An investigation on clay mineral formation in brown soil profiles in Central Serbia, Yugoslavia

Brown soils in mountain areas of central Serbia are very old and are developed on the mesozoic limestones. Many of the soil properties, particularly mineral composition of clay fraction, are predetermined not only by parent rock material but also by other environmental conditions. The X-ray diffraction analysis of the clay fraction has shown : illite and kaolinite associated with vermiculite, smectite, goethite, gibbsite, and poorly ordered minerals of iron and aluminium hydroxide type. The principal factors that affects the mineral composition and chemistry of weathering are : climate, topography, altitude, slope gradient and other environmental conditions also affect mineral composition of the brown soils, but to a smaller extent.Kostic N. An investigation on clay mineral formation in brown soil profiles in Central Serbia, Yugoslavia. In: Proceedings of the 9th international Clay Conference, Strasbourg, 1989. Vol I : Clay-organic interactions. Clay minerals in soils. Strasbourg : Institut de Géologie – Université Louis-Pasteur, 1990. pp. 155-163. (Sciences Géologiques. Mémoire, 85