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Not AvailablePhysical, chemical and mineralogical properties of two Benchmark soils of Goa are reported The soils are acidic and DpH is negative. KCI extractable acidity is low but total acidity of BaC12-Tea is remarkably high indicating hydroxy-interlayering in clay minerals. CEC is medium to low but base saturation is >35% and thus classified as Alfisols. Kaolin is the dominant mineral both in silt and clay fractions alongwith gibbsite, mica, vermiculite and chlorite. The kaolin are interstratified with 1.4 nm minerals. The 1.4 nm minerals are hydroxy-interlayered Gibbsite is formed in an earlier alkaline pedo-environment and hence its presence should not be considered as an index of weathering. The persistence of good amount of organic matter in these soils are due to their linkage with weatherable clay minerals and other polyvalent cations which helps to improve the soils properties. The detailed information of minerals and their weathering stages helps in understanding the potential of the so-called highly weathered ferruginous 'soils of this part of tropical India.Not Availabl