Mineralogy of Soils Developed on Two Geomorphic Surfaces of the Sutlej Alluvium in the Central Punjab, N.W. India

Three soils developed on the Sutlej terrace and the Sutlej flood and meander plain in the central Punjab have been studied for their mineralogy by optical and x-ray diffraction techniques. Quartz and muscovite are the dominant light minerals in the sand fractions. Biotite, tourmaline, garnet, kyanite and sphene are the major heavy minerals. Illlte, kaolinite, vermiculite, smectite, metahalloysite, hydro-biotite and chlorite are the clay minerals present in the same order of abundance. The flood-plain soil does not show any in situ mineral alterations. The terrace soils show some systematic variations in the depth distribution of day minerals. The influence of geomorphic surfaces and the Himalayan provenance in controlling the mineral composition of soils has been illustrated.