Composition and origin of the clay cover on North Brazilian laterites

Abstract

The Belterra Clay in Northern Brazil is a uniform, yellowish, unstratified kaolinitic clay with variable contents of gibbsite. It is generally 5–10 m thick and covers a lateritic weathering crust on remnants of a dissected table-land. Complete profiles with Belterra Clay, the underlying bauxite/laterite and saprolite/bed rock were sampled in three areas of the Amazon region. The chemical and mineralogical data show a distinct affinity between the Belterra Clay and the underlying layers above all with the saprolite. Variations in the composition of the underlaying layers are reflected by the Belterra Clay. Among the structural and textural features important for the discussion of the origin of the Belterra Clay are the sharp contact between the clay cover and the underlying laterite as well as conglomeritic/brecciate textures and occasional bedding structure in the upper part of the lateritic crust.