caliche

ca·li·che  (k-lch)

n.

1.

a. A crude sodium nitrate occurring naturally in Chile, Peru, and the southwest United States, used as fertilizer.

b. See sodium nitrate.

2. See hardpan.

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[American Spanish, from Spanish, pebble in a brick, flake of lime, from cal, lime, from Latin calx, calc-, lime; see calx.]

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caliche [kæˈliːtʃɪ]

n

1. (Earth Sciences / Geological Science) a bed of sand or clay in arid regions cemented by calcium carbonate, sodium chloride, and other soluble minerals

2. (Earth Sciences / Geological Science) a surface layer of soil encrusted with calcium carbonate, occurring in arid regions also called calcrete, duricrust

[from American Spanish, from Latin calx lime]

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caliche  (k-lch)

See hardpan.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	caliche - crust or layer of hard subsoil encrusted with calcium-carbonate occurring in arid or semiarid regions hardpan dirt, soil - the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
	2.	caliche - nitrate-bearing rock or gravel of the sodium nitrate deposits of Chile and Peru rock, stone - material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust; "that mountain is solid rock"; "stone is abundant in New England and there are many quarries"