Definition of lutite

A general name used for consolidated rocks composed of silt and/or clay and of the associated materials which, when mixed with water, form mud; e.g., shale, mudstone, and calcilutite. The term is equivalent to the Greek-derived term 'pelite.' Etymol: Latin lutum, mud. Also spelled lutyte.
Ref: AGI
See Also: rudite, arenite

Lutite or lutyte.
a. A general name for all natural minerals composed of muds: that is silts, clays, and similar materials which when mixed with water form mud. Although many terms have been created by using lutite as a coming form, only a few are in current wide usage.
Ref: Stoak and Varnes, 1955.

b. A sediment or sedimentary rock consisting principally of clay or clay-sized particles.
Ref: A.G.I. Supp.

c. Grabau proposed a number of terms composed of this word with various appropriate prefixes: Anemoargilluite, anemolutite, argilutite, atmolutite, atomoargilluite, autoargilluite, autolutite, autosililuite, biolutite, calcilutite, hydragilluite, hydrocalcilutite, hydroferrilutite, hydrosilicilutite, pyrolutite, and silicilutite. These terms are intended to cover every type or variety of clayey or silty sediment.
Ref: G.G.I.

d. Material of grain size less than 4 microns. This term may be used in stead of clay to avoid mineralogical
implications.
Ref: H&G