Department of Soils, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab
*Present address: Department of Agronomy, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
Fe-Mn concretions separated from two alluvium-derived soils in the central Punjab have been analysed for their distribution, composition and mineralogy. The concretions are characterized bv the accumulation of Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu as compared to the surrounding soil matrix. The content of Mn increases with the increasing size of concretions and that of Fe exhibits an opposite trend. Cu and Zn do not show any systematic variations with concretion size. Fe and Mn compounds in the concretions have not crystallized into minerals and are X-ray amorphous. A mechanism of the genesis of Fe-Mn concretions is discussed.
Fe-Mn concretions, amorphous materials, micronutrient content
