Deposit of the weathering zone, especially in subtropical environments, which may ultimately develop into a hardened mass.

An indurated (qv) surface formed by weathering processes involving cementation of the surface soils and weathered rock by calcite (calcrete), iron oxides (ferricrete, or laterite), silica (silcrete) or other cements.

indurated materials at or just below the surface. The material may be ferruginous, aluminous, siliceous or calcareous, or a combination of these. Siliceous and calcareous materials (cements) are normally referred to as silcrete and calcrete respectively. Significant induration by calcium sulphate is referred to as gypcrete.

A general term for a hard crust on or near the surface of a soil formed in a semi-arid climate; e.g. calcrete, silcrete

Duricrust refers to a thin hard layer on or near the surface of soil, usually a few millimeters to a few centimeters thick.