ABSTRACT

This paper describes a method of impregnating increments of 3-inch diameter cores of unconsolidated sediment with a polyester resin so that they can be studied in the same way as ordinary rock samples. The impregnation of soft sediments has three main advantages: (1) the slabbed cores show many structures and textures that are invisible or indistinct in broken or sliced soft-sediment cores; (2) multiple slabs of the same core permit a serial, three-dimensional examination of sedimentary structures, particularly those produced by organisms; (3) impregnation and slabbing simplify storage, provide specimens for sectioning, and make the cores readily available for study.

Briefly, the method consists of vacuum and pressure impregnation of the dried cores with polyester resin. The resin jells and cures overnight, and the cores can be slabbed with a conventional diamond slabbing saw.