FERRICRETE FORMATION AND RELIEF INVERSION - AN EXAMPLE FROM CENTRAL SUDAN

The development of a ferricrete in relationship to the structural and morphological evolution is demonstrated by the example of Jebel Howag (Kordofan, Sudan). Products of deep lateritic weathering have been rew orked by mass wasting processes. In this material a ferricrete develop ed in a low landscape position by lateral migration and absolute enric hment of iron. Subsequently, relief inversion brought the hard ferricr ete into its present high position. During the Miocene this ferricrete plateau was disrupted by faulting, which has been used to indicate th e minimum age of the ferricrete. The composition and structure of the Jebel Howag ferricrete are identical with those of ferricretes formed on deep lateritic weathering profiles. Compositional differences such as Al-goethite and high V-contents distinguish such ferricretes from f erruginized sediments.