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Regolith profiles developed from a granitic parent rock in a sub-humid climate: implications for pedogenesis and chemical mobility of elements

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Abstract

Regolith profiles develop as a result of weathering of the parent rocks under varying climatic conditions, and weathering trends and mobility of various elements vary according to the parent rocks and climatic conditions. In the present study, regolith profiles developed from a granitic rock near Khajuraho town of central India are investigated to understand the nature of pedogenesis, weathering trend and the mobility of different elements under a sub-humid climatic condition. The regolith profiles show the dominance of oxidation process with the occurrence of clay and ferruginous coatings around the skeletal grains. They contain quartz, K-feldspars, and albite, besides clay minerals in the upper horizons. The regolith profiles show more mobility of Si and Na, which are depleted in the regolith profiles in comparison to the parent rock. The TiO2 vs. SiO2 plot shows strong negative correlation, while the TiO2 vs. Na2O plot shows weak negative correlation because of their depletion in the regolith samples. The regolith contains appreciable amount (4.0–6.0%) of K2O that shows largely increasing trend up-section. In the regolith samples, Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) values are varying from 56.7 to 75.7 and 66.9 to 92.2, respectively. Both CIA and PIA of the regolith samples suggest moderate weathering intensity. The regolith samples show light rare earth elements (LREEs) enrichment in comparison to the parent rock because of their absorption by the clay minerals. The negative europium (Eu) anomaly might have been caused due to the weathering of plagioclases in them. The heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) show negligible variation in comparison to the parent rock despite moderate weathering under sub-humid climates in the regolith samples. The occurrence of K2O in the regolith obtained from the granite may increase nutrient value for agricultural purposes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Director, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology for according permission to carry out a geochemical analysis. The X-ray diffraction analysis was done at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University and for that, we are grateful to the authorities of the Institute. SK is grateful to the authorities of the Banaras Hindu University for sanctioning a DST PURSE fellowship to him. Prof. Abhijit Basu is thanked for reading an earlier version of this manuscript and Prof. D. R. Patnaik is thanked for reading the earlier version of this manuscript. The authors are thankful to the journal reviewers for suggesting modifications.

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Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, PURSE Grant no. 1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    S. Kanhaiya, B. P. Singh & P. Mittal

  2. Professor Rajendra Singh Institute of Physical Sciences, V. B. S. Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, 222003, India

    S. Kanhaiya

  3. Department of Geology, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, Nagaland, India

    A. Patra

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  1. S. Kanhaiya
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SK carried out fieldwork, analyzed the samples and performed interpretations and writing. BPS conceptualized the idea, carried out fieldwork and performed writing and editing. PM performed interpretation and editing. AP performed editing and preparation of the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to B. P. Singh.

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Communicated by Maria Virginia Alves Martins.

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Kanhaiya, S., Singh, B.P., Mittal, P. et al. Regolith profiles developed from a granitic parent rock in a sub-humid climate: implications for pedogenesis and chemical mobility of elements. J. Sediment. Environ. 9, 63–79 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43217-023-00157-3

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