Ferricrete

Ferricrete ( Latin ferrum = iron, Eng. Concrete = concretion ) are very hard crusts of the earth's surface in which iron is involved. It is to cement or iron oxides are oxidized solutions of iron salts.

In South Africa, a region with frequent finds, called the stones also Koffieklip ( = coffee stone). Other names are ferriginous duricrust ( = ferruginous duricrust ), hardpan ( = hardpan ), iron pan ( = iron stone), ouklip gravel ( = Ortsteinkies ) or Ngubane.

Description

They are found near the surface, especially in today's deserts. The color is mottled gray or reddish.

Ferricrete also contain sediments and materials that are not native to the localities, but were transported there.

They appear as hematite or as laterites, the latter with the formula Fe3O3.

Importance

Ferricrete evidence of relief formation at the time of the Tertiary.

Formation

Ferricrete arose under similar circumstances as silcrete. So it was in the early Tertiary to a planar rinsing the floor or Zersatzdecke. It may have been washed over and lands of lowland rivers. The result was a mostly complete relief compensation, which affected in amphibious, so poorly -drained landscape.

Near-surface groundwater or soil water now resulted in the precipitation of silica ( silcrete ) or just iron oxide ( Ferricrete ). In Ferricreten resulted depending on the amount a gray or mottled - red color.

Use

Ferricrete are often used for road construction in rural areas of South Africa.