GEO-HYDRO-CHEMISTRY OF LATOSOL MINERALOGY: SMD AND WESTERN CATCHMENT OF CHILIKA LAGOON, INDIA

Buchanan?s laterite in slab form is ranked in construction materials next to concrete and brick, a major groundwater recharging source which covers 10.6% of the inland surface area in India. The residual rock of sandstone (basalt) is soft when in the mines so that it can be easily cut to slabs for structures which gradually strengthen on air exposure. The vesicular character deteriorates the water quality standards both surface and underground of an area. The Laterization process involves detachment/leaching of silica, alkali and alkaline earth materials from sandstone by wetting and drying process in tropics forming sesqui-oxide (Fe2O3+Al2O3) as laterite rocks or soil (morrum). Present work envisages characteristic study of geotechnical, geochemical, hydrogeological and structural properties of the laterite rock/ soil of the caped/shaded areas in Bhubaneswar, Jatni, Golabai and Tangi of south Mahanadi delta and western catchment of the lagoon Chilika in Khurdha district, Odisha, India. Omnian software and the Epsilon 3 module based XRF spectrometer was used for chemical analysis of the lateritic soil, surface water, and groundwater and the results were compared with BHVO-2 of USGS. The soil samples exhibit Eu+ anomaly. The results infer the non-availability of toxic heavy metals in surface and groundwater such as F, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ag, and Ni are of major concern but an excess of heavy metals of secondary contaminants found are P, Fe, and Sn. The observed in the availability of the aqua habitats and aqua plants in the lakes created in Laterite mines can be explained by higher values of dissolved oxygen and tin.