laterite


laterite

Soil layer rich in iron oxide and sometimes aluminum, derived from a wide variety of rocks by leaching. It forms in tropical and subtropical regions where the climate is humid. Laterite is blackish brown to reddish and has been used as an iron ore and, in Cuba, as a source of nickel.

This entry comes from Encyclopædia Britannica Concise.
For the full entry on laterite, visit Britannica.com.

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