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Surface Textures of Quartz in Tropical Soils¹

ABSTRACT

Studies of the surface textures of quartz grains from a range of tropical soils show the appearance of striations, etch features and dissolution pits, increasing in size and/or quantity in the more weathered soil materials. These features show a crystallographic symmetry, most probably related to the crystallographic orientation of the grain.

Monitoring the changes in a 19-m deep weathering profile on granite showed that physical disintegration begins a few centimeters from the fresh rock. Chemical weathernig, which intensifies towards the soil surface, produces etching and dissolution pits. An additional phenomenon observed is the infusion of clayey materials and/or sesquioxides into the void system of the grains.

¹ Contribution from the Geological Institute, State Univ. of Gent, Krijgslaan 271, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. Work supported in part by a grant from the "Fonds voor Kollektief Fundamenteel Onderzoek."

² Visiting Professor, Cornell Univ. and Professor of Geology, Univ. of Ghent, Belgium, respectively.

Received for publication May 15, 1978. Accepted for publication November 1, 1978.