Diagenesis
Fragment of a discussion from Talk:Taphonomy
Diagenesis as defined in relation to geology: "sum of all processes, chiefly chemical, by which changes in a sediment are brought about after its deposition but before its final lithification (conversion to rock)...An example of diagenesis is the chemical alteration of a feldspar to form a distinctly new mineral in its place, a clay mineral." http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/161033/diagenesis
Whether we are dealing with organic or inorganic material, definitions seem very similar. Effects on the original material after burial leading up to and including lithification.
