Question

How is the laterite soil formed? Give one feature of this type of soil.

Answer 1

Hint: 1.It is a type of soil as well as rock.
2.It is mostly found in hot weather conditions.
3.In India it was found in 1807.

Complete answer:
Laterite is a kind of soil and rock which was found in India for the first time in Southern part in the year 1807 and described by Francis Buchanan Hamilton. He gave the name ‘laterite’ which is a Latin word derived from ‘later’ which means a ‘brick’.
Laterites are basically formed from the removing of soluble materials from one zone of the soil to another through water named as leaching of the sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, igneous rocks and mineralized proto-ores. It is mainly formed in areas where there is repetition of wet and dry seasons consisting of high temperature which helps in the process of leaching and leaves behind aluminium and iron. This soil is the major source of early nickel which accounts for about 70% of the Earth’s land based. Laterites contribute to around 40% of the world nickel production.

The significant feature of this soil is that it is used in agriculture for the purpose of growing oil palm, tea, coffee and cashew. It possesses a reddish to yellow colour.

Note: 1.In India laterite soil is found in Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Kerala and Assam.
2.Laterite soils are also used for the purpose of building roads or any other construction purpose.
3.Laterite soil is also known as Red laterite soil.