Geological formation  Large gravel deposits are a common geological feature, being formed as a result of the weathering and erosion of rocks. The action of rivers and waves tends to pile up gravel in large accumulations. This can sometimes result in gravel becoming compacted and lithified into the sedimentary rock called conglomerate.Where natural gravel deposits are insufficient for human purposes, gravel is often produced by quarrying and crushing hard-wearing rocks, such as sandstone, limestone, or basalt. Quarries where gravel is extracted are known as gravel pits. Southern England possesses particularly large concentrations of them due to the widespread deposition of gravel in the region during the Ice Ages .
Geological formation Geologists define gravel as rounded rock fragments with a particle size over , with the upper size limit ranging from to no upper limit in size. Civil engineers in the U.S. define gravel as particles from in diameter, such that they pass through a number 4 wire mesh. When sediments containing over 30\% gravel become lithified into solid rock, the result is a conglomerate. Conglomerates are widely distributed in sedimentary rock of all ages, but usually as a minor component, making up less than 1\% of all sedimentary rock. Alluvial fans likely contain the largest accumulations of gravel in the geologic record. These include conglomerates of the Triassic basins of eastern North America and the New Red Sandstone of south Devon .
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Geologists define gravel as rounded rock fragments with a particle size over , with the upper size limit ranging from to no upper limit in size. Civil engineers in the U.S. define gravel as particles from in diameter, such that they pass through a number 4 wire mesh.
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Large gravel deposits are a common geological feature, being formed as a result of the weathering and erosion of rocks. The action of rivers and waves tends to pile up gravel in large accumulations. This can sometimes result in gravel becoming compacted and lithified into the sedimentary rock called conglomerate.Where natural gravel deposits are insufficient for human purposes, gravel is often produced by quarrying and crushing hard-wearing rocks, such as sandstone, limestone, or basalt. Quarries where gravel is extracted are known as gravel pits. Southern England possesses particularly large concentrations of them due to the widespread deposition
When sediments containing over 30\% gravel become lithified into solid rock, the result is a conglomerate. Conglomerates are widely distributed in sedimentary rock of all ages, but usually as a minor component, making up less than 1\% of all sedimentary rock. Alluvial fans likely contain the largest accumulations
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region during the Ice Ages
geologic record. These include conglomerates of the Triassic basins of eastern North America and the New Red Sandstone of south Devon