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Classification of common rocks and soils and more

by Dr J Floor Anthoni (2000)
www.seafriends.org.nz/enviro/soil/rocktbl.htm

On this page one finds an overview of common minerals, rocks, soils and their properties, and how they relate. It is a reference source for studying soil. See also the geology glossary for further explanation of geological terms. Since the chemical symbols of the elements are used here, also refer to the periodic table of elements and abundance of elements.

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-- seafriends home -- soil section -- Rev 20001010,20001112,20051122,20070718,



Introduction to this section
The processes inside a magma chamber deep under the surface, produce different kinds of rock, depending on temperature and what has been happening to the process itself. It is an interesting melting pot. Soil is caused by natural weathering of rock, under the influence of climatic factors and vegetation.  Erosion, transportation and sedimentation rearrange the original minerals into new types of sedimentary soil and rock. Accumulating layer upon layer and moved by tectonic plates, sediments become reheated and compressed, thereby changing their structure. Eventually these may resurface as metamorphic rock. This section also contains a summary of the most important soil orders, their properties and how they formed. Finally the properties soil can have, are reviewed as well as some basic soil chemistry. The many ways soil can degrade, ends this section.

Table of contents
Note that this table consists of four parts, contents (this page), part1, part2, part3 and important tables

For suggestions and corrections, please e-mail the author.
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