The clay mineral composition in soil varies regularly with the vertical distribution of soils on the north slope of Mt. Taibai. From the altitude of 1330 m on which the mountain cinnamon soil developed on residual deposits of marble contains dominantly hydromicas with some montmorillonit.e and kaolinite. To the altitude of 1570 m on which the mountain brown earth developed on the residual deposits of gneiss under mixed forest of coniferous and broad-leaved trees is predominated by hydromicas and vermiculite with a small quantity of montmorillonite and chlorite;while on the altitude above 2790 m, the mountain podzolic soil derived from the same parent material under fir forest contains large quantity of vermiculite and montmorillonite and accumulates more iron oxides in the lower layer of the profile. With the transition from forest to alpine meadow on the altitude of 3744 m, the mountain meadow soil there contains also mainly hydromicas with more vermiculite and montmorillonite.