Latentes result from the weathering of a variety of rocks under humid tropical conditions. When developed at the expenses of Mn2+-bearing parent rocks, laterite consists of a thick mantle made up of manganese oxides and hydroxides. Two main examples are described from tropical Africa. The first example displays a lateritic profile on metamorphic rock; the second example deals with lateritic profiles developed on a Precambrian sedimentary rock. From the base to the top of the studied profiles, different Mn hydroxide and oxide sequences have differentiated. Their composition depends on (i) the constitutive parent minerals with vary ing weathering rates, (ii) the intensity of weathering which progresses towards the profile top permitting pseudomorphic replacement of Mn4+ oxides for early formed Mn3+ hydroxides. Most of the manganese ore result from a relative accumulation. However, Mn can also be mobilized in different places of weathering profiles leading to accumulations in other places, mainly at the base of weathering profiles. That absolute accumulation can occur in non-Mn-bearing weathering horizons (kaolinitic horizons) to form Mn nodules in which kaolinite is dissolved. This process provides Al which combines to Mn3+ forming Al-Mn hydroxides (lithiophorite).