WEATHERING

and
SOIL FORMATION
 PELAPUKAN
dan
PEMBENTUKAN SOIL
 WEATHERING
Breakdown and alteration of materials
near the earths surface, to form products
that are more nearly in equilibrium with
the atmosphere, hydrosphere and
biosphere (Reiche, 1950)
Involving inorganic process
organic activity
mechanical process
 WEATHERING
Change of rocks from the massive to
the clastic state (Polynov, 1937)
Involving mostly
disintegration (physical changes)
decomposition (chemical changes)
 WEATHERING

physical weathering
chemical weathering
biological weathering
 Physical Weathering
Development cracks & joints
thermal expansion and contraction
dissolution
expansion of freezing water
increasing volume by hydrolysis
biological activity (root growth, hole
digging, etc)
 Chemical Weathering
depends on the presence of Water,
Solid, Dissolved Gas

Hydration and Hydrolysis

Oxidation
Simple Solution
 Chemical Weathering
(a) Hydration and Hydrolysis
= Hydration : absoption of water
CuSO4 + H2O CuSO4.2H2O
= Hydrolysis : chemical reaction to
produce or consume H+ or OH- ions.
Si4+ + 4H2O H4SiO4 + 4H+
Hydrolysis producing heat
 Hydration or Hydrolysis ??
 Chemical Weathering
(b) Oxidation
For the aerated environment
Commonly affected are Fe, Mn and S:
Fe2+, Mn2+, S2- (deep seated)
Fe3+, Mn4+, S6+ (surficial)
Products :
= New minerals (Fe- and M- oxides)
= Dissolves constituents (SO42-)
 Chemical Weathering
(c) Simple Solution
Formation of limestone caves by the
solution of calcite in CO2- bearing
water
Release of silica, K, Mg, Na, Ca.
 Biological Weathering
Widening cracks by root growth
Generating acids at the root tips
Plant respiration (CO2 O2)
Transpiration of H2O by plants
Accumulation of organic acids
 FACTORS AFFECTING
WEATHERING PROCESSES
Resistance of Minerals
Permeability
Climate
Relief and Drainage
Resistance of Minerals
Resistance of Minerals
 Sulfide minerals are particularly
vulnerable to oxidation and solution

Increasing susceptibility to decompose by

weathering:
Oxides < Silicates < Carbonates < Sulfides
 Permeability
The rate of weathering depends on permeability
of the rocks
A fine grained rock will undergo rapid weathering
because of large surface area of the grains that
can be reached by solution.
Permeability can also be furnished by fractures
or dissolution minerals, in part by the acid
generated by oxidation of sulfide minerals
Climate
 Relief and Drainage
In mountainous terrain physical erosion to
remove the rock debris, then they can be
decomposed chemically
Moderate-strong reliefs have extreme
variability in water table depth. The chemical
decomposition is most active beneath the crests
of ridges.
Flat-lying terrain characterized by less active
erosion and by sluggish ground water movement
 PRODUCTS OF WEATHERING

Residual Primary Minerals

Secondary Minerals
= clay minerals
= iron and aluminium oxides
= secondary ore minerals
= gossan
Soluble Products
Residual Structures and Textures
 Residual Primary Minerals
Quartz and accessory minerals (zircon, Ti-
oxides, tourmaline) are dissolved slowly
and persist.
Slowly dissolved minerals become
abundant in weathered materials, and are
mixed with minerals newly formed by
weathering
 Residual Primary Minerals
Of the ore minerals, Au, Pt, cassiterite,
columbite-tantalite, chromite and beryl
are representatives of residual category.
Wolframite, scheelite, barite are resistant
chemically but too friable/soft for physical
abrasion
 Secondary Minerals
The particle size is extremely fine, of the order of 2 mm or
less, included clay minerals, Fe-Al-oxides, secondary ore
minerals, and gossan
Secondary Minerals : Clay Minerals
 MINERAL LEMPUNG

Perulangan rangkaian Tetrahedral (Si-O)

dgn rangkaian Oktahedral (Al,Mg OH)
MINERAL LEMPUNG
KAOLINIT :
Perulangan
Sederhana

Tetrahedral
Oktahedral

Tetrahedral
Oktahedral

.
dst
MINERAL LEMPUNG
MIKA / ILLIT :
Perulangan
Sandwich

Tetrahedral
Oktahedral
Tetrahedral

K (Potasium)

Tetrahedral
Oktahedral
Tetrahedral l

.
dst
MINERAL LEMPUNG
KHLORIT :
Perulangan
Sandwich

Tetrahedral
Oktahedral
Tetrahedral
Al, Mg, Fe
Tetrahedral
Oktahedral
Tetrahedral l

.
dst
MINERAL LEMPUNG
SMEKTIT :
Perulangan
Sandwich

Tetrahedral
Oktahedral
Tetrahedral
nH2O
Tetrahedral
Oktahedral
Tetrahedral l

.
dst
Secondary Minerals : Clay Minerals
Secondary Minerals : Clay Minerals

M=montmorilonite K=kaolinite H=halloysite I=illite

V=vermiculite G=gibbsite
 Secondary Minerals : Fe-Al-oxides

Often lumped as sesquioxides

Limonite (Fe2O3.nH2O), Hematite (Fe2O3),
Goethite (Fe2O3.H2O), Diaspore (Al2O3.H2O),
Gibbsite (Al2O3.3H2O)
Jarosite (KFe(SO4)2(OH)6) occurs in the
presence of oxidizing pyrite
 Secondary Minerals : Fe-Al-oxides

Iron not required for clay formation is

precipitated as hydrated ferric oxides (in
oxidizing env) . Ferrous iron is liable to be
removed in solution (in reducing condition)
 CUPRITE (Cu2O)

HEMATITE (Fe2O3)
 HIDROKSIDA
= persenyawaan logam dengan
hidroksil aktif (OH)
= terbentuk pada P-T rendah
sebagai produk pelapukan
= less dense, lebih lunak drp oksida
= hadir sbg mineral bijih sbg target
industri bauxite, goethite
GOETHITE

LIMONITE
(Fe2O3.2H2O)
Secondary Minerals : Fe-Al-oxides
 Secondary Minerals : Ore Minerals

Occur as Hydrous Fe-oxides, and a host of

metalliferous minerals
Under certain conditions of pH, Eh, CO2
pressure, Cu concentration Malachite
(Cu2CO3(OH)2) presents the principal product
of wethering
MALACHITE
Cu2CO3(OH2)
 Secondary Minerals : Gossans
Residual hydrous Fe-oxide derived from the
oxidation of Fe-bearing sulfides and
carbonates.
Accumulation of massive hydrous Fe-oxides
are known as Gossans
Gossans are formed from weathering of
pyrite, marcasite, pyrrhotite, Cu-Fe-sulfides,
arsenopyrite (FeAsS), Siderite (FeCO3) and
Ankerite (Ca(Mg,Fe)(CO3)2
 Secondary Minerals : Gossans
The predominant minerals in gossans are
limonite, quartz and secondary silica.
Accessory minerals including the wide variety
of sulfates, aresenates, carbonates, silicates,
and many secondary metalliferous salts.
 The Soluble Products
The soluble constituents reflects the
composition of the parents rocks.
Ca 2+, Mg2+ and CO3- are naturally the principle
soluble products of carbonate rocks
Alkalis, alkali-earths and colloidal silica are
soluble products from hydrolysis of siliceous
rocks
 The Soluble Products
Ca, Mg from mafic rocks, Ca is more liable
to be removed than Mg (strongly adsorbed in
clay or incorporated in montmorillonites and
chlorites)
Na, K from felsic and argillaceous. K may be
retained in illites, but Na is entirely in solution
The Soluble
le Products
 The Residual
Structures and Textures
The removal of carbonates from calcareous
rocks results a reduction in volume
Such weathered rock retaining traces of its
original texture and structure known as
saprolites