Barreiras Group sediments (Coastal Tablelands) are very poor in primary mineral containing nutrients.To study the distribution of K, Mg and other metals in minerals of clay, silt and sand fractions, 11 samples were collected at depths of 0.7; 1.4; 2.1; 2.8; 3.5; 4.2; 4.9; 5.6; 7.7; 10.5 and 14m, in an exposed sedimentary sequence of the Barreiras Group, in Aracruz (19º49'13"S 40º16'24"W), Espírito Santo, Brazil.The total contents of K, Mg, Ca, Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cr, Sr, and Ga of the bulk sample and of the clay, silt and sand fractions were determined by ICP, after a HF extraction.To estimate the contribution of the mineral species to the total contents of K and Mg, the clay fraction was submitted to sequential and selective mineral extractions.The variation of the total Fe2O3 with depth in the sediment revealed the presence of three plinthic layers, at 2.1, 4.2 and 7.7m depth, mainly, in the silt size.Total contents of K, Mg and Ca in the Barreiras Group sediments were very low, indicating a low reserve of these nutrients.Only for K, the total nutrient content increased with depth in the clay fraction, reaching 618.2mgkg-1 at 14m.The contents of K and Mg in the sand fraction were greater where larger quartz impurity occurred (2.1; 4.2 and 7.7m).The K and Mg reserve in the clay fraction is mainly associated with mica and kaolinite.On the other hand, the contribution of Fe and Al oxides, aluminosilicate amorphous and crystalline Fe oxides was negligible.Clay and silt fractions showed the largest total contents of heavy metals.
sequential extraction; potassium reserve; magnesium reserve; heavy metals