minerals in soil

Soils are minerals. Even the O horizon of a Histosol is more than 70% minerals on a dry mass basis. In any other soil, minerals account for 95 to even 99.99% of the dry mass. The importance of a given mineral in soil is dependent on its prevalence and, especially, its degree of reactivity.

The distribution of soil minerals varies with particle size (Figure 14.3). Based on grain size fractions as defined in the Canadian System of Soil Classification (SCWG 1998), the sand-size fraction (particles with diameter in the range of 2-0.050 mm) are dominated by primary minerals.

All soil is made up of inorganic mineral particles, organic matter (including living things), air and water. Inorganic mineral particles make up more than half the volume of soil. These particles come from rocks – the parent material that formed the soil. Soil mineral particles are sorted into three groups based on their size – sand, silt and clay.

Mineral content. The bulk of soil consists of mineral particles that are composed of arrays of silicate ions (SiO 44−) combined with various positively charged metal ions. It is the number and type of the metal ions present that determine the particular mineral.

The mineralogy of soils is diverse. For example, a clay mineral called smectite can shrink and swell so much upon wetting and drying (Figure 2) that it can knock over buildings. The most common...

The most common minerals found in soil that support plant growth are phosphorus, and potassium and also, nitrogen gas. Other, less common minerals include calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. The biotic and a biotic factors in the soil are what make up the soil 's composition.

Soil Minerals. Soil minerals play a vital role in soil fertility since mineral surfaces serve as potential sites for nutrient storage. However, different types of soil minerals hold and retain differing amounts of nutrients. Therefore, it is helpful to know the types of minerals that make up your soil so that you can predict the degree to which ...

Primary minerals — including K-feldspars (orthoclase, sanidine, and microcline), micas (muscovite, biotite, and phlogopite), and clay-size micas (illite) — are widely distributed in most soil...

In short, soil is a mixture of minerals, dead and living organisms (organic materials), air, and water. These four ingredients react with one another in amazing ways, making soil one of our planet's most dynamic and important natural resources. Soil is used by people in numerous ways.

Mineral nutrients are usually obtained from the soil through plant roots, but many factors can affect the efficiency of nutrient acquisition. First, the chemistry and composition of certain...