USDA
EPA
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Science & Education Administration
Cooperative Research
Washington DC 20250
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
EPA-600/7-79-253
December 1979
              Research and Development
              Soil
              Development and
              Nitrates  in Minesoil

              Interagency
              Energy/Environment
              R&D  Program
              Report

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                 RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES

 Research reports of the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
 Protection Agency, have been grouped into nine series. These nine broad cate-
 gories were established to facilitate further development and application of en-
 vironmental technology. Elimination of traditional grouping was consciously
 planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields.
 The nine series are:

      1.  Environmental Health Effects Research
      2.  Environmental Protection Technology
      3.  Ecological Research
      4.  Environmental Monitoring
      5.  Socioeconomic Environmental Studies
      6.  Scientific and Technical Assessment Reports (STAR)
      7.  Interagency Energy-Environment Research and Development
      8.  "Special" Reports
      9.  Miscellaneous Reports

 This report has been assigned to the INTERAGENCY ENERGY-ENVIRONMENT
 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT series. Reports in this series result from the
 effort funded under the  17-agency Federal Energy/Environment Research and
 Development Program. These studies relate to EPA's mission to protect the public
 health and welfare from adverse effects of pollutants associated with energy sys-
 tems. The goal of the Program is to assure the rapid development of domestic
 energy  supplies in an environmentally-compatible manner by providing the nec-
 essary environmental data and control technology. Investigations include analy-
 ses of the transport of energy-related pollutants and their health and ecological
 effects; assessments of, and  development  of, control technologies for energy
 systems; and integrated assessments of a wide range of energy-related environ-
 mental  issues.
This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
tion Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.

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                                                           EPA-600/7-79-253
                                                           December 1979
                       SOIL DEVELOPMENT AND NITRATES
                                IN MINESOIL

                                    by

                    P.  C.  Singleton and D.  A. Barker
                 Wyoming Agricultural  Experiment Station
                          University of Wyoming
                              P.  0. Box 3354
                           University Station
                         Laramie,  Wyoming 82071

                         SEA/CR IAG no. 0071201
                           Grant  no. 684-15-35

                            Project Director
                              J.  A. Asleson
                    Agricultural  Experiment Station
                        College of Agriculture
                       Montana State University
                        Bozeman,  Montana  59715
                          Program Coordinator
                            Eilif V. Miller
              Mineland Reclamation Research Program
  Science and Education Administration - Cooperative Research
                U. S. Department of Agriculture
                     Washington,  D. C. 20250

                         Project Officer
                          Ronald  D. Hill
           Resource Extraction and Handling Division
   Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory - Cincinnati
                   Cincinnati, Ohio  45268
    This study was conducted in cooperation with the Science and Education
Administration, Cooperative Research U.S.D.A., Washington, D.C.  20250
                INDUSTRIAL  ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
                    OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
                   U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                           CINCINNATI, OHIO  45268

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                                DISCLAIMER

     This report has been reviewed by the Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory-Cincinnati, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,  and approved
for publication.  Approval does not signify that the contents  necessarily
reflect the views and policies of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorse-
ment or recommendation for use.

     The views and conclusions contained in this report are those of the
authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies
or recommendations of the Science and Education Administration-Cooperative
Research, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
                                   ii

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                                  FOREWORD


     When energy and material resources are extracted, processed, converted,
and used, the related pollutlonal Impacts on our environment and even on our
health often require that new and increasingly more efficient pollution
control methods be used.  The Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory-
Cincinnati (lERL-Ci) assists in developing and demonstrating new and improved
methodologies that will meet these needs both efficiently and economically.

     This work was designed to measure the effect of soil forming processes
on mine spoil material of known age and to determine the amount of nitrate
in different age minesoils.  The results of this work should be of interest
to the soil scientist and reclamation specialist involved in the  reclamation
of land disturbed by coal mining.  For further information contact the authors
or the Extraction Technology Branch of the Resource Extraction and Handling
Division.
                                          David G.  Stephan
                                              Director
                           Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
                                             Cincinnati
                                     iii

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                                  ABSTRACT
     Samples of minesoils from 16- and 40-year-old mine spoil piles were
analyzed in the laboratory for various chemical and physical properties to
ascertain to what extent the materials have been influenced by pedogenic
processes during their relatively brief time of exposure.  Nitrate levels
in the minesoils were also measured to determine if a potential hazard
exists.  Results of the study indicated that both the 16- and 40-year-old
materials showed signs of incipient soil development.  The data also showed
that nitrate levels in the minesoils are higher than in adjacent undisturbed
native soils.  In general however, the levels in the minesoil still are
within the range normally expected for arable soils.  It also appears
that the nitrate level in the minesoil decreases with time of exposure.

     This report was submitted in fulfillment of Contract No. 684-15-35
by the University of Wyoming under the sponsorship of the U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency.  This report covers the period August 7, 1976 to
September 30, 1978.
                                    1v

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                                  CONTENTS
Foreword	iii
Abstract	iv
Figures	vi
Tables   	vii
Acknowledgment 	   ix

     Introduction  	    1
     Conclusions   	    2
     Recommendations 	    4
     Review of Literature  	    5
     Description of the Area	    9
     Methods of Study	10
     Results and Discussion	15
     Summary	28

References	29
Appendices	30

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                                   FIGURES
Number                                                                    page

  1.   This picture shows an area in the vicinity of Hanna
         pits 1 and 2.  On the right hand side can be seen
         undisturbed native range in contrast to sparsely
         vegetated minesoil on the left	     11
                                     VI

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                                   TABLES


Number                                                                    Page

  1.   Maximum depths to which materials were sampled  .........    12

  2.   Laboratory data of unweathered overburden material
         from Hanna and Elmo spoil piles and from the
         Elmo native soil parent material  ...............    16

  3.   Percentage of sand, silt and clay at various
         depths in the profile of several "orphan spoil
         piles" and a native soil in the areas of Hanna
         and Elmo, Wyoming .......................    17

  4.   Analysis of Variance Tables of clay content for
         the Hanna and Elmo minesoils from a Randomized
         Complete Block design .....................    13

  5.   Differences in pH between the Hanna and Elmo
         minesoils
  6.   Analysis of Variance Tables of Electrical
         Conductivity for the Hanna and Elmo minesoils
         from a Randomized Complete Block design ............   19

  7.   Differences in (Ec) with depth for the Hanna and
         Elmo minesoils as tested with Duncan's New
         Multiple Range Test:  with equal replications ..... ....   20

  8.   Two Analysis of Variance Tables for Ca   and
         Mg"*"* for the 16-year-old Hanna minesoils from a
         Randomized Complete Block design  ...............   20

  9.   Differences in two divalent cations with depth,
         for the Hanna minesoils as tested with Duncan's
         New Multiple Range Test:  with equal replica-
         tions ....... . ............. ........   21

 10.   Multiple Regression Analysis of the 16-year-old
         Hanna minesoils  for electrical conductivity, as
         explained by Ca4"1" and Mg4^  ..................   21
                                       V11

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                             TABLES (continued)
Number
 11.   Analysis of Variance Tables of K+ content for the
         Hanna and Elmo minesoils from a Randomized
         Complete Block design	   22

 12.   Differences in (K4") with depth for the Elmo
         and Hanna minesoils as tested with Duncan's New
         Multiple Range Test:  with equal replications 	   22

 13.   CaCO  percent for the Hanna and Elmo minesoils
         and the Elmo Native Soil	   24

 14.   A comparison of NC^-N in the Hanna 16-year-old
         minesoil, Elmo 40-year-old minesoil and Elmo
         Native Soil III	   25

 15.   Sodium absorption ratios for the Hanna and Elmo
         minesoils	   26
                                    viii

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                               ACKNOWLEDGMENT
     We wish to thank the Rosebud Coal Sales Company for allowing the study
to be conducted on their property.  And special thanks to Mr.  Dave Evans,
reclamation officer,   Rosebud Coal Sales Company for his assistance in
selecting sites for the study.  Thanks also go to Dr. Gerald Schuman and
Mr. Frank Rauzi, U.S.D.A.-S.E.A., and Dr. Steve Williams, University of
Wyoming, for their expert advice during the study.
                                    IX

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                                INTRODUCTION


     Federal legislation enacted in 1977 as well as previous Wyoming laws
have resulted in mandatory reclamation of areas disturbed by mining.  Many
spoil piles resulting from early mining done prior to the establishement of
such laws were left abandoned.  These undisturbed so-called, "orphan
spoils" provide excellent conditions for pedogenic studies on materials of
datable age.  Spoil may be defined as a mixture of overburden and discarded
coal.

     It is generally recognized that soil development under natural conditions
is a slow process requiring from several hundred to many thousands of years.
A study of minesoils should allow one to determine the changes that occur in
the profile during the early stages of soil development.

     The objectives of this study were to determine:

          1)  If measurable changes have occurred in the profile of mine-
     soils during their relatively brief time of exposure to pedogenic
     processes.

          2)  The nitrate content of different age minesoils and to compare
     with the amount contained in adjacent native soils.

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                                 CONCLUSIONS
1.   The overburden material at the Hanna site differed considerably from
     that at the Elmo site in texture, pH and CaCO  content.  Since the
     Hanna Geological formation is so variable witn respect to thickness
     and composition of individual strata from one location to another,
     the spoil piles from this formation are a hodgepodge of sandstone,
     shales, and mixtures of both with no predictable sequence of horizon-
     ation.

2.   Evidence of soil development:

     a.   K enrichment has occurred in the surface 5 cm of both the 16-
          and 40-year-old minesoils.  The enrichment is thought to result
          from biocycling of K.

     b.   Some downward movement of soluble salts has occurred in the
          sandy loam textured Hanna minesoil as indicated by an increase
          in electrical conductivity (Ec) to a depth of 30 to 45 cm (12
          to 18 inches).

     c.   Soluble Ca and Mg salts are primarily responsible for the
          increase in EC with the highest concentration of soluble Ca
          and Mg occurring near the base of the root zone at a depth of
          30 to 45 cm.

3.   There is no evidence of translocation of clay in the minesoils after 16
     or 40 years of exposure.

4.   There is no evidence of CaCO- movement in the minesoils.

5.   The slightly acid pH thoughout the profile of the Elmo minesoil
     reflects the presence of acid forming pyritic minerals in the over-
     burden and the absence of CaCO- to neutralize the acidity.

6.   The slightly alkaline reaction of the Hanna minesoil results from the
     CaCO, present in the overburden and its neutralizing effect on the
     potential acidity.

7.   The Hanna and Elmo minesoils and the Elmo native soil all contain more
     oxidizable carbon than is normal for soils of arid climates.  Very
     fine coal dust dispersed throughout the minesoils and native soil mask
     the organic matter which is contributed by active biotic forces that
     is normally considered to be the true soil organic matter.

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8.   Nitrates are not a potential pollutant.   The minesoils studied  con-
     tained more nitrates than nearby native  soil, however, the amounts
     were not excessive being near the upper  end of the range of nitrates
     found in arable soils.   The level of nitrates in the minesoils  did
     decrease with age of the minesoil.

9.   Sodium presents no hazard in the minesoils studied as reflected by
     the low sodium absorption ratios which ranged from 0.19 to 2.01,
     well below the levels of 12 to 15 which  indicate potential management
     problems.

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                               RECOMMENDATIONS


 1.    The  sparseness of vegetation and the near absence of soil development
      on abandoned minesoils at Elmo and Hanna, Wyoming indicate a need for
      proper land preparation and topsoiling of disturbed lands in future
      mining operations before revegetating.  Topsoiling is necessary even
      though the normal diagnostic tests may show overburden materials to
      be very similar chemically and in some respects physically, to the
      topsoil.  It must be recognized that topsoil differs from overburden
      in many ways that normal diagnostic tests do not evaluate—to mention
      a few:  first, the tests do not evaluate the biotic regime of the
      topsoil which has a very dynamic effect on plant growth; second,
      topsoil is a source of native seeds which can aid in the revegetation
      process; and third, topsoil will normally have well developed stable
      aggregation which can greatly improve plant air-water relationships
      over that found in poorly aggregated overburden materials.

2.    There is no technical need for reworking of old abandoned "Orphan
      Spoils" if tests show the surface 50 cm contain no toxic materials,
      natural revegetation is occurring and erosion is not a significant
      factor.  However,  from a standpoint of aesthetics, many of the old
      abandoned spoils should be reshaped,  topsoiled, and revegetated in
      order to blend in with the natural landscape.

3.   Abandoned "Orphan Spoils" on which natural revegetation is not occurring
     because of unfavorable chemical or physical conditions should be
      reshaped to blend  with the natural topography,  topsoiled to a depth
     of at least 30 to  45 cm,  and seeded to appropriate vegetation.

4.   It is recommended  that a method be developed to determine what fraction
     of the easily oxidizable carbon results from fine coal dust and what
     fraction results  from true soil organic matter  as the term normally
     implies.   Such a method would  greatly aid in studies like this,
     where the  amount of  biotic activity that has occurred in the soil  is
     being inferred from  the amount of  organic matter that has accumulated
     in the soil profile.

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                            REVIEW OF LITERATURE


     When considering the topic of soil, as in other scientific disciplines,  a
working definition of the subject must be stated and agreed upon.   The utility
of such a definition will vary with its intended use as in the disciplines of
pedology and edaphology.  Brady (1974) states, "Edaphology is the  study of the
soil from the standpoint of higher plants.  It considers the various properties
of soil as they relate to plant production."  Another edaphological definition
states "soil is the natural medium for the growth of land plants,  whether or
not it has 'developed1 soil horizons," (Soil Survey Staff, 1962).   Although
these definitions satisfy the needs of the edaphologists, they do  not meet the
requirements of pedologists.  Buol, et al. (1973) speaking as a pedologist,
takes exception to soils merely being a medium for plant growth stating that,
"such a definition is unsatisfactory in that it is dependent upon  something
besides soil."  He further defines soil as, "a natural body of mineral and
organic matter which changes or has changed in response to climate and organisms
The change is called soil genesis."  Thus, the pedologist is concerned with
the evolution of a natural body through chemical and biological pedogenic
processes which results in a decrease in entropy of the system as  represented
by soil profile development.

     The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) definition of soil has, to a
certain extent, incorporated both the edaphologist's and pedologist's points
of view.  The agency defines soil as "the unconsolidated mineral and organic
matter on the immediate surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium
for the growth of land plants"  (EPA, 1976).  This definition, though more
edaphologic in nature, does incorporate elements of the pedologic  concept of
soil, i.e., "unconsolidated mineral and organic matter."  However, it ignores
the genetic nature of soil, again relegating it to a medium for plant growth.
For the purposes of this inquiry, soil will be considered as "a natural body
consisting of layers or horizons of mineral and/or organic constituents of
variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent material in their morpholo-
gical, physical, chemical and mineralogical properties and their biological
characteristics" (Birkeland, 1974).

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 SOIL GENESIS, A MODEL

      The tendency of soils to develop in different ways,  from similar if not
 comparable origins,  is attributable to five independent variables known as
 "soil forming factors" (Jenny, 1941).  Jenny expressed his five soil forming
 factors in the empirical relationship,  s = f (cl,  o,  r, p, t),  where "s" is
 the soil system (dependent),  cl = climate, o = organisms,  r = topography,
 p = parent material  and t = time.  From this relationship, Jenny indicates that
 "for a given combination of cl, o,  r, p and t, the state  of the soil system is
 fixed; only one type of soil  exists under these conditions." The possible
 combinations from this relationship lead other researchers to isolate two
 dominate processes of pedogenesis:   first, the decay  of organic residues with
 subsequent formation of the soil organic constituent,  namely humus;  and
 second,  the decomposition (mechanical and chemical) of mineral  compounds from
 parent rocks, with the creation of  new complexes (Glinka,  1963).   The logical
 consequence of these two processes  is that soil should be  composed of two
 solid constituents,  mineral and organic,  with  the  greatest volume being
 normally occupied by the mineral fraction as liberated by  weathering (Gerasimov
 and Glazovskaya,  1965).


 WEATHERING

      Weathering is defined  as  the disintegration and  decomposition of the
 primary  minerals,  (Rode,  1961).   The  relative  rate at  which this  occurs has
 been related to the  stability  of a  mineral at  the earth's  surface (Fridland,
 1967).   Mineral stability appears to  be  directly correlated to  "the  progres-
 sive increase in  the sharing of  oxygens  between adjacent silica tetrahedra"
 (Birkeland,  1974), while  inversely  related to  the temperature at  which the
 mineral  formed.

      In  examining  weathering processes,  recognition of  both the physical and
 chemical aspects  is  important.   However,  Reiche (1962)  has  pointed out that
 "the essentially  physical weathering  processes  are of  secondary importance."
 Of  the five  processes which fall  into this category,  (unloading,  thermal
 expansion and  contraction,  crystal  growth,  colloid plucking, organic  activity),
 only two,  crystal  growth  and unloading, are  especially  significant.   While
 physical  weathering  may not command the recognition that chemical weathering
 holds, it initiates  an increase  in  available surface area of geologic  materials
 and  is therefore a prerequisite  for chemical weathering (Rode,  1962).   Hunt
 (1972) states,  "the  processes  that  cause weathering, whether mechanical,
 chemical  or  biological, depend on the entrance  of water into joints or
 partings  in  the rock or into the pore spaces between mineral grains."  Although
water as  a mechanism for  all weathering may be  debated, it  is the foundation .
 upon which chemical weathering proceeds.   Reiche (1962) states,  "Under  these
 circumstances, hydration is a surface adsorption, and calls into play hydrolo-
sis.  It  is  the forerunner of all the more profound chemical alterations."

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 PRECIPITATION

      Ideas as to  the  effect  of precipitation on  the development of soils are
 not  new.   Joffe  (1936)  states, "Water plays as important a role in the soil
 as blood  does in  the  animal  organism.   Its movement through the parent material
 determines the features of the soil profile."  Water can then be considered
 a factor  in the rate  and depth of profile development.  However, under condi-
 tions of  similar  climate (precipitation inclusive), where organisms, topography
 and  time  are constant,  parent material  will ultimately determine the direction
 of soil development.
SPOIL AND PARENT MATERIAL

     Spoil, by nature, is a heterogenous mixture of geologic material, the
properties of which are determined by the proportions of various types of
sedimentary rocks they contain.  Grube et al. (1974), suggest that "rock
type distinctions can help indicate future soil particle sizes,  rates of
soil development, and contribution of minerals to soil chemical properties."
However, application of Grube's suggestion is rather difficult because, as
Schroer (1976) has shown, the chemical and physical properties of overburden
vary vertically, horizontally and between sites on the same or similar strata.
Smith, Tryon and Tyner (1971), in comparing 70 to 130-year-old iron ore mine
spoils to natural soils of the Morgantown, West Virginia area, concluded,
"Natural soil proved superior to the old spoils in bulk densities (lower),
porosity (higher), soil structure development, infiltration, nitrogen or
organic matter especially near the surface, surface texture (more loamy),
and smoother land surface"; while spoils were superior in "depth for plant
rooting, total available water holding capacity, and certain plant nutrients."
However, both materials were similar in mineralogy and pH.  Sobek and Smith
(1971), in examining the properties of selected barren coal mine spoils over
one coal seam in West Virginia, showed mean pH values ranged from 2.8 to 5.0.
Smith et al. (1974) attributed such acidic values to the oxidation of pyrite
and marcasite and suggested that the presence of inherent free carbonates
or the artificial maintenance of pH values of above 5.5 would either neutralize
sulfuric acid formed by oxidation of pyritic sulfur, or would inhibit microbial
oxidation of pyrite.


SPOIL AS SOIL

     The classification of minesoils, until recently, was not considered
practical.  Smith et al. (1975)1/ states, "Prior to the development of the new
comprehensive soil classification system by the National Cooperative Soil
Survey, mine spoil was not considered to be soil."  Delp (1978)  states, "In
the proposed system, minesoils would be classified at the order level as
Entisols.   Pedogenic horizons were either weak or absent in nearly all the
profiles studied."  Classification on the series level is highly complex
because of the extreme variability in composition of parent materials (spoil)
and the lack of knowledge concerning dominant genetic processes.

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MINESOILS

     Grube et al. (1974) states that, "an apparent deficiency of minesoils as
compared to undisturbed soils, is the absence of near surface organic matter."
Smith et al. (1974) notes, "Even in minesoils as old as 70 to 100 years, no

recognizable illuvial clay skins have been observed."  Smith, Tryon and Tyner
(1971), in a study of West Virginia iron ore spoils, concluded, "Apparently,
leaching, organic litter deposition on the surface, and other soil forming
processes, have failed to differentiate pH horizons clearly during 70 to more
than 100 years."  The general conclusions are that soil forming processes,
though operative, have not yet developed discernible characteristics of
horizonation.
I/  A proposed revision of Modern Soil Taxonomy by Dr. Richard M. Smith,
    John C. Sencindiver, Charles H. Delp,  and Keith 0. Schmude, submitted to
    John Rourke,  Chairman, Northeast Soil  Taxonomy Committee in a letter
    dated November 25, 1975 from Keith 0.  Schmude, State Soil Scientist, Soil
    Conservation  Service, P.O.  Box 865,  Morgantown, West Virginia,  26505.
                                    8

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                            DESCRIPTION  OF THE AREA
 LOCATION
      The  towns  of  Hanna and  Elmo, Wyoming,  found  in T22N, R81W- 6P.M. served
 as  a  focal  point around which  two study  areas were established.  The first
 area  was  at Rosebud  pits  number  1 and 2, located  1.6 km west of the town
 of  Hanna.   The  second  area was north of  the old mining town of Elmo, which
 lies  just east  of  the  Hanna  city limits.
GEOGRAPHY
     The Hanna Basin is approximately 65.6 km long, trending east to west
and 41.0 km wide.  It is a small intermountain basin located in south central
Wyoming; delineated on the north by the Shirley, Seminoe, Freezeout and
Ferris Mountains, to the south by the Snowy Range, and to the west by the
Rawlins Hills.  The primary drainage in the region is the north flowing
North Platte River and its tributaries.
GEOLOGY
     The Hanna Basin is a structural trough formed by downwarping during the
Laramide orogeny, seventy million years ago.  In planar view, it occupies
2,690 km .  Though small as an intermountain basin, it is unusually deep.
Sediments here lie on a crystalline basement and are estimated at between
9,231 and 10,850 m thick, with 5,580 to 6,200 m of this containing Tertiary
and Cretaceous coal bearing rocks (Glass, 1972).
SOILS
     Soils of the area are developing in residuum from interbedded sandstone
and clay shales, with the principle associations being Ustic and Typic
Torriorthents, as represented by the Blazon, Delphil and Garsid series (Young
and Singleton, 1977).

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CLIMATE

     The Hanna Basin is an area of low precipitation,  representative of many of
the mining areas of the arid West.  The annual precipitation is less than 24 cm,
of which about half is in the form of snow.   However,  the effective precipitation
of this region is notably less as a result of snow sublimation and high evapora-
tion losses due to wind.  The average January and July temperatures are approxi-
mately -6 and 21°C respectively, with a frost-free period of about 108 days
from May 30 to September 15.

                              METHODS OF  STUDY
 SITE  SELECTION

      Reconnaissance activities began in early June 1977 for specific sampling
 sites.  With  the cooperation of Mr. Dave Evans, Reclamation Engineer,
 Rosebud Coal  Sales Company, sites for sampling were selected.  The University
 of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, Laramie, Wyoming, entered into an
 agreement with  the above company, effective 27 June 1977, which allowed the
 University to conduct research.

      Two primary areas for sampling were established.  The first area was at
 Rosebud pits  numbers 1 and 2, located approximately 1.6 km west of the town of
 Hanna.  The second area was north of the old mining town of Elmo, which lies
 several kilometers east of Hanna.  These two sites were chosen since they,
 along with the  present mining site, established a chronology for the study of
 soil  development.  From these locations spoil materials of the following ages
 were  available:  a) recent spoil from near an active dragline 0.8 km north of
 the old Elmo  site proper; b) 16-year-old spoil from Rosebud pits numbers 1
 and 2; c) 40-year-old spoil at the Elmo site proper; and, d) native undis-
 turbed soil 0.8 km west of the Elmo site.

      Further  reconnaissance was conducted at the old townsite of Carbon in an
 effort to locate old underground raineworks and hopefully locate areas which
 would yield overburden material left undisturbed since the early 1900's.
 Several old sites were located, however, the spoil from underground mining in
 most  all instances, was covered by a layer of slack coal and coal dust several
 decimeters thick.  Samples of such material would not reflect the activity
 of soil forming processes normally associated with overburden materials.


 FIELD METHODS

 Sample Selection

      The primary emphasis in sample selection was on sampling for pedogenic
 analysis.  Samples for nitrate analysis were also collected.
                                       10

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Sampling for Pedogenic Processes

     The technique of sample selection for pedogenic analysis was established
by observing the relative stabilities of materials on the spoil piles.  As
would be expected, areas in which the native vegetation had become re-estab-
lished were in a close proximity to undisturbed native range (Figure 1).  Such
areas were suitable for sampling since they had experienced relatively long
term stability.  The method of sampling on spoil materials was random with the
top 15 cm of the material sampled at 2.5 era increments and then at 15 cm
increments to 60 cm where possible.   However,  native soils were sampled to
the greatest depth obtainable (Table 1).   This technique was used on the
Rosebud and Elmo sites,  as well as the native  soils near Elmo.
 Figure 1.   This picture shows an area in the vicinity of Hanna pits
            1 and 2.   On the right hand side can be seen undisturbed
            native range in contrast to sparsely vegetated minesoil
            on the left.
                                        11

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            TABLE 1.   MAXIMUM DEPTHS  TO WHICH MATERIALS  WERE SAMPLED
Sample Designation
Hanna Minesoils
A
B
C
D
E
Elmo Minesoils
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Elmo Native Soils
I
II
III
IV
Maximum
Depth (cm)

60
45
45
45
60

45
45
30
30
45
30
15

80
80
80
80
Samples for Nitrate Determination

     This phase of sampling was conducted in response to concerns voiced over
possible nitrate contamination from paleocene shales, exposed during the
strip mining process.

     Since most of the overburden spoil piles in the Hanna mining district are
a mixture of sandstone and shale, it was necessary to seek out areas composed
primarily of shales for sampling.  In the areas chosen, core samples were
collected in 16 cm increments to a depth of 120 cm, where possible.  The
samples were placed in plastic bags and refrigerated with dry ice during trans-
port.  The dry ice was to keep microoorganism activity at a minimum.  The
samples were then placed in an oven and dried for 48 hours at 110°C.  Follow-
ing drying, the samples were ground and screened through a 2 mm sieve.  Dupli-
cate samples were then analyzed for nitrate, using the procedure outlined in
0ien and Olsen (1969).
                                      12

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LABORATORY ANALYSIS

     Samples collected for pedogenic study were analyzed for texture;  pHp;
total soluble salts; soluble cations (Na+, Ca++, Mg++, IT1"); total Al-0_;  total
Na+, C3++, Mg++, K+; organic carbon; and CaCO_ equivalent.

Soil Texture

     Soil texture is the size of individual soil particles; while the propor-
tion of sand, silt and clay size fractions comprise the textural class.  Both
chemical and physical properties of the soil material are influenced by texture.
The soil texture was determined in duplicate on materials samples from Elmo
pits 1-IV, Hanna A-D, and the Elmo native soil III.  The method of particle
size analysis was done according to Bouyoucos (1936) .

Soil pHp

     The pH or the logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentra-
tion in gram equivalents per liter of solution, is an index of the acidic or
basic nature of the soil.  The pH of a soil paste (pHp) was determined with
a glass electrode pH meter as outlined in USDA Handbook No. 60 (U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1954).

Total Soluble Salts

     Soil pastes from the pHp determination were placed in a high pressure
filter press and the soil solutions extracted.  Salinity was determined by
measuring millimhos conductance per cm with a Standard Wheatstone Bridge
(U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1954).  Since the osmotic pressure of soil
solutions increases directly with the amount of salts present, it can be
expressed as a function of electrical conductivity.  This determination gives
a good index as to the suitability of soils for plant growth.

Soluble Cations of Na+. Ca++, Mg++ and K+

     A measurement of the soluble cations gives an  indication of  the composi-
tion of the salts which are present.  The method used is according to USDA
Handbook No. 60, U.S. Department of Agriculture,  (1954).  Concentrations of
soluble cations were determined with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

Total
     Analysis of total Al content may be utilized in characterizing the parent
material from which a soil formed and therefore, can be used as an index of
weathering.  The percentage of A^Oj was determined by Wyoming Analytical
Laboratories of Laramie with the boron hydrate fusion method outlined in the
ASTM Annual  (1978).

Total Na+, Ca""". Mg^ and K+

     A comparison of the total amount of these bases contained in the parent
rock with those contained in the weathered spoil can be used as an indicator
of the impact weathering has had on the spoil materials.   Total analysis was
                                     13

-------
accomplished by the perchloric digestion method outlined by Pratt (1965).
Concentrations of the ions were determined with an atomic absorption
spectrophotometer.

Organic Carbon/Organic Matter

     The presence of organic matter in a soil often can be used as an
expression of soil development.  Although it is usually present in relatively
small amounts, it has a profound influence on the chemical, physical and
biological properties of soil.  The organic carbon was determined by the
wet digestion method outlined in USDA Handbook No. 60 (U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1954), from which the percent organic matter was calculated.

CaCCL Equivalent

     Calcium Carbonate (CaCO ) is one of several alkaline-earth carbonates
which exert an influence on the physical and chemical properties of soil.
      was determined by the rapid titration method after Piper (1950).
                                    14

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                           RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
GENERAL

     The intent of this study was to examine "Orphan Spoils" of different age
to determine if any soil characteristics could be measured that might indicate
whether some degree of transition from raw spoil to a developed soil has
occurred with time.  Orphan spoil piles that were 16 and 40 years old were
chosen for the study.  Both piles were chosen from the same general area in
the Hanna Basin area of Wyoming in order to have as uniform conditions as
possible between the two sites.  Howeyer, as the study progressed, it became
evident that differences existed between the spoil material in the 16-year old
Hanna site and the 40 year old Elmo site.  The primary differences were in tex-
ture, pH, and percentage CaCOa equivalent (Table 2).  Even sampling pits within
each site showed a great deal of variation in material with depth due to the
heterogeniety of the overburden material of which the spoil piles were built.
The overburden is material from the Hanna Geological Formation which consists
of interbedded sandstones and clay shales of varying thickness and composition.
Thus, one area of a spoil pile may have a very different sequence and thick-
ness of geologic material in its profile than another area only a few.feet
away.   In  view of the inherent differences between the two sites, each site
should be evaluated as independent unrelated sites.

     It should also be remembered that this study is located in an area that
receives approximately 23 cm (9 inches) of moisture annually.  At least half
of this precipitation comes in the winter in the form of snow.  Most of the
snow sublimates except in localized areas where vegetative barriers have caused
some drifting.  The rains come in the'form of infrequent light showers or as
short torrential downpours.  With the light rains little moisture enters the
soil because of evaporation and with the downpours much is lost as runoff.  Also
this area is subjected to strong and persistent winds which greatly increase the
evapo-transpiration rate.  Thus, the amount of water entering the soil yearly
is at most not over 10 cm (4 inches) and this is spread over the entire year.
As previously stated, exceptions may occur in localized areas where snow is
trapped and slow melting occurs.  The maximum depth of the root zone in the
lighter textured sandy loam minesoil varied between 30 and 45 cm (12 to 18
inches) which indicates moisture does reach that depth.  It is not likely that
moisture reaches that depth every year due to the highly variable pattern of the
precipitation from year to year.


PARTICLE SIZE

     Results of textural analysis of minesoils  from four 40-year-old  spoil
piles, four 16-year-old piles  and from a native soil, all  from an area near
Elmo and Hanna, Wyoming are shown in  Table 3.
                                       15

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       TABLE 2.  LABORATORY DATA OF THE UNWEATHERED OVERBURDEN MATERIAL
FROM HANNA AND ELMO SPOIL PILES AND FROM THE ELMO NATIVE SOIL PARENT MATERIAL
Data
Textural class
PH
CaCO_ equivalent, percent
Electrical conductivity mmhos/cm
Organic matter, percent
Soluble cations:
Calcium meq/lOOg
Magnesium " "
Sodium " "
Potassium " "
Total cations:
Calcium meq/lOOg
Magnesium " "
Sodium " "
Potassium " "
Total A120 , percent
ELMO
SPOIL
Loam
5.8
0.0
3.1
5.5

1.16
1.30
0.06
0.03

70.4
76.2
238.8
46.3
14.3
HANNA
SPOIL
Sandy loam
7.2
2.0
4.1
3.9

1.13
1.26
0.04
0.01

50.1
39.9
167.3
36.8
7.8
ELMO NATIVE
SOIL
Loam
7.6
4.0
1.6
4.7

0.23
0.15
0.01
0.01

104.4
50.2
198.1
40.9
9.6
     The undisturbed soil referred to as Elmo Native Soil III, was sampled at
seven depths, the maximum being at 80 cm.  Four of the samples (57%) consisted
of loams while three of the samples (43%) were sandy loams.  The amount of
clay in the various samples ranged from 14.3 to 18.8%, the sand 46.6 to 58.0%
and the silt 25.5 to 37.0%.  The arithmetic mean texture was obtained over the
various profile depths (Table 3), and was calculated to be a loam.

     The four 40-year-old minesoils from the Elmo area, designated as Elmo I
through Elmo IV, consisted of 29 observations with maximum depths ranging
from 30 to 45 cm.  These 29 samples consisted of one textural class (Table
3), that of a loam.  The particle size analysis of the samples indicated
clay ranged from 18.1 to 24.9, sand 41.3 to 50.6% and silt from 30.8 to 35.7%.

     The 16-year-old minesoils in the Hanna area, designated as Hanna A
through Hanna D, are represented by 32 samples with maximum depth ranging from
45 to 60 cm.  Particle size data for the samples are shown in Table 3.  One
textural class was representative of all samples, that of a sandy loam.  The
particle size analysis indicated clay ranged from 11.0 to 15.3%, sand 65.0 to
70.8% and silt 16.9 to 21.7%.
                                     16

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     An Analysis of Variance using the percent clay as the dependent variable
and depth of each sampling site from 0-15 cm as the independent variable was
conducted on the Hanna and Elmo minesoils (Table 4).  Differences in clay
content were not found to be significant with depth for the Hanna minesoil,
however at the same confidence level, the Elmo minesoil showed a slight
increase in clay with depth.  The absence of clay staining or clay films sug-
gests the clay differences occurred during placement of the spoil and not as
a result of illuviation.  Also the lower amount of clay in the surface 2% cm
may be the result of wind removal of the finer material.

  TABLE 3.  PERCENTAGE OF SAND, SILT AND CLAY AT VARIOUS DEPTHS IN THE PROFILE
OF SEVERAL MINESOILS FROM "ORPHAN SPOIL PILES" AND A NATURAL SOIL IN THE AREAS
                        OF HANNA AND ELMO, WYOMING

Elmo
Minesoils
I- IV
(40-yr-old)




Elmo
(Native)
Soil
III



Hanna
Minesoils
A-D
(16-yr-old)





Depth (cm)
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
80.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
60.0
samples
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
1
*% Sand
49.3
46.6
45.2
42.5
41.3
42.3
43.8
50.6
51.3
51.3
55.6
58.0
50.0
57.1
46.6
70.8
70.1
68.5
68.6
67.8
67.0
65.0
66.0
^
*% Silt
32.6
32.3
35.4
34.6
35.7
32.8
33.2
30.8
34.4
34.4
33.1
25.5
31.2
28.9
37.0
18.2
16.9
18.0
19.1
19.4
19.7
19.7
21.7
"
*% Clay
18.1
22.1
19.4
22.9
23.0
24.9
23.0
18.6
14.3
14.3
11.3
16.5
18.8
14.0
16.4
11.0
13.0
13.5
12.3
12.8
13.3
15.3
12.3
"•
Textural
class
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
SL
SL
L
SL
L
SL
SL
SL
SL
SL
SL
SL
SL

*An average percentage over the number of samples for each depth.
                                       17

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pH SATURATED PASTE

     A total of 87 pH determinations were made on field samples from three
locations.  The data in Table 5 show that the 16-year-old Hanna minesoil is
slightly alkaline while the 40-year-old Elmo minesoil is slightly acid.   These
are inherent differences as shown from the overburden analysis in Table 2.  It
is very probable that both the Hanna and Elmo overburden contain some acid
forming pyritic material, however, the Hanna overburden also contains calcium
and magnesium carbonates (Table 13) which no doubt have neutralized the acidity
and caused the Hanna minesoil to have a slightly alkaline reaction.
            TABLE 4.  ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLES OF CLAY CONTENT FOR
      THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS FROM A RANDOMIZED COMPLETE BLOCK DESIGN
 Variation
DF
    SS
   MS
 Sites
 Depth
 Error
 Total
 3
 5
15
23
Elmo Minesoil
   576.56
   128.17
   137.79
   842.52
192.19
 25.63
  9.19
20.92
 2.79t

Sites
Depth
Error
Total

3
5
15
23
Hanna Minesoil
31.29
16.17
35.35
82.81

10.43
3.23
2.36


4.43
1.37NS


 t  Significant at .10 level
 NS Not significant at .10 level
                                      18

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        TABLE  5.  DIFFERENCES  IN pH BETWEEN THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS

       Depth  (cm)                                                    Mean

                                    HANNA

          2-5                                                        7.75
          5-0                                                        7.79
          7-5                                                        7.71
         10.0                                                        7.66
         12.5                                                        7.64
         15.0                                                        7.54
         30.0                                                        7.44
         45.0                                                        7.13

                                     ELMO

          2.5                                                        6.49
          5.0                                                        6.51
          7-5                                                        6.48
         10.0                                                        6.56
         12.5                                                        6.55
         15.0                                                        6.31
         30.0                                                        6.00
         45.0                                                        5.77



TOTAL SOLUBLE SALTS AND SOLUBLE NA+,  CA44",  MC4* AND K+

     Electrical conductivity (Ec), was determined for each natural and minesoil
sample obtained.  An Analysis of Variance was utilized to decide if significant
increases or decreases in electrical conductivity had occurred with depth  in
the 16- and 40-year-old minesoils (Table 6).  The results indicate that a sig-
nificant increase in (Ec) has occurred with depth, in the Hanna, but not the
40-year-old Elmo minesoil.  To differentiate this apparent increase, Duncan's
test was applied (Table 7).
                                      19

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       TABLE 6.  ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLES OF ELECTRICAL  CONDUCTIVITY
   FOR THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS FROM A RANDOMIZED  COMPLETE  BLOCK DESIGN

Variation             DF              SS                MS                F

                                Elmo Minesoil

Sites                  5           53.297              10.659           9.402
Depth                  6            3.596               0.599           0.528NS
Error                 30           34.012               1.134
Total                 41           90.905

Sites
Depth
Error
Total

4
7
28
39
Hanna Minesoil
49.445
70.818
52.451
172.714

12.361
10.117
1.873


6.599
5.401**


NS  Not significant at .10 level
**  Significant at the .01 level


     Electrical conductivity in the Hanna minesoil was  found  to  increase sig-
nificantly at the 45 cm level, indicating that conductivity was  directly re-
lated to depth.  After examining the data for soluble cations, this  increase
in electrical conductivity was suspected to be due to the migration  of Ca
and Mg"*~*" with depth.  The 16-year-old Hanna spoil was found to have  a signi-
ficant increase of both cations at the 45 cm depth suggesting that this depth
was a zone of illuviation for Ca"1"*" and Mg"^" (Tables  8 and 9).  Since it
appeared that increases in Ca"*"*" and Mg"*"*" might be responsible for  increases
in electrical conductivity, a multiple regression analysis was used  to con-
struct the model (y = .374 + ,029X1 + .069X_) in which  electrical  conductiv-
ity was the dependent variable (Y), while Ca** and Mg++ were  independent vari-
ables (X. and X. respectively (Table 10).  Several things should be  noted:
First, tne model accounted for 97% of the variation  in  the data.   This suggests
that the soluble Ca"*"*" and Mg"*"*" contribute more to increases in electrical
conductivity than do Na+ or K+.  Second, the ratio of partial correlation
coefficients indicates that Ca"1"1" contributes 1.6 times  as much to  the model as
does Mg"*^".   The results of these tests, in conjunction  with field  observations
for maximum rooting depth (~45 cm), indicate highest Ca"*""*" and Mg"1"1" concentra1-
tion are occurring at or near the base of the root zone.
                                      20

-------
     The seemingly anomalous situation in which salts have been leached to a
lower horizon in the younger minesoil but not in the older minesoil can
probably be explained by differences in texture and permeability.  The younger
minesoil is a sandy loam containing from 11 to 15.3% clay and is more permeable
to water than the older minesoil which is a loam containing from 18.1 to 24.9%
clay.  Thus, the limited moisture entering these minesoils would be more effec-
tive in leaching in the lighter textured soil.


  TABLE 7.  DIFFERENCES IN (EC) WITH DEPTH FOR THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS
  AS TESTED WITH DUNCAN'S NEW MULTIPLE RANGE TEST:  WITH EQUAL REPLICATIONS
Depth (cm)

2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0

2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
Mean (Ec) mmhos/cm
HANNA
1.59 I**
1.43 ?
1.19 ?
1.66 J
1.49 J
1.11 °
3.61ab
5.07a
ELMO
2.61a
2.34a
2.26a
1.99a
1.77a
2.05a
2.72a
2.93a
            TABLE 8.  ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLES FOR Ca44" AND Mg++
  FOR THE 16-YEAR-OLD HANNA MINESOILS FROM A RANDOMIZED COMPLETE BLOCK DESIGN
Variation            DF             SS                MS~               F
               Hanna Minesoil Testing the Significance of Ca4"*"
  Sites               4          3929.141           982.285           10.082..
  Depth               7          5506.180           786.597            8.074
  Error              28          2727.934            97.426
  Total              39         12163.255
               Hanna Minesoil Testing the Significance of Ma4"*
  sltes               4          5726.063          1431.516            3.125
  DePth               7         12368.105          1766.872            3.857**
  Error              28         12827.738           458.133
  Total              39         30921.906

**  Significant at the .01 level
                                       21

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TABLE 9.  DIFFERENCES IN TWO DIVALENT CATIONS WITH DEPTH, FOR THE HANNA MINE-
SOILS AS TESTED WITH DUNCAN'S NEW MULTIPLE RANGE TEST: WITH EQUAL REPLICATIONS
Depth (cm)
Ca4
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
i
Mg
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
Mean meq/1
-4-
b**
10.00 £
9.11 ,
10.46 ?
15.52 ?
10.61 £
12.88 H
28.02ab
44.74a
t
— r
— b**
7.97 ?
6.43 ?
7-08 ?
12. 72-*
7.82 °
9'17ab
46.84
50.883
**  Means with the same letter do not differ significantly at the .01 level


          TABLE 10.  MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS OF THE 16-YEAR-OLD
  HANNA MINESOIL FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY. AS EXPLAINED BY Ca++ AND Mg4"1"
Regression Coefficient
for Mg (X1)
Regression Coefficient
for Ca (X2)
Constant
Model
Partial Regression
Coefficient Mg
Partial Regression
Coefficient Ca
Bj^ = .029
B2 = .069
BQ - .374
Y = .374 + .029X1 + .069X2
Bj^'- .380
B2'= .606
       Ratio B2I/B1I                           1.59
       Coefficient of
       Determination
       Multiple Correlation                    _  _  QB,
       Coefficient                             r  ~  '986
                                     22

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SOLUBLE K+ AND BIOCYCLING

     Schafer et al. (1978), has recently indicated that biocycling of K  is
occurring in minesoils.  To determine if significant increases in K+ were
occurring in the surface of the Hanna and Elmo minesoils, an Analysis of
Variance was again utilized (Table 11).  In both the 16- and 40-year-old
minesoils, K* significantly decreased with depth.  To isolate at what depth
K  was significantly higher, Duncan's test was applied (Table 12).  KT*" was


             TABLE 11.  ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TABLES OF THE K+ CONTENT FOR
          THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS FROM A RANDOMIZED COMPLETE BLOCK DESIGN
Variation	DF	SS	MS	F

                                 Elmo Minesoil
  Sites                  3          7.053             2.351           18.050
  Depth                  5          3.574             0.715            5.487**
  Error                 15          1.954             0.130
  Total                 23         12.581

                                 Hanna Minesoil
Sites
Depth
Error
Total
3
5
15
23
0.835
13.121
6.637
20.593
0.278
2.624
0.442

0.629
5.930**


**  Significant at  .01 level


  TABLE  12.  DIFFERENCES  IN  (K+) WITH DEPTH FOR THE ELMO AND HANNA MINESOILS
AS TESTED WITH DUNCAN'S NEW MULTIPLE RANGE TEST:
Depth (cm)
Elmo K+
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
Hanna K
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
WITH EQUAL REPLICATIONS
Mean (K+) meq/1
a **
2.02\
1.41ab
1.19 b
0.94 J
0.94 J'
0.96 b
a **
2'66*h
1.61aJ
0.95 I
0.86 f
0.62 I
0.52 b
 **  Means with same letter do not differ significantly at the .01 level
                                       23

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 significantly higher  in both minesoils for the top 2.5 cm.  These did not
 differ  significantly  from the 5-cm depth; however, all other depths were
 significantly lower in 1C*", in comparison to the 2.5-cm level.  Thus, it
 appears  that K+ enrichment is occurring at the surface of both minesoils.


 TOTAL A1203 AND TOTAL Na+, Ca^, Mg4*, K+

     In  this analysis, four Elmo minesoils, two Hanna minesoils, and the Elmo
 Native  Soil III were  examined.  The percentage of each constituent was then
 changed  to molecular  values (App. la and Ib) by dividing percentage data by
 the molecular weights, in a method outlined by Jenny (1941).  Jenny states
 that "stoichiometric  relationships are more clearly brought out by molecular
 data than by weight figures."  Using Jenny's method, an index of relative
 weathering rates was  established utilizing bai and beta values (App. Ic).  A
 beta value of unity indicates that no loss of the monovalent cations of Na+
 and K"1" has occurred with respect to aluminum.  These values were not inter-
 pretated since:  1) surface materials could not be positively identified as
 having originated from materials below; and 2) to obtain meaningful beta
 values,  parent material should be in a relatively less decomposed state,
 which was not the case in samples obtained.


 ORGANIC  CARBON

     Both the Hanna and Elmo minesoils were found to be higher in organic carbon
 than the Elmo Native  Soil III (App. Ha and lib), with the Elmo minesoils
 having highest organic carbon content of the three.  Although several values
 in the data would indicate an increase of organic carbon in the surface layers
 of minesoils, no overall trends were apparent when the data were considered as
 a whole.  However, the native soils does have a layer of enrichment at the
 surface which decreased with depth, then increased again to a maximum content
 at 80 cm.  During field examination, minesoils were noted to be mixed with
 very fine coal dust which conceivably has confounded the presence of organic
 matter accumulation at the surface.  Flecks of coal carbon in the native soil
 at 80 cm could also account for the increase in carbon at that depth.


 CaCO. EQUIVALENT

     Elmo minesoils were, in every case, devoid of CaC03.  The Elmo Native Soil
 III was found to contain 4% CaC03 at 80.0 cm, but 0% CaC03 from 0-15 cm depth
 (Table 13).  The lack of carbonates in the native soil is most likely due to
 the effects of leaching, as well as organic acids acting over a long span of
 time.   The increase at 80 cm suggests a zone of CaC03 accumulation generally
 found in semiarid climates.  Many old Aridisols contain illuvial horizons that
have developed under much wetter climatic regimes than have occurred in recent
geologic time.   However, the difference in CaC03 between the Hanna and Elmo
minesoils is due to the variation of CaC03 in the overburden material (Table 2).
                                      24

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               TABLE 13.  CaC03 EQUIVALENT PERCENTAGE FOR THE
             HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS AND THE ELMO NATIVE SOIL
  Depth (cm)
Mean  %
                                Hanna Minesoil
    2.5
    5.0
    7.5
   10.0
   12.5
   15.0
   30.0
   45.0
   60.0
    2.5
    5.0
    7.5
   10.0
   12.5
   15.0
   30.0
   45.0
    2.5
    5.0
    7.5
   10.0
   12.5
   15.0
   80.0
                                Elmo Minesoil
                              Elmo Native Soil
    1.06
    1.13
    1.13
      50
      19
      06
      38
      00
                                                              2.38
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
     0
    4.0
NITRATES

     To determine if shales weathering in 16- and 40-year-old rainesoils
contained an excess of No -N, a standard for arable dryland soils of 2 - 60
ppm Russell (1973) was used as a comparison (Table 14).  All samples except
those of Hanna Pit 1-B, fell within acceptable limits.  However, the nitrate
values in Pit 1-B were very high, averaging 263 ppm.  The actual influence
of the extreme values found here is of questionable importance, as the total
volume of material represented is unknown.  Generally, it can be concluded
that:  1) nitrates are decreasing in both quantity and variability between
samples with increasing age; and 2) though rainesoils are higher in No.-N than
in native soils, they appear to fall within acceptable limits as established
for arable soils.
                                      25

-------
           TABLE 14.  A COMPARISON OF N03-N IN THE HANNA 16-YEAR-OLD
        MINESOIL, ELMO 40-YEAR-OLD MINESOIL AND ELMO NATIVE SOIL III
Area
Elmo
rainesoil
Hanna
minesoll
Elmo
Native
Soil-Ill
Hanna
Pit 1-B
No . Samples
17
33
25
8
*N03-N (ppm)
27.05
33.67
5.43
263.60
sd
17.87
27.79
1.32
99.38
   The mean value for the total N03~N ppm in an area over the number of
   samples

SODIUM

     Sodium absorption ratios (SAR) were calculated from data contained in
appendices IVa and IVb pertaining to soluble Ca, Mg, and Na.  SAR values are
used to point out problem soils with respect to sodium.  Soil materials being
considered for "topsoiling" in disturbed areas are rated good with respect
to sodium content if the SAR values are 6.0 or less.  Those materials with
SAR values of 15.0 or higher are considered unfavorable for "topsoil" use
because of potential management problems.  As can be noted in Table 15 the
SAR values of the Hanna and Elmo minesoils are very favorable ranging from
0.19 to 2.01.  Thus, no sodium problem exists in the minesoils studies.
OTHER DATA

     Saturation percentages of all samples are contained in Appendix Ilia
and Illb.  Soluble cations expressed in both milliequivalents per liter and
milliequivalents per 100 grams are shown in Appendix IVa and IVb.
                                     26

-------
  TABLE 15.  SODIUM ABSORPTION RATIOS FOR THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS
                           	        Mean Value
                                Hanna

 2<5                                                           1.82
 5'°                                                           2.01
Jn'~                                                           °-86
10-°                                                           0.78
12<5                                                           0.90
™'°                                                           °'67
30-0                                                           0.34
45'°                                                           0.19

                                 Elmo

 5*0                                                           °'69
 75                                                           °'61

"•'                                                           I'll
12 S                                                             J8
  °                                                           n -jo
15.0                                                           I'f
30.0                                                           °'H
A5 0
"'U                                                           0.30
                                 27

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                                   SUMMARY
     The objectives of this study were to determine:

     1)  If measurable changes have occurred in the profile of minesoils
         during their brief time of exposure to pedogenic processes.

     2)  The nitrate content of different age minesoils and native soil.

     Minesoils from two areas were studied.   Sixteen-year-old minesoils
were obtained from Rosebud Mine Pits 1 and 2, while 40-year-old minesoils
and native soils were collected north of Elmo, Wyoming.  Both sites are in
the same area of the Hanna mining district in Wyoming.

     The samples were subjected to a chemical assay of  14 separate deter-
minations and textural analysis.  This data was then evaluated where possible
using Analysis of Variance and Duncan's New Multiple Range Test.

     In general very little evidence was detected to show that measurable
soil development has occurred.  Two factors showing evidence of change in
the raw spoil was movement of soluble salts in the profile and the accumu-
lation of K in the upper 5 cm of the profile probably due to biocycling.

     Nitrates and sodium were found not to be a problem in the minesoils
investigated.
                                       28

-------
                                 REFERENCES


American Society for Testing and Materials.  1978.  Boron hydrate fusion method.
     ASTM Annual, Part 19.  Am. Soc. Testing Mater., Philadelphia.

Birkeland, Peter W.  1974.  Pedology, Weathering and Geomorphological Research.
     Oxford Univ. Press, New York, 285 pp.

Bouyoucos, G. J. 1936.  Directions for making mechanical analysis of soils by
     the hydrometer method.  Soil Science 42: 225-228.

Brady, N. C. 1974.  The Nature and Properties of Soils, 8th ed. Macmillan
     Publ. So., Inc., New York, 639 pp.

Buol, S. W. , F. D. Hole and R. J. McCracken.  1973.  Soil Genesis and Classifi-
     cation.  Ames:  Iowa State Univ. Press, 360 pp.

Delp, C. H.  1978.  Classification of mine spoil.  Soil Surv. Hor. 2: 11-13.

Environmental Protection Agency.  Erosion and sediment control:  Surface
     mining in the eastern U.S., Vol. 1.  EPA Technology Transfer Seminar Publi-
     cation.  EPA-625/3-76-006, Oct. 1976.

Fridland, V. M.  1967.  The role of weathering in the development of soil profile
     and categories of soil material.  (Transl. 1967 from Pochvovedenie, No. 12,
Gerasimov, I. P. and M. A. Glazovskaya.  1965.  Fundamentals of soil science and
     soil geography.   (Transl. from Russian by A. Gourevich) .  Israel Prog, for
     Sci. Trans., Jerusalem.  Available U.S. Dept. Commerce, Springfield.
     Virginia, 382 pp.

Glass, G. B.  1972.  Mining in the Hanna coal field:  Geological survey of
     Wyoming Miscellaneous Report, 45 pp.

Glinka, K. D.  1963.  Treatise on Soil Science, 4th ed.  (Transl. from Russian
     by A. Gourevich).  Israel Prog, for Sci. Transl., Jerusalem.  Available
     from U.S. Dept. Commerce, Washington, 674 pp.

Grube, W. E., Jr., R. M. Smith, J. C. Sencindiver and A. A. Sobek.  1974.  Over-
     burden properties and young soils in mined lands.  Second Research and
     Applied Technology Sumposium on Mined-land Reclamation, Louisville, Kentucky.
     Published by Bituminous Coal Research, Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, pp.
     145-149.
                                       29

-------
Hunt, C. B.  1972.  Geology of Soils:  Their Evolution, Classification and Uses.
     W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, California, 34A pp.

Jenny, H.  1941.  Factors of Soil Formation:  A System of Quantitative Pedology.
     McGraw-Hill, New York, 281 pp.

Joffe, J. S.  1936.  Pedology.  Rutgers Univ. Press, New Brunswick, New Jersey,
     575 pp.

Piper, C. S.  1950.  Soil and plant analysis.  Interscience Publishers, Inc.,
     New York.

Pratt, P. F.  1965.  Sodium.  LN C. H. Black (ed.) Methods of soil analysis,
     Part 2:  Chemical and microbiological properties.  Agronomy 9:  1031-1049.

Reiche, P.  1962.  A survey of weathering processes and products.  Univ. of
     New Mexico Publ. in Geology, No. 3.

Rode, A. A.  1961.  The Soil-forming Process and Soil Evolution.  Edited by V. S.
     Volynskaya and K. V. Krynochkina.  (Transl. by J. S. Joffe).  Israel Prog.
     for Sci. Trnas., Jerusalem.  Available from U.S. Dept. Commerce, Washington.
     100 pp.

Rode, A. A.  1962.  Soil Science.  Edited by V. N. Sukachev and I. V. Tyurin.
     (Transl. by A. Gourevich).  Israel Prog, for Sci. Trans., Jerusalem.
     Available from U.S. Dept. Commerce, Washington, 517 pp.

Russell, E. W.  1973.  Soil conditions and plant growth (10th ed.).  Longmans,
     London.

Schafer, W. M., G. A. Nielsen, D. J. Dollhopf and K. Temple.  1978.  Soil gensis,
     hydrological properties, root characteristics and microbial activity of 1-
     to 50-year old stripmine spoils.  Mont. AGr. Exp. Sta. Final Res. Rept. to
     EPA-ORD.

Schroer, F. W.  1976.  Chemical and physical characterization of coal overburden.
     Farm Res. Univ. North Dakota, pp. 5-11.

Smith,  R. M., W. E. Grube, Jr., S. C. Sencindiver, R. N. Singh and A. A. Sobek.
     1974.  Properties, processes and energetics of minesoils.  Transactions of
     the 10th International Congress of Soil Science (Moscow, USSR).  IV: 406-411.

Smith,  R. M., E. H. Tryon and E. H. Tyner.  1971.  Soil development on mine spoil.
     West Virginia Agri. Exp. Sta. Bull. 604T.

Sobek,  A. A..and R. M. Smith.  1971.  Properties of barren mine spoil.  Pro-
     ceedings of the West Virginia Acad. of Sci. 43: 161-169.

Soil Survey Staff.  1962.  Soil survey manual.  U. S. Dept. Agr. Handbook No. 18.
     U. S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, pp. 503.
                                         30

-------
U. S. Department of Agriculture.  1954.  Diagnosis and improvement of saline and
     alkali soils.  Agricultural Handbook No. 60.  Edited by L. A. Richards,
     U. S. Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, California.

Young, J. F. and P. C. Singleton.  1977.  Wyoming general soil map.  Wyo. Agr.
     Exp. Sta. Res. Jour. 117.  41 pp.

0ien, A. and A. R. Olsen.  1969.  Nitrate determination in soil extracts with
     the nitrate electrode.  Analyst, Vol. 94, pp. 888-894.
                                       31

-------
                    APPENDIX  la.  MOLECULAR VALUES1'' FOR
               OF THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS AND ELMO NATIVE SOIL
      Area
Depth (cm)
                                                      Molecular Value A120 *
Elmo I



Elmo II



Elmo III



Elmo IV



Elmo
Native
Soil III

Hanna-A



Hanna-B



0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
.150
.155
.150
.138
.136
.143
.150
.135
.124
.130
.141
.149
.122
.122
.128
.137
.099
.103
.119
.094
.076
.087
.083
.077
.060
.073
.077
.075
*  Average of two laboratory determinations.
I/ Molecular value equals percentage divided by molecular wt, i.e. moles
   Al203/100g soil material.
                                     32

-------
                    APPENDIX Ib.   MOLECULAR VALUES1/ FOR
 CaO, MgO, Na20 and K20 OF THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOIL AND ELMO NATIVE SOIL


Elmo I



Elmo II



Elmo III



Elmo IV



Elmo
Native
Soil II

Hanna-A



Hanna-B



Depth
(cm)
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
Molecular Value for Total*
CaO
.010
.013
.013
.078
.075
.011
.013
.022
.012
.018
.014
.025
,016
.020
.021
.015
,018
.016
.019
.052
.037
.031
.029
.022
.018
.019
.019
.028
MgO
.026
.026
.027
.073
.087
.026
.024
.030
.028
.031
.030
.025
.022
.028
.027
.026
.025
.023
.029
.025
.022
.022
.024
.019
.015
.016
.018
.021
Na20
.112
.097
.074
.175
.201
.091
.090
.103
.104
.089
.086
.103
.062
.073
.085
.097
.069
.090
.090
.099
.105
.086
.089
.085
.063
.072
.081
.082
K20
.022
.024
.026
.026
.028
.023
.023
.022
.023
.025
.024
.021
.020
.023
.023
.023
.022
.021
.022
.020
.019
.020
.020
.017
.018
.019
.021
.020
   An average of two laboratory determinations.
I/ Molecular value equals percentage divided by molecular weight, i.e. moles/
   lOOg soil material.
                                     33

-------
 APPENDIX Ic.  ba  VALUES AND BETA VALUES1' FOR
THE HANNA AND ELMO MINESOILS AND ELMO NATIVE SOIL
Depth (cm)
Elmo I 0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
Elmo II 0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
Elmo III 0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
Elmo IV 0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
Elmo 0-5
Native 5-10
Soil III 10-15
PM
Hanna-A 0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
Hanna-B 0-5
5-10
10-15
PM
11 Jenny 1941. ba1 value = Na20 + K.O.
A12°3
6 value = ba.. weathered layer
bal
0.893
0.781
0.667
1.457
1.684
0.797
0.753
0.926
1.024
0.877
0.780
0.832
0.672
0.787
0.844
0.876
0.919
1.078
0.941
1.266
1.632
1.218
1.313
1.325
1.350
1.247
1.325
1.360
All expressed
Beta
0.613
0.536
0.458
1.819
0.861
0.813
1.231
1.054
0.938
0.767
0.898
0.963
0.726
0.852
0.743
1.232
0.919
0.991
0.993
0.917
0.974
as molecular values.
 ba..  parent material
                       34

-------
   APPENDIX Ha.   HANNA MINESOIL,  ORGANIC MATTER AND ORGANIC CARBON
Hanna Spoil
AI
A2
A3
A4
A5
A6
Al2
A18
A2t4
Bl
B2
B3
Bu
B5
B6
B12
B18
Cl
C2
C3
GU
C5
C6
Cl2
cie
DI
D2
D3
DI,
DS
DG
Di2
Die
Depth (cm)
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
60.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
% Organic Matter*
3.19
3.16
5.30
5.55
5.55
5.86
5.90
4.64
3.34
3.24
3.99
3.87
3.53
4.15
4.23
6.32
4.49
6.00
5.34
6.07
5.93
5.28
4.83
4.59
4.84
7.18
4.61
3.53
3.24
2.76
2.68
3.21
3.00
% Organic Carbon*
1.85
1.83
3.07
3.22
3.22
3.40
3.42
2.69
1.94
1.88
2.32
2.25
2.05
2.40
2.45
3.67
2.60
3.48
3.09
3.52
3.44
3.06
2.80
2.66
2.81
4.16
2.67
2.05
1.88
1.60
1.55
1.86
1.74
An average of two laboratory determinations.
                                  35

-------
    APPENDIX lib.  ELMO MINESOIL, ORGANIC MATTER AND ORGANIC CARBON
Elmo Spoil
II
12
is
I«4
is
IG
1 12
Il8
Hi
II2
II 3
114
US
116
Hl2
Hl8
IIIl
III2
ills
IIIii
1115
Hl6
IHl2
IV l
IV2
IV 3
IVi|
IV5
IV6
IV12
Elmo
IIIl
III2
III3
III»»
III5
III6
PM=80
Depth (cm)
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
45.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
30.0
III Native Soil,
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0

% Organic Matter* '
5.35
5.04
5.15
4.71
4.59
4.62
4.67
5.43
6.66
6.23
5.92
5.80
5.24
5.58
5.70
5.79
6.40
6.38
6.30
6.49
6.05
5.58
4.90
6.51
6.66
6.35
6.35
6.45
5.96
5.82
Organic Matter and Organic
4.19
2.29
1.72
1.48
2.25
3.07
4.67
£ Organic Carbon*
3.11
2.93
2.99
2.74
2.66
2.68
2.71
3.14
3.86
3.61
3.43
3.36
3.04
3.23
3.30
3.36
3.71
3.70
3.65
3.76
3.51
3.23
2.84
3.77
3.86
3.68
3.68
3.74
3.45
3.38
Carbon
2.43
1.19
1.00
0.86
1.31
1.78
2.71
An average of two laboratory determinations.
                                  36

-------
APPENDIX Ilia.  MOISTURE SATURATION PERCENTAGES FOR ELMO MINESOIL SAMPLES

//
II
I2
13
Ii*
is
IG
Il2
Il8
III
II2
«3
««»
«5
He
II12
His
III!
III2
IH3
nil,
1115
III6
III12
IV i
IV2
IV3
IV<*
ivs
ivs
IV12
Can wt
Gr
22.38
22.54
22.74
22.97
22.00
22.58
22.78
21.72
21.68
22.23
22.32
22.61
22.49
22.49
21.35
21.67
22.57
22.87
22.53
22.72
22.26
22.85
22.50
22.20
22.50
22.42
21.78
22.02
22.10
22.58
Can + 25g
Paste Gr
47.38
47.54
47.74
47.97
47.00
47.58
47.78
46.72
46.68
47.23
47.32
47.61
47.49
47.49
47.35
46.67
47.57
47.87
47.53
47.72
47.26
47.85
47.50
47.20
47.50
47.42
46.78
47.02
47.10
47.58
Can + 25g
Ovendried
39.86
40.03
39.27
39.18
39.63
40.28
39.97
38.56
38.35
40.05
40.35
39.62
39.53
40.27
39.70
38.92
40.20
40.12
38.31
38.83
39.09
38.73
39.21
38.80
39.29
39.12
38.00
38.24
37.51
39.27
A
Gr
7.52
7.51
8.47
7.79
7.37
7.30
7.81
8.16
8.33
7.18
6.97
7.99
7.96
7.22
7.65
7.75
7.37
7.75
9.22
8.89
8.17
9.12
8.29
8.40
8.21
8.30
8.78
8.78
9.59
8.31
A x 100
Gr
752
751
847
779
737
730
781
816
833
718
697
799
796
722
765
775
737
775
922
889
817
912
829
840
821
830
878
878
959
831
(Can + od)
- (Can) Gr
17.48
17.49
16.53
16.21
17.63
17.70
17.19
16.84
16.67
17.82
18.03
17.01
17.04
17.78
17.35
17.25
17.63
17.25
15.78
16.11
16.83
15.88
16.71
16.60
16.79
16.70
16.22
16.22
15.41
16.69

Sat %
43.02
42.94
51.24
48.06
41.80
41.24
45.43
48.46
49.97
49.29
38.66
46.97
46.71
40.61
44.09
44.93
41.80
44.93
58.43
55.18
48.54
57.43
49.61
50.60
48.90
49.70
54.13
54.13
62.23
49.79
                                     37

-------

//
Vl
V2
V3
V4
V5
ve
Via
Vie
VIj
VI2
VI 3
VI4
VI5
vis
VI12
VII!
VII2
VII3
Vlli,
VII5
VII6
Can wt
Gr
22.51
22.57
22. 44
22.68
21.84
22.75
22.55
22.04
22.28
22.86
22.20
22.25
22.22
22.45
22.56
21.82
22.35
21.83
22.83
22.65
22.55
Can + 25g
Paste Gr
47.51
47.57
47.44
47.68
46.84
47.75
47.55
47.04
47.38
47.86
47.20
47.25
47.22
47.45
47.56
46.82
47.35
46.83
47.83
47.65
47.55
Can + 25g
Ovendried
39.45
39.81
39.15
39.90
38.95
39.52
39.89
38.69
39.93
40.63
39.76
39.39
39.44
39.87
39.44
38.55
39.63
39.24
39.75
40.13
30.18
A
Gr
8.06
7.76
8.29
7.78
7.89
8.23
7.66
8.35
7.45
7.23
7.44
7.86
7.78
7.58
8.12
8.27
7.72
7.59
8.08
7.52
7.37
A x 100
Gr
806
776
829
778
789
823
766
835
745
723
744
786
778
758
812
827
772
759
808
752
737
(Can + od)
- (Can) Gr
16.94
17.24
16.71
17.22
17.11
16.77
17.34
16.65
17.55
17.77
17.56
17.14
17.22
17.42
16.88
16.73
17.28
17.41
16.92
17.48
17.63

Sat %
47.58
45.01
49.61
45.18
46.11
49.08
44.18
50.15
42.45
40.69
42.37
45.86
45.18
43.51
48.10
49.43
44.68
43.60
47.75
43.02
41.80
38

-------
APPENDIX Illb.  MOISTURE SATURATION PERCENTAGES FOR HANNA MINESOIL SAMPLES
f
Al
A2
A3
An
A5
A6
AJ 2
Al8
A24
B!
B2
B3
B*
B5
BG
B12
Bl8
Cl
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
Cl2
Cl8
Dl
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D12
DIG
El
E2
E3
Eu
E5
E6
£12
EIS
E2i*
Can wt
21.82
22.54
22.79
22.05
22.03
22.61
22.84
22.47
23.06
21.67
22.26
22.37
22.64
22.54
22.52
22.39
21.70
22.54
22.83
22.52
22.71
22.25
22.69
22.50
23.00
22.20
22.48
22.43
21.78
22.08
22.13
22.59
22.51
21.50
22.46
22.52
22.00
22.09
22.47
22.42
22.64
22.04
Can + 25g
Paste
46.82
47.54
47.79
47.05
47.03
47.61
47.84
47.47
48.06
46.67
47.26
47.37
47.64
47.54
47.52
47.39
46.70
47.54
47.83
47.52
47.71
47.25
47.69
47.50
48.00
47.20
47.48
47.43
46.78
47.08
47.13
47.59
47.51
46.50
47.46
47.52
47.00
47.09
47.47
47.42
47.64
47.04
Can + 25g
Ovendried
41.29
42.00
41.41
41.13
40.85
41.20
41.82
41.78
42.66
41.04
41.27
41.64
41.96
41.60
41.93
31.13
40.83
41.45
41.72
41.71
41.59
41.83
41.90
41.75
42.71
40.48
41.15
41.03
39.88
41.15
40.47
41.47
41.35
41.39
41.11
40.93
40.15
40.26
39.85
40.56
40.93
41.32
A
5.53
5.54
6.38
5.92
6.18
6.41
6.02
5.69
5.40
5.66
5.99
5.73
5.68
5.94
5.59
6.26
5.87
6.09
6.11
5.81
6.12
5.42
5.79
5.75
5.29
6.72
6.33
6.40
6.90
5.93
6.66
6.12
6.16
5.11
6.35
6.59
6.85
6.83
7.62
6.86
6.71
5.72
A
x 100
553
554
638
592
618
641
602
569
540
566
599
573
568
594
559
626
587
609
611
581
612
542
579
575
529
672
633
640
690
593
666
612
616
511
635
659
685
683
762
686
671
572
(Can + oil)
- (can)
19.47
19.46
18.62
19.08
18.82
18.59
18.98
19.31
19.60
19.34
19.01
19.27
19.32
19.06
19.41
18.74
19.13
18.91
18.89
19.19
18.88
19.58
19.21
19.25
19.71
18.28
18.67
18.60
18.10
19.07
18.34
18.88
18.84
19.89
18.65
18.41
18.15
18.17
17.38
18.14
18.29
19.28
Sat %
28.40
28.47
34.26
31.03
32.84
34.48
31.72
29.47
27.55
29.27
31.51
29.74
29.40
31.16
28.80
33.40
30.68
32.31
32.25
30.28
32.42
27.68
30.14
28.87
26.84
36.76
33.90
34.41
38.12
31.10
36.31
32.42
32.70
25.69
34.05
35.80
37.74
37.59
43.84
37.82
36.69
29.67
                                      39

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APPENDIX IVa.  SOLUBLE CATIONS IN ELMO MINESOIL SAMPLES
//
II
*2
13
14
I5
%
Il2
Il8
Hi
II2
113
I^
US
"6
II12
Hl8
III!
III2
Ills
IIL,
ins
III6
IHl2
IVl
IV2
IV3
IVi»
IV5
IV5
IV12
Na
Meq/L
1.17
1.12
.43
.54
.64
1.30
1.08
1.16
2.88
1.54
1.49
1.04
1.01
1.25
1.79
2.20
1.74
1.01
.62
.54
.87
.42
.64
4.78
4.95
5.27
2.95
2.41
2.12
.97
Na
Meq/lOOg
.05
.05
.02
.03
.03
.05
.04
.06
.14
.06
.06
.05
.05
.05
.08
.10
.07
.05
.04
.03
.04
.02
.03
.24
.24
.26
.16
.13
.13
.05
Ca
Meq/L
6.19
5.00
3.11
4.86
5.51
11.65
26.91
27.09
12.65
5.63
3.60
5.10
5.99
20.00
31.34
26.36
14.05
8.73
5.09
5.34
6.16
3.85
25.33
25.81
27.00
31.32
25.44
25.11
23.79
17.60
Ca
Meq/lOOg
.27
.21
.16
.23
.23
.48
1.11
1.31
.63
.23
.14
.24
.23
.81
1.38
1.18
.59
.39
.30
.29
.30
.22
1.25
1.31
1.32
1.55
1.38
1.36
1.48
.88
Mg
Meq/L
5.21
4.04
3.00
3.81
4.17
9.10
34.92
30.15
11.04
5.10
2.85
3.87
3.40
7.10
34.04
37.92
12.60
8.71
5.08
6.52
6.40
4.50
23.71
28.46
35.12
38.75
31.21
28.94
27.75
20.13
Mg
Meq/lOOg
.22
.17
.15
.20
.17
.38
1.43
1.46
.55
.21
.11
.18
.16
.29
1.50
1.70
.53
.39
.30
.36
.31
.26
1.18
1.44
1.72
1.93
1.69
1.57
1.73
1.00
K-
Meq/L
1.27
.96
.77
.65
.47
.83
.56
.63
2.78
1.10
.78
.66
.49
.62
.81
.89
1.16
1.08
.76
.78
.99
.68
.38
2.87
2.48
2.46
1.67
1.82
1.72
.46
K-
Meq/lOOg
.05
.04
.04
.03
.02
.03
.02
.03
.14
.05
.03
.03
.02
.03
.04
.04
.05
.05
.04
.04
.05
.04
.02
.15
.12
.12
.09
.10
.11
.02
                        40

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APPENDIX IVb.  SOLUBLE CATIONS IN HANNA MINESOIL SAMPLES
Na Na
# Meq/L Meq/lOOe
Al
A2
A3
AU
AS
AG
Al2
A! 8
A2I+
B!
B2
B3
Oil
fic
BG
B12
BIS
Cl
C2
C3
Ci,
C5
CG
Cl2
Cl8
Dl
D2
D3
DI,
DS
DG
Di2
Die
El
E2
E3
Ei,
E5
EG
E12
El8
£21,
14.52
8.36
7.72
8.47
7.39
5.54
1.53
2.07
1.67
.39
1.29
.37
.45
.57
.40
2.45
.92
9.93
4.33
2.82
4.10
2.07
2.39
1.40
1.15
.64
.70
.93
.77
1.42
2.09
4.62
1.80
1.90
1.36
1.03
.87
2.29
.77
.46
.70
.97
.41
.24
.26
.26
.24
.19
.05
.06
.05
.01
.04
.01
.01
.02
.01
.08
.03
.32
.14
.09
.13
.06
.07
.04
.03
.02
.02
.03
.03
.04
.08
.15
.06
.05
.05
.04
.03
.09
.03
.02
.03
.03
Ca Ca Mg
Meq/L Meq/lOOg Meq/L
4.55
4.60
5.45
9.56
8.33
10.54
31.71
62.99
57.30
6.45
5.53
5.11
4.58
5.43
6.26
27.41
19.73
31.50
25.73
32.20
44.45
30.96
30.93
34.86
48.70
5.00
4.08
3.50
3.58
3.73
3.91
5.61
20.51
2.50
5.63
6.04
15.44
4.59
12.75
40.50
71.76
50.69
.13
.13
.19
.30
.27
.36
1.01
1.86
1.58
.19
.17
.15
.14
.17
.18
.92
.61
1.02
.83
.98
1.44
.86
.93
1.01
1.31
.18
.14
.12
.14
.12
.14
.18
.67
.06
.19
.12
.58
.17
.56
1.53
2.63
1.50
4.21
3.50
3.52
6.40
7.58
9.29
136.75
100.83
84.25
3.44
4.06
2.23
1.88
2.00
2.35
18.42
13.00
26.94
19.06
24.29
45.33
24.60
24.73
28.60
54.42
3.37
2.40
2.15
1.85
2.15
2.13
3.90
30.40
1.90
3.13
3.23
8.12
2.75
7.35
46.56
55.77
48.60
Mg
Meq/lOOg
.12
.10
.12
.20
.25
.32
4.34
2.97
2.32
.10
.13
.07
.06
.06
.07
.62
.40
.87
.62
.74
1.47
.68
.75
.83
1.46
.12
.08
.07
.07
.07
.08
.13
.99
.05
.11
.12
.31
.10
.32
1.76
2.05
1.44
K- K-
Meq/L Meq/lOOe
2.67
1.58
.94
.86
.74
.41
.48
.52
.55
.96
.94
.92
.95
.86
.76
1.01
.62
4.35
1.61
.50
.82
.32
.66
.32
.29
2.65
2.31
1.43
.81
.55
.23
.24
.22
1.70
.65
.29
.20
1.40
.13
.20
.24
.30
.08
.05
.03
.03
.02
.01
.02
.02
.02
.03
.03
.03
.03
.03
.02
.03
.02
.14
.05
.02
.03
.01
.02
.01
.01
.10
.08
.05
.03
.02
.01
.01
.01
.04
.02
.01
.01
.05
.01
.01
.01
.01
                            41

-------
                                    TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
                             (Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing]
   REPORT NO.
   EPA-600/7-79-253
                  3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

    SOIL DEVELOPMENT AND  NITRATES IN MINESOIL
                  5. REPORT DATE
                   December 1979  issuing date
                  6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
 7. AUTHOR(S)
              P. C. Singleton
              D. A. Barker
                 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO
                                                                   CR-8
 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
   Wyoming Agricultural Experiment  Station
   University of Wyoming
   P.  0.  Box 3354 -University Station
   Laramie,  Wyoming  82071
                  10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.

                        INE 623
                  11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
                    684-15-35
                    EPA-IAG D6-E762
 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
   Industrial Environmental Research Lab.
   Office of Research and Development
   U.S.  Environmental Protection  Agency
   Cincinnati,  Ohio  45268
- Cinn, OH
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final   Aug.  1976 to Sept 1978
                 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE

                       EPA/600/12
 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
                      This project  is part of the EPA
      Interagency Energy/Environment  R & D Program in
            planned  and  coordinated Federal
            Cooperation  with USDA, SEA-CR.
  Samples of minesoils from 16- and 40-year-old  mine spoil piles were analyzed in the
  laboratory for  various chemical and physical properties to ascertain  to  what extent tb
  material have been influenced by pedogenic  processes during their relatively brief
  Do^enrl fT^T  N*trate levels in the minesoils were also measured  to  determine if a
  potential hazard  exists.   Results of the  study indicated that both the 16- and 40-year-
  old materials showed signs of incipient soil development. The data also  showed-that
  nitrate levels  ln  the minesoils are higher  than in adjacent undisturbed  native soils.
  in general however,  the levels in the minesoil still are within the range  normally ex-
  pected for arable  soils,   it also appears that the nitrate level in the  minesoil de-
  creases with time  of exposure.
  This report was submitted in fulfillment of Contract No. 684-15-35 by the  University
  °t Wyoming under the sponsorship of the U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency.   This
  report covers the  period  August 7,  1976 to September 30. 1978.
                                KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
                  DESCRIPTORS
  Soils
  Coal
  Coal  Mines
  Spoil
  Nitrate
                                              b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
    Pedogenic  processes
    Wyoming
    Overburden
    Hanna Basin
    S.A.R.
                                                                         c.  COSATI Field/Group
                  13 B
 8. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT

 Release to Public
   19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
     Unclassified
             21. NO. OF PAGES
                    52
                                              20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage)
                                                Unclassified
                                                                         22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (R«v. 4-77)   PREVIOUS EDITION is OBSOLETE
                                            42
                                                                   U S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFMCE 1980-657-146/5524

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