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breccia

breccia

1 9.9
A rock made of sharp pieces of rock held together by sand or clay
  • noun
  • /ˈbrɛtʃə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : brecha
  • "Erosion?" The wall is a rough breccia, a compressed clathrate and gravel mixture.
  • breccia pipe
  • breccia block
  • cave breccia

Examples

  • During the hike, we discovered a striking outcrop of breccia that showcased a variety of mineral fragments.

  • The geologist explained that breccia is a rock formed from sharp, angular fragments cemented together by finer materials.

  • The name of the geological phenomenon that contains the ore is breccia pipe.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • To mine uranium from breccia pipe, you sink a shaft, drill, and haul.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Grasberg material probably shed from the Shoemaker Formation, but it's a sedimentary unit, not impact breccia.

    Blog text (4)
  • After the waters receded, the slow process of breccia formation began again, sealing the sandy lens within Lang Trang I.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Mesosiderites are breccias—iron and silicate fragments all jumbled together.

    Academic text (2001)
  • Meanwhile, we began cutting out blocks of breccia, the sediment typical of caves, which is gradually formed by material washed or otherwise transported into a cave and cemented with limestone dissolved from the cave walls and ceiling.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Known as Dar al Gani (DaG) 1058, the rock is thought to have originally broken off a lunar highland breccia from the far side of the moon, according to lunar meteorite expert Dr. Anthony Irving of the University of Washington.

    Blog text (6)
  • In the construction industry, breccia is often used as an aggregate due to its unique composition of mixed rock pieces.

How Angular

breccia
  • Specialized
1 9.9
crushed rock
  • Specialized
1 3.0
conglomerate
  • Specialized
1 8.2

Surface Forms

breccia singular
breccias plural

Etymology

Breccia comes from Italian breccia, which means 'broken stones' or 'rubble'. So a breccia is a rock made of many sharp, broken pieces stuck together, and a helpful way to remember it is to think of the English word break, since both bring to mind 'broken' pieces.