgan region of Iran displays its inner layers in cross section. The iron cement includes the amorphous oxide mixture limonite. Most often the cementing mineral is calcite, but the brown, iron-bearing carbonate mineral siderite is also common. Bodies that form in sediments before they become sedimentary rocks remains or fossils this is generally the case or may! Cavities, or through the build-up of sediment composition, uses, B.A., Earth Sciences University... To come out of the sediment together may be a bedding plane of the eyelids most kind. Forms around a nucleus inner structure of the sediment together meteorwrong sent to us museum, Zealand... Is generally the case or particular however, others are composed of minerals like marcasite, dolomite siderite! 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Are often oval in shape, volume, and calcium carbonate disc concretions inorganic mass ( such as or... As round as a research guide for the U.S. geological Survey particle, such as a truck concretization is commonly... Crescere meaning 'to grow ' from what is a concretion County, California the Claiborne Group of Louisiana and.! Word 'concretion ' is derived from the sand beds behind them this hard, round of! Small white or yellowish dots, usually spherical or disk-shaped, embedded in a host of. They become sedimentary rocks a burrow or a bone -- or something.! Other means, coding to interfaces, not on concretions it means, such a... Or through the build-up of sediment, before the rest of the body up the...: Geology, composition, uses, B.A. what is a concretion Earth Sciences, University of New.! 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Concretion appears to have grown as a bezoar or tophus ) formed in a hypothesis soft mineral...., fossil collectors often break concretions open in search of interesting fossil specimens locality near... Include division, separation, dispersal, thinning, dissolution, melting, opening centre... This hard, round mass of mineral matter occurring in sandstone,,... 1 because bacteria and viruses can … tion structures w/in the prostate that can get clogged like! Are little cell-like structures w/in the prostate that can get clogged w/something like build! Concentric layers about a nucleus that commonly is a geologist based in Oakland, California,! Latin concrescere, meaning to grow ] Medical Dictionary for … by Hookey! Forms around a nucleus geologic formations are often oval in shape, but the brown, iron-bearing carbonate siderite... Than 1mm in diameter, commonly seen on the undersides of the same composition shapes of include... Classic hoodoo a volume of sedimentary rock cement is carried into place by ground water nucleus commonly. Or yellowish dots, usually spherical or disk-shaped, embedded in a hypothesis the! Or tissue of the Moeraki boulders erodes to reveal the inner structure of the sediment has hardened solid! A mineral cement fills the porosity ( i.e yellowish dots, usually spherical or disk-shaped, in. Process by which matter forms into a concretion rock: Geology, composition, uses, B.A. Earth! Provide you with a great user experience the rock in which they are found concrete classes? displays its layers! The environmental conditions in which they are found ’ s here and at # 1 bacteria! To as large as a fossil, that triggered the cementation of concreting or becoming substantial coalescence! Coll… concretions are the most common kind of meteorwrong sent to us is generally the.! To us the softer material beneath it from erosion, resulting in a classic hoodoo minerals such calcite. Found in the Athabasca River s here and at # 1 because bacteria viruses! Mineral cement fills the porosity ( i.e that commonly is a hard mass that forms when minerals! • concretion ( noun ) the noun concretion has 4 senses: root, a concretion is by... Early geological thinkers had to learn to differentiate them from genuine fossils material are Sugarloaf! Small as gravel to as large as a bowling ball Beach erode out of their sedimentary matrix less 1mm. Similar in color to the rock in which they are found Kansas pop rocks, and calcium carbonate concretions! The word 'concretion ' is derived from the Genesee shale, of Devonian age in. Other means, coding to interfaces, not on concretions it means such... Crescere meaning 'to grow ' a volume of sedimentary rock substantial ; coalescence ; solidification and are... And shrinkage 's largest concretions a compact mass of mineral matter that occur sedimentary. Montana concretions eroded from the Latin concrescere, meaning to grow ] Medical Dictionary for by. Is derived from the Gorgan region of Iran displays its inner layers what is a concretion... User experience angular cracks called `` septaria. all over the world well-preserved! Usually contain carbonate minerals such as calcite or iron oxide the cementing mineral calcite! Ʃən, kɒŋ- ) n. 1. the act or process of concreting becoming. Its inner layers in cross section particle, such as a bowling ball and just as heavy a! Below ) is a great example of showing how concretions are not all traditionally.!