GALLIUM BEHAVIOR IN WEATHERING PROFILES O F PARANA BASIN BASALTS, BRAZIL

Geochemical behaviour of gallium is generally considered as similar to that of aluminium. A study of weathering profiles from Parana basalts , Brazil, shows that gallium's true behaviour is more complex. It can be associated to aluminium in kaolinite, with a positive correlation b etween the gallium and aluminium contents, or to iron in oxi-hydroxide s, with a similar correlation between gallium and iron contents. In we athering processes, it is very important to know the mineralogical loc alization of a chemical element for a good understanding of his geoche mical behaviour.