This study investigates the clay mineralogy of permafrost-affected soils derived from predominantly calcareous loess-like material under the cold ultra-continental climatic conditions of Central Yakutia. These soils are named “Palevye (Pale)” following the Russian Classification, or Cryosols (WRB, 2006). Based on the data obtained, the loess-like substrate of Central Yakutia is enriched by chlorite in comparison with that of the loess-like parent material of European Russia. The clay mineralogy of the fine size fractions (<1μm) of all soil profiles is dominated by a smectitic mineral (most likely random mixed-layer illite-smectite and probably chlorite-smectite where smectite is ≥50%), with subordinate chlorite and illite as well as the products of their transformation with smectite (vermiculite) layers <50% in the upper horizons, and finally traces of kaolinite. Pedogenesis has brought about change in the more acidic upper horizons, including a marked reduction in the expandability of the smectitic phase,