Eluvial

/ɪˈluːviəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or consisting of eluvium; describing material formed by in-place weathering of rock.

Etymology

From Latin 'eluvium' with the adjectival suffix '-al,' describing the characteristics and processes related to surface weathering and material accumulation.

Kelly Says

Eluvial soils are treasure maps for geologists—the concentration of rare minerals in weathered material can reveal exactly what kind of parent rock lies beneath and sometimes even where ore deposits exist.

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