MINERALOGY OF SOILS CONTAINING PYROPHYLLITE FROM SOUTHERN SPAIN

Pyrophyllite in the different horizons of typic Haploxeralf and ultic Haploxeralf soils in the south of Spain and developed on shales was studied. The origin of the pyrophyllite in the soils studied was likely to have been in the parent material because the pyrophyllite was detected in shales of Devonian age. The pyrophyllite was isolated from the rest of the minerals, except rutile, by a method previously developed by the authors. We identified the pyrophyllite as type 1Tc by means of x-ray powder diffraction, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry, infrared analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and chemical analysis.