saprolite

American  

[sap-ruh-lahyt] / ˈsæp rəˌlaɪt /

noun

Petrography.

1. soft, disintegrated, usually more or less decomposed rock remaining in its original place.

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saprolite British  

/ ˈsæprəʊlɪt /

noun

1. a deposit of earth, clay, silt, etc, formed by decomposition of rocks that has remained in its original site

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saprolite Scientific  

/ săp′rə-līt′ /

1. Soft, thoroughly decomposed and porous rock, often rich in clay, formed by the in-place chemical weathering of igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. Saprolite is especially common in humid and tropical climates. It is usually reddish brown or grayish white and contains those structures (such as cross-stratification) that were present in the original rock from which it formed.

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Other Word Forms

• saprolitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of saprolite

First recorded in 1890–95; sapro- + -lite

Example Sentences

Its Bahodopi mine starts production in 4Q 2025, followed by the Pomalaa mine in 3Q 2026 and the Sorowako mine in 4Q 2026, boosting saprolite production to 12.9 million wet metric tons and limonite output to 30 million wet metric tons by 2027, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal