The Occurrence and Type of Laterite

Sorowako
Opening Page

Presentation for FORHIMAGI

Ontaeluwu - Sorowako
11 February 2005

This presentation is a compilation from any sources.

Acknowledgement should respectively addressed to
A Waheed and Kadarusman
 Ophiolites
• Ophiolites are fragment of fossil oceanic
lithosphere, which are found in most mountain
ranges of the Earth, either in continents or in
island arcs.
• Ophiolites is present because the oceanic
lithosphere escape from the normal fate (to
return to the deep of mantle, through subduction
zone). The oceanic lithosphere thrusted onto
continentals or island arcs margin due to
particular geotectonic circumstance.
 The East Sulawesi Ophiolite
• The East Sulawesi Ophiolite is one of the three largest ophiolites in the world along with the Oman Ophiolite and the Papua New Guinea Ophiolite

• The origin and age(s) of the ESO are still matters of debate due to incomplete geochemical and geochronological data sets.

• The East Sulawesi Ophiolite is part of rocks in East and SE Arm of Sulawesi, while others are mélange, imbricated sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

• The Ophiolite in East and SE Arm of Sulawesi predominantly ultramafics

 3 Forms of Ophiolite outcrops in Sulawesi

• Large irregular masses

Example : Continuous ultramafic terrain surrounding lakes area

• Imbricated strips following general structure

• Small irregular shape and isolated bodies of ultramafic

Example : Latao, Sua-Sua, Pao-Pao, Pomalaa, Torobulu
 Simple Flow of Laterite in Sorowako

Ophiolite
Ultramafic

Peridotite
Various Degree of Serpentinisation

Dunite Unserpentinised

Low Serpentinisation
Harzburgite
Medium Serpentinisation

Lherzolite High Serpentinisation

 4 Important Geological and Environment
Control to form Laterite Deposit

1. Nature of Underlying Bedrock

Dunite and Harzburgite that carry out higher olivine  higher grading deposit

2. Appropriate climatic factors (rainfall, temperature)

High temperature  breakdown of Fe-Mg minerals
Rainfall  medium for hydrolysis, solution and precipitation

3. Degree of Tectonism
Fault, shear, fracture, joint  provide channel ways for groundwater to
breakdown original mineral structure and remove soluble material

4. Morphology of The Ground

Ideal landforms : terrace, plateau, gentle hill flanks
 Tropical laterite profile
SCHEMATIC LATERITE APPROXIMATE ANALYSIS
PROFILE COMMON (%)
NAME
Ni Co Fe MgO

RED
<0.8 <0.1 >50 <0.5
LIMONITE

0.8 0.1 40 0.5

YELLOW
to to to to
LIMONITE
1.5 0.2 50 5

1.5 25 5
TRANSITION to to to
4 40 15
0.02
to
SAPROLITE/ 1.8 0.1 10 15
GARNIERITE/ to to to
SERPENTINE 3 25 35

35
FRESH
0.3 0.01 5 to
ROCK
45
GENERALIZE LATERITE PROFILE IN SOROWAKO