| Hornblende etching holds great promise as a relative weathering indicator and as another soil development indicator. This research was designed to test hornblende denticulation amplitude as a weathering indicator, by comparing it to a standard weathering indicator (quartz/feldspar ratios), and to determine its reliability as an indicator of soil development by comparing it to four soils in various stages of development. The natural weathering of hornblende produces etching, which results in a “denticulated” margin. These features gradually and systematically increase in depth and size. In this study, hornblende denticulation amplitude measurements exhibited a clear trend showing more extensively weathered grains up profile, and therefore should be considered an indicator of weathering. Hornblende denticulation amplitude is a record of weathering, which perhaps more accurately reflects weathering intensity rather than duration. The denticulation amplitude measurements also mimicked the soil development order of the four soils showing that it will also serve as a relative weathering indicator among soils of the same age. Due to the fact that it correlated with the rank order of soil development, it can also be used as a soil development indicator. In this study, mineral weathering appears to be related to the degree of soil development in soils representing different degrees of development but of the same age. |
