Ruling out the alternatives: Laterite soils form through intense weathering and leaching in hot, humid tropical climates.
During this process, silica and bases like calcium are leached away, so calcium is depleted rather than enriched, ruling out that option; carbon stays low because high temperatures speed up organic matter decomposition, ruling out that option too; and copper is not the defining element of laterization.
What remains behind and accumulates as relatively insoluble sesquioxides is iron (with aluminium), giving laterite its characteristic red colour, so iron is correct.