Premium
Mineralogy of Soils on Basalt in North Queensland
Author(s) -
Simonett David S.,
Bauleke Maynard P.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1963.03615995002700020033x
Subject(s) - gibbsite , allophane , weathering , kaolinite , silt , halloysite , basalt , soil water , geology , clay minerals , mineral , mineralogy , geochemistry , dissolution , soil science , environmental chemistry , chemistry , geomorphology , materials science , metallurgy
Data from X‐ray diffraction, elemental, differential thermal analyses, and differential dissolution were used to correlate the relationship between rainfall and clay mineral formation in the < 2 µ fraction of latosolic soils of North Queensland, Australia. Rainfall varied from 36 to 147 inches per year. Application of the weathering mean showed that the weathering intensity increased with increasing rainfall, being most pronounced in the surface layers. Poorly crystalline kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral (79 to 52%). Halloysite may be present in the higher rainfall areas. Total iron content moderately increased with rainfall (12 to 20%). No positive evidence for allophane was found. Gibbsite content varied (0 to 19%). The mineral composition of the silt fractions was also estimated.