Lithofacies: Lateral Facies Change
From the definition of facies above you should be able to see that the texture of a rock would be an important characteristic. We have seen in Lab Exercise 2 – Interpretation of Sedimentary Rocks that texture is related to the energy in the depositional environment available for the transportation and reworking of sediments. On continental shelves the lateral energy gradient (the change in energy as you proceed further offshore) commonly results in a nearshore sandstone facies that grades laterally into a shale facies which, as energy is further diminished, grades into a limestone facies.