ABSTRACT
The name laterite was rst used for this group of soils, as introduced by Buchanan in 1807 (see Prescott and Pendleton, 1952), and from which the term laterization is derived for the weathering and soil-forming processes of this soil. This has led to the development of names such as laterites, lateritic soils, and latosols. Generally, it is accepted that the process of formation of this kind of soil involves the removal of silica, alkali, and alkaline earth with the consequent concentration of iron and aluminum oxides and their hydrated forms. The latter was discussed in Chapter 5.
