Mineralogy and Chemical Composition of the Residual Soils (Hwangto) from South Korea

우리 나라 황토(풍화토)의 구성광물 및 화학성분

The mineralogy and chemical composition of reddish to brownish yellow residual soils, so called "Hwangto" have been examined according to representative host rocks. The result of the study indicates that Hwangto consists of 40-80% clay minerals and various minerals such as quartz, feldspar, hornblende, goethite, and gibbsite. Clay minerals include kaolinite, halloysite, illite, hydroxy interlayered vermiculite (HIV), mica/vermiculite interstratifield mineral and chlorite. The mineralogical constituents and contents of Hwangto were different depending on the types of host rocks. Moreover, the Jurassic granitic rocks contain relatively more kaolin minerals, whereas the Cretaceous granitic rocks contain more HIV and illite. In addition, reddish Hwangto contains relatively more kaolinite and HIV, and yellowish Hwangto contains more illite and halloysite. It is suggested that feldspars and micas of host rocks were chemically weathered into illite, halloysite, illite/vermiculite interstratified minerals, and HIV, and finally into kaolinite. Compared with their host rocks, the major chemical compositions of Hwangto tend to contain more $Al_2O_3,\;Fe_2O_3,\;H_2O$ in amount and less Ca, Mg, and Na. Hwangto contains relatively high amount of trace elements, P, S, Zr, Sr, Ba, Rb, and Ce including considerable amount of Li, V, Cr, Zn, Co, Ni, Cu, Y, Nb, La, Nd, Pb, Th in excess of 10 ppm. Relatively high amount of most trace elements were detected in the Hwangto. The major and minor chemical compositions of the Hwangto were different depending on the types of host rocks. However, their difference was in the similar range compared with the compositions of host rocks.