Abstract
Uncertainties remain as to the ability of certain carbonate rocks to form the red soils covering them. These doubts, which have been the subject of debate for several decades, become real when carbonate rocks are pure and low in insoluble residues. In the carbonate rocks of the Taoudeni basin in Burkina Faso, brown-red to red soils develop, at the top of hillsides and in karstic cavities. No study in the region has yet shown the existence in these carbonate rocks of sufficient insolubles to form soils after decalcification. The objective of this study was therefore to identify and quantify the minerals of carbonate rocks in order to identify the origin of red soils. Petrographic, chemical (XRF) and mineralogical (XRD) investigations on dominant carbonate rocks features in the study area show that the rocks studied are mainly magnesian dolomites (Dolomite > 50% of carbonate minerals and Ca/Mg ratio 12%) in other dolomitic features. These insoluble silicates formed of quartz, potassium feldspar (orthoclase), clays (talc, phlogopite and kaolinite) and iron oxides constitute the main original material of reddened soils in karstic cavities.
Highlights
IntroductionMany studies have been carried out on the mechanism of formation of red soils on carbonate rocks
Across the world, many studies have been carried out on the mechanism of formation of red soils on carbonate rocks
This study aims on the one hand to determine and quantify the different carbonate and non-carbonate minerals of dominant carbonate rock features in the region
Summary
Many studies have been carried out on the mechanism of formation of red soils on carbonate rocks. The various analyses carried out on these carbonates are essentially chemical analysis to determine the potential of the rock in the cement industry and in the amendment of acidic soils [10]. The mineralogical studies already carried out on these rocks relate mainly to the description under an optical microscope [9] Even though this technique is effective, it is difficult to accurately detect certain residues (clays), very small sizes of the micron order, trapped in carbonate rock [11]. The present study, which uses modern methods of chemical composition (XRF) and mineralogical (DRX), aims to determine and quantify the minerals of these carbonate rocks in order to understand the mechanism of formation of red soils after decalcification
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