saprolite
/ˈsæprəlaɪt/
noun
- Soft, weathered rock that has decomposed in place but still retains the original rock's structure.
- The road cut exposed a thick layer of saprolite that crumbled easily in your hands.
- Saprolite forms when chemical weathering breaks down bedrock over thousands of years.
- Miners often dig through saprolite to reach the harder, unweathered ore beneath.