The pedological properties of tailings derived from three mining operations in the Sudbury area, Ontario, Canada

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1982.00472425001100030037x· OSTI ID:5745621

Rutherford, G K; Dimma, D; van Loon, G W; Breck, W G

The pedological properties of tailings derived from Ni-Cu, Pb-Zn, and Au mining have been examined by conventional field and laboratory techniques. The Ni-Cu tailings have been vegetated by seeding, whereas the Pb-Zn and Au tailings have remained devoid of vegetation for >40 years. Tailing catenas have been developed and, depending on disposition of local water tables, regosolic-like profiles have formed with strongly reduced deep horizons overlain by variably oxidized subsurface horizons. Although unvegetated tailings are strongly acidic, dressings of agricultural lime hold surface vegetated horizons at about pH6; however these profiles also become strongly acidic with depth. Organic content is low and in some unvegetated tailings is higher than in those supporting vegetation. Sulfates are higher than in most soils in humid temperate regions. Exchangeable trace cations can be detected usually only with extractant at pH 4.2. Clay mineralogy reflects country rock, but high amounts of vermiculite and significant quantities of smectite and kaolin appear to have been formed as well as sand-sized jarosite. Micromorphologically, the tailings are characteristic of very weakly developed soils.

• Research Organization: Queens Univ., Kingston, Canada
• OSTI ID: 5745621
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 11:3; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CANADA
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMISTRY
COPPER ORES
ELEMENTS
GOLD ORES
INDUSTRY
LEAD ORES
METAL INDUSTRY
METALS
MINERALOGY
MINING
NICKEL ORES
NORTH AMERICA
ORES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
REVEGETATION
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOLID WASTES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TAILINGS
WASTES
ZINC ORES