Changes in mine soil physical properties over a nine-year period
Soil development on reclaimed Appalachian surface mined lands is often dominated by weathering of fresh lithic overburden material due to thinness of native topsoil in this region. In 1989, a study was initiated in northcentral West Virginia to examine changes in physical properties over time in relation to mine soil development. Physical properties were examined on conventionally reclaimed minesoil plots dominated by lithic overburden, and on plots where a fly ash/wood waste mixture was used as a topsoil substitute. Changes in particle-size distribution, bulk density, total porosity, and aggregation occurred during the nine-year period as a result of pedogenesis. The minesoil exhibited reduced bulk density, increased total porosity, increased aggregation, and shifts in particle-size distribution as a result of weathering over time. Changes were more pronounced in surface horizons than in the subsoil. The fly ash topsoil substitute also showed increased aggregation over time but little change in particle-size distribution, bulk density, and total porosity. this study shows that minesoils developing from lithic overburden materials may experience rapid changes in physical properties as a result of pedogenesis.
- Research Organization:
- West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20023311
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16th Annual National Meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, Scottsdale, AZ (US), 08/13/1999--08/19/1999; Other Information: PBD: [1999]; Related Information: In: Mining and reclamation for the next millennium. Proceedings of the 16th annual national meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, by Bengson, S.A.; Bland, D.M. [eds.], 745 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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