armoured mud ball

geology

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armoured mud ball, large ball of silt and clay, coated (armoured) with a poorly sorted mixture of gravel and sand. In many cases they are nearly spherical, with diameters ranging from a fraction of a centimetre to 50 centimetres (20 inches) but commonly 5–10 centimetres (2–4 inches). As the size increases, the grain size of the armour increases. The balls originate as clay chunks that are broken from a stream bank by erosion and then rolled downstream, acquiring armour as the sand and gravel grains press into the soft exterior until the surface is sufficiently covered to seal it off. Mud balls may be preserved by burial, and, when they occur in the geologic record, they give indications of the nature and properties of ancient streams.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.