fragmental

fragmental

English

Etymology

fragment +‎ -al

Adjective

fragmental (not comparable)

1. (geology) consisting of fragments
   • 1921, C. K. Leith, The Economic Aspect of Geology‎:

     These are similar in composition to the leaner iron ores of Brazil, called itabirite, but differ in that the silica is in the form of chemically deposited chert, rather than fragmental quartz grains.

   • 2001 January 12, Tom Simkin et al., “DISASTERS: Volcano Fatalities--Lessons from the Historical Record”, in Science‎, volume 291, number 5502, DOI:10.1126/science.291.5502.255:

     However, the most common killer in fatal eruptions is tephra, which includes all fragmental material thrown from volcanoes, killing mainly by collapse of ash-covered roofs (the most deaths) or by projectile impact (by far the largest number of fatal tephra accidents).

Noun

fragmental (plural fragmentals)

1. (geology) A fragmentary rock.