Mineralogical Assessment of Soils Developed on Andesitic Materials at Mt. Karadag, Karaman from Central Anatolia

This study the mineralogical characteristics of, the soils from Mt. Karadag, whose climate is semi-arid were investigated. For this purpose, samples were taken from the horizons after their macromorphological identifications were completed in all profiles and analysis for mineralogical properties was carried out. these soils lacked non-crystalline minerals like allophane, imogolite, and iron humus complexes. The only noncrystalline minerals that are present are, in great quantities, Al-humus complexes and, in small quantities, ferrihydrite. Crystallized Fe minerals were higher than the other Fe minerals. Feldspar and quartz were more common primer minerals. Hematite was also found in the profiles. X-ray diffraction indicates kaolinite and illite were dominant minerals in clay fractions. Furthermore, a considerable amount of chlorite-smectite interstrafied mineral was found to occur in the clay fraction. The local climate; which, due to its short wet season and extended dry season, experiences a lower degree of leaching that prevents rapid soil genesis, causes an increase in Si concentrations in the soil solution, and favors neogenesis of crystalline clays such as kaolinite and illite, thereby consuming a large amount of Al and Si derived from the parent material as opposed to poorly crystalline colloidal constituents such as allophone.