The Grand Canyon are mostly full of metamorphic rocks and sedimentary rocks. From afar distance at a view of the Grand Canyon, you see these colors of layers and layers. That right there, are sedimentary rocks.
In a better detail; everyday, the Earth's surface is eternally eroding. Meaning, rocks fractures into smaller pieces, by the weathering agents, water, wind, and ice, into pebbles, gravel, sand, and clay. These stones then tumble down the rivers and streams and begin to pile up into flat layers of sediment. Over a long period of time, these pieces compacts together and form into a sold rock. Sedimentary rocks are actually 70% the rocks in the whole world.
In a better detail; everyday, the Earth's surface is eternally eroding. Meaning, rocks fractures into smaller pieces, by the weathering agents, water, wind, and ice, into pebbles, gravel, sand, and clay. These stones then tumble down the rivers and streams and begin to pile up into flat layers of sediment. Over a long period of time, these pieces compacts together and form into a sold rock. Sedimentary rocks are actually 70% the rocks in the whole world.
Kaibab limestone - this layer is the youngest layer of the Grand Canyon. It is about 250 million years old. It is made of sandy limstone You can find fossils in this layer; brachiopods, coral, mollusks, sea lilies, worms and fish teeth. Color ranges to cream to greyish-white. In some places you can find sandstones and shales in the upper layer.
Toroweap Formation - This layer is about 255 million years old and is pretty much made of the same material as the Kaibab limestone however darker in color, ranging from the color of yellow to grey, and also contains a similar fossils appearance with the Kaibab Limestone.
Coconino Sandstone - This layer is about 260 million years old and is contained pure quartz sand. The color ranges from white to cream colored. No fossils were found but invertebrate tracks and fossilized burrows were visible.
Hermit Shale - This layer is about 265 million years old and involves of soft easily crumbled shales that structured into a slope. As the shales erode they reduce the layers sandstone and limestone layers above which at times causes huge blocks to fall off. This layer's color is a dark rusted red. You can find fossils of fern, conifers and other plants. Including other amphibians and reptiles.
Supai Formation - This layer is about 285 million years old and materialized of shale mixed with small amount of limestones and sandstones. The color of this layer are red for the shale, tan for the sandstones, and other colors ranging around those two. There are several number of fossils of amphibians, reptiles, and plants that exists in the eastern side of this layer. On the western side, there are marine fossils.
Redwall Limestone - This layer is about 335 million years old and contains marine limestones and dolomites. This layer is probably the most well-known rock layer in the Grand Canyon. The color, deep red, of this layer is caused by iron oxides drained out of the layers above it. But behind the dark red face of the layer is a dark brown color. You can find many marine fossils; brachiopods, clams, snails, corals, fish, and trilobites. You can also fine many caves and arches.
Mauv Limestone - This layer is about 515 million years old and is made out of limestones that is detached by sandstones and shale. This layer is much thicker in the western side of the canyon than the eastern side. The color is grey and only has few fossils of trilobites and brachiopods.
Bright Angel Shale - This layer is about 530 million years old and involves of mudstone shale. It also contains small sections of sandstones and sandy limestones. The color of this layer varies but mostly has shades of green and some grey and mixed with brown and tan. You can find fossils of trilobites, brachiopods, and trilobite trails.
Tapeats Sandstone - This layer is about 545 million years old and contains medium-grained and coarse grained sandstone. You can find ripple marks from an early Cambrian sea. This layer is very similar to the Redwall layer by how it is formed with a barrier between the upper and lower reaches that the Canyon. The color of this layer is dark brown and has the fossils of brachiopods, trilobites and their trails.
Vischnu Schist - This layer is around 1,700 to 2,000 million years old and materialized of mica schist. These were normally sediments of sandstones, limestones, and shale that were metamorphosed to schist. The color of this layer is dark grey or black.