After sediments are deposited, they are commonly compacted by the weight of overlying sediments. They may also be lithified by recrystallization of the primary minerals. Boulders, cobbles and pebbles may be lithified to form a conglomerate if the particles are rounded, or a breccia if the particles are angular. Sand sized particles are lithified to form a sandstone . Limestone is the rock formed by calcite.
Calcite is very near saturation in sea water and so is used as shells material by marine organisms.
Canon de Huasteco near Monterrey, Mexico. Here in the Sierra Madre Orientale, there is more than 15km of carbonate sediments. Tectonically tilted to near vertical, they are resistant to weathering in the arid climate. The large cave entrance in the middle of the cliff face is characteristic of carbonates. Evaporites are the rocks formed by chemical precipitation during evaporation of sea water.