I.—The Lateritic Deposits of Mozambique

Abstract

In his Last Journals, referring to the formations of Portuguese Nyasaland west of the Lugenda River, Livingstone writes: “The elevated plains among these mountain masses show great patches of ferruginous conglomerate, which, when broken, looks like yellow hæmatite with madrepore holes in it.” He also notes that the same formation is responsible for the prevailing reddish tint assumed by the soil. In Mozambique, the province of Portuguese East Africa south of Nyasaland, lateritic deposits of the kind described by Living-stone are very abundant. In view of the wide interest which the superficial deposits known as laterite have aroused among geologists during recent years, no excuse seems necessary for placing on record a few notes dealing with their modes of occurrence and associations in Mozambique. The country was explored during the year 1911, Mr. D. A. Wray, Mr. E. J. Wayland, and myself accompanying the expedition as geologists. My former colleagues have kindly placed their notes on the superficial deposits of Mozambique at my disposal, and I wish here to express my indebtedness to them for the help thus afforded.