Origen de arcillas alumínicas en horizontes de alteración de materiales graníticos del borde sur de la sierra de Guadarrama

Abstract

Three weathering profiles of granitic rocks and two arkoses in the NW of Madrid Province have been studied. Rocks are granodiorites and adamellites with albites showing variable degrees of sericitization, and no-weathered potassic feldspars. Clay fraction in the weathered horizons from these rocks displays high content in beidellite, and minor amounts of illite and 7 Ǻ-halloysite. On the other hand, beidellite, illite and well crystallized kaolinite are clay minerals in the arkosic rocks. Microfabric characteristics from SEM studies show abundant weathered albites with clean surfaces and formation of beidellite in all areas of the samples. Moreover, spatial relations between albite and beidellite are not observed. In pedochemical weathering of albite, sodium from this mineral should be exchanged with protons from soil solution with very quick kinetics. This initial alkalinization produces an increase in the silica solubility released from albite network. In these environments, a continued contact between weathering solution and albite causes a silica and alumina enrichment and beidellite or 7 Ǻ-halloysite precipitation. Microclimatic variations in weathering environment may cause fluctuations in silica and alumina activities with resultant pH changes. So, when silica activities are high, beidellite neoformation is favoured; on the contrary, 7 Ǻ-halloysite is precipitated.