Which type of sedimentary rock originates from soluble materials due to chemical weathering?

Chemical sedimentary rocks are formed from the precipitation of minerals from solutions, primarily as a result of chemical weathering processes. During weathering, soluble materials such as salts are dissolved in water as rocks are broken down chemically. When this mineral-laden water evaporates or undergoes changes in conditions that favor solid mineral formation (like temperature changes or decreased pressure), the dissolved minerals precipitate out and accumulate, creating sedimentary rock.

Examples of chemical sedimentary rocks include limestone, which can form from calcium carbonate, and rock salt, which can form from evaporated seawater. The key characteristic that distinguishes these rocks is their formation through chemical processes rather than the physical accumulation of sediment.

This understanding highlights that other types of rocks listed do not originate in this manner. For instance, detrital sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation of fragments of pre-existing rocks and minerals. Intrusive igneous rocks originate from the solidification of magma beneath the Earth's surface, and metamorphic rocks are formed from the alteration of existing rocks due to heat and pressure, rather than from dissolved materials.