Soils formed from serpentinized rocks or serpentinites constitute a special group of soils on the earth surface. These rocks present ultramafic characteristics, with more than 70 % mafic minerals (iron and magnesium oxides). The mineralogy of serpentinites is poor in silica and aluminum and very rich in Mg. Only few studies have looked into the morphology, mineralogy, genesis and classification of soils developed on this type of parent material. In the humid-tropical climate of southwestern Minas Gerais state, three representative soil profiles were taken from the Morro do Ferro, in the Greenstone Belt area, on young geomorphic surfaces. They were characterized by macro and micromorphological descriptions, particle size distribution and chemical analysis, and X ray mineralogical analysis of the clay and sand fractions. The geochemical alterations in the soil horizons were characterized by EDRX microanalyses of soil thin sections. The soils were classified as Haplic Phaeozern Eutric Regosol and chromic Cambisol. Although these soils are developed in a climate that favors quick weathering, from a morphological and mineralogical point of view they are similar to soils derived from serpentinized rocks in sub-tropical and temperate regions. The process of soil formation shows an evolution of the related distribution as follows: rock alteration ® fragmic related distribution ® vughy porphyric related distribution ® open porphyric related distribution due to vugh coalescence. Argilluviation is evident and appears in two different phases: primary argilluviation that occurs between fissures and vughs formed by rock alteration and secondary argilluviation found in the more open and evolved coalesced vughs. The mineralogy of these soils is somewhat uncommon for tropical soils, with the presence of easily weatherable primary minerals in the clay fraction, especially talc, trioctahedral chlorite and, to a lesser extent, tremolite. The latter is abundant in the silt fraction. Iron oxides, kaolinite and chlorite-smectite and chlorite-vermiculite interlayers complete the mineralogical assembly. The evolution tends towards an argilic B horizon with 1:1 clay mineralogy and high iron oxide contents. In the initial weathering stages the chemical composition of the alteromorphs is similar to the soil aggregates, with a strong loss of Mg, Ca and Si and relative Al and Fe accumulation. In all studied situations a superficial re-juvenescence due to differential erosion had occurred. This process led to the accumulation of coarse particles and removal of fine material, contributing to the increment of the textural gradient.
pedogenesis; ultrabasic rocks; soil micromorphology; EDRX microanalysis; talc in soils
