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This lecture explores the process of weathering and clay formation, focusing on the dissolution of K feldspar in water, the transformation of gibbsite to kaolinite, and the impact of mean annual rainfall on clay type. It discusses the influence of closed and open systems on soil clays, the nutrient capital of old and young soils, and the effect of latitude and climate on soil type. The lecture also covers the excluded factors in the thermodynamic approach, the slow kinetics of soil erosion compared to formation, and the importance of mineral weathering for soil nutrient future and capital.