Mineralogical and chemical properties of weathered magnetite grains from lateritic saprolite |
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| Authors: | R R ANAND R J GILKES |
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| Institution: | Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, W.A. 6009 |
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| Abstract: | Magnetite grains in lateritic saprolite have altered in situ to porous hematite (martite) grains. Hematite occurs as relatively large (～ 1 μm) platy crystals, triangular arrays of small (0.01–0.05 μm) lathlike crystals and very small (< 100 Å) platy anhedral particles. Titanium increased in altered grains and may substitute for Fe3+ in hematite. Mn, V, Cr and Zn remained approximately constant whereas the Ni content decreased. Halloysite crystallized from soil solution within pores resulting in a marked increase in the Si and Al contents of grains. |
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