The Unique Role of Pore Water in Lateritic Bauxite Formation, Republic of Guinea

Аннотация

Results of the hydrogeochemical study of bauxite-bearing lateritic mantles of the Futa Djallon‒Mandingo Province, West Africa, have allowed us to characterize for the first time the pore water of the vadose and infiltration hydrogeological zone. The abundances of major components (aluminum and iron) in the water are shown to be a few orders of magnitude higher than those typical of other water of lateritic mantles. Pore water is proved to be a major factor of the matter redistribution over any bauxite-bearing lateritic profile.