The Soil Profile: The Structure of Plant – Mineral Interaction Space

Abstract

Overall the transformation of rock into altered material is one that changes the chemical associations of the materials found in rocks. Rocks are formed at temperatures above those of the surface of the earth, by burial and thermal hot spots due to movement of molten materials coming from great depths. When these mineral assemblages are exposed to abundant water resources at low temperatures, they become unstable in a thermodynamic and chemical sense. New minerals are formed. If one looks at the overall result of such events, it appears that some elements are taken from the mineral phase while others are left within the solid materials. Li and Schoonmaker (2004) indicate that the composition of average shales, which represent the soils of the earth moved into sedimentary basins, are much the same as average crustal rocks.