SEDIMENTARY BASIN A sedimentary basin is a low area in the Earth’s crust, of tectonic origin, where sediments accumulate over a long period of time. These sediments are deposited by water, wind, or ice, and later become compacted and lithified into sedimentary rocks. FORMATION OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS Sedimentary basins form due to subsidence (sinking of the crust) caused by tectonic processes such as: ° Crustal stretching (rifting) ° Crustal loading (mountain building or volcanic loading) ° Therma