VI. The Age of Laterites

Extract

Professor Lacroix finally states his views on the age of various sorts of laterite, regarding it as probable that all the phenomena considered in his memoir are still in a state of active evolution, although no direct observation of this can be made, except in the case of ferruginous concretionary action at the surface of the cuirass. But he gives evidence to show that the process of lateritization must be a slow one. There are laterites of at least two ages, as proved by the eroded cliffs of ‘fossil laterite’ contrasted with the latérite d'alluvions of the valleys, these two types corresponding in position to our Indian high-level laterite and low-level laterite. He finally concludes that (p. 351)—

“Le début de la latérisation en Guinée est fort ancien et date peut-être de plusieurs périodes géologiques, sans qu'il possible de songer à aucune précision en l'absence de toute formation sedimentaire datée.”