Fundamental controls on mudstone lithofacies variability

细粒沉积物（如页岩）在地球表面很常见。它们是重要的资源，因为它们在石油系统中产生碳氢化合物，并且是重型陶瓷工业（例如制砖，过滤器制造等）的原材料。它们的细粒度、明显的均匀性和易风化性使其难以研究。因此，相对于其他沉积岩类型，它们所知甚少。

Fine-grained sediments (e.g. shales) are common on the Earth's surface. They are important resources because they generate hydrocarbons in petroleum systems and are raw materials for the heavy ceramic industry (e.g. brick making, filer manufacture etc.). Their fine grain size, apparent homogeneity in hand specimen, and susceptibility to weathering, make them difficult to study. Consequently, they are poorly known relative to other sedimentary rock types.