Weathering rinds developed on plutonic igneous rocks in the North Carolina piedmont.

Abstract

The appearance of weathering rinds developed on unmetamorphosed plutonic igneous rocks in the North Carolina Piedmont varies with lithology. Granites and adamellites develop few, but thick, clay-rich rindlets in their weathering rind systems. Gabbros and syenites develop many, thin, limonite-rich rindlets concentric about cores of fresh rock. Orientation and propagation of solution channels in weathered rock control the appearance of weathering rinds developed on that rock. However, these parameters are greatly influenced by dissolution-produced void space within rock. -from Authors