diagenesis

dia·gen·e·sis

noun \ˌdī-ə-ˈje-nə-səs\

Definition of DIAGENESIS

1

: recombination or rearrangement of constituents (as of a chemical or mineral) resulting in a new product

2

: the conversion (as by compaction or chemical reaction) of sediment into rock

— dia·ge·net·ic \ˌdī-ə-jə-ˈne-tik\ adjective

— dia·ge·net·i·cal·ly \-ˈne-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Origin of DIAGENESIS

New Latin

First Known Use: circa 1886

diagenesis

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Sum of all processes, chiefly chemical, that produce changes in a sediment after its deposition but before its final lithification. Usually, not all the minerals in a sediment are in chemical equilibrium, so changes in interstitial water composition or in temperature or in both will lead to chemical alteration of one or more of the minerals present. Diagenesis is considered a relatively low-pressure, low-temperature alteration process that involves such processes as cementation, reworking, replacement, crystallization, and leaching.