calcrete

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Science & Tech

calcrete

geology

Also known as: caliche, hardpan

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

San Miguel Island: calcrete

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Category: Science & Tech

Also called:: Hardpan

Related Topics:: duricrust; limestone

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calcrete, calcium-rich duricrust, a hardened layer in or on a soil. It is formed on calcareous materials as a result of climatic fluctuations in arid and semiarid regions. Calcite is dissolved in groundwater and, under drying conditions, is precipitated as the water evaporates at the surface. Rainwater saturated with carbon dioxide acts as an acid and also dissolves calcite and then redeposits it as a precipitate on the surfaces of the soil particles; as the interstitial soil spaces are filled, an impermeable crust is formed.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.