Genesis and mineralogical classification of Ni-laterites, Oman Mountains

Mobilization and Redistribution of Elements in Laterites of Semail Ophiolite, Oman: A Mass Balance Study

“…The mineralogical and geochemical charcterization of nine laterite profiles from four separate areas (Ibra, East Ibra, Al-Russayl, and Tiwi) located along a NW-SE transect across the Oman Mountains (Figure 1) have been previously reported [1,12,16,17], where they showed variations in their thickness as well as in their geochemical and mineralogical characteristics. For the purpose of this study, these nine profiles have been combined into seven profiles (Figure 2), where the East Ibra profiles # 1 and 2 were combined as one profile (designated as composite profile #1 and #2) and Al-Russayl profiles # 2 and 3 were combined as one profile (designated as composite profile #1 and #2).…”

“…A detailed description of these laterites is given in [12,16,17]. The laterites of the Oman Mountains belong to the Qahlah Formation that lies unconformably on the obducted Semail ophiolite (96.4 Ma.)…”

“…This formation was assigned a Maastrichtian age [14] based on the presence of Loftusia. The Late Cretaceous laterites generally occur as patches having a lateral extension of more than 100 km, but are entirely absent at some locations [12].…”

“…For the purpose of this study, these nine profiles have been combined into seven profiles (Figure 2), where the East Ibra profiles # 1 and 2 were combined as one profile (designated as composite profile #1 and #2) and Al-Russayl profiles # 2 and 3 were combined as one profile (designated as composite profile #1 and #2). Geological and location map of the studied areas (adapted from [12,19]). …”

“…The current research is part of an ongoing research project by the first author, investigating lateritic soils from the Northern Oman Mountains, where the samples were collected from each zone (from the surface downward to the parent rock) of the investigated laterite profiles [12]. The parent rocks consist either of layered gabbro or peridotite of about c.96.4 Ma [13].…”