SOIL SURVEYS

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SOIL SURVEYS SPGM SEGREGATION

• Dean K. Moos
• Assistant Director
• Reclamation Division
• ND Public Service Commission

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Soil is defined as. . .

• The complex natural material derived from
  disintegrated and decomposed rocks and organic
  materials, which provides nutrients, moisture,
  and anchorage for plants.
• It is composed of mineral materials, organic
  matter, water, and air.

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5 Soil Forming Factors

• Parent Material
• Climate
• Living Organisms
• Time
• Topography

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A Soil Profile

• O Horizon Organic material
• Living things carry on life activities.
• Millions of dead plant and animal
• organisms are slowly decomposing.
• Takes from 100 to 600 years to form.
• A Horizon Topsoil containing humus
• Organic matter, roots, worms, insects,
• and other living organisms, small rock
• and mineral fragments. Dark in color.
• B Horizon Subsoil
• Some roots and other living organisms,
• materials leached by water from the A
• horizon, clay, rock fragments, minerals.
• Lighter in color than topsoil.
• C Horizon Weathered Parent Rock
• Materials leached by water from the B
• horizon, partly weathered rock fragments.
• Orangish, yellowish color.
• Solid Rock Unweathered Parent Rock

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Williams Soil - nonprime
Bowbells Soil - prime
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History of Reclamation in ND

• First surface mining law passed in 1969 (topping
  spoil peaks).
• Amended in 1971 (grading to gentle topography),
  1973 (salvage respread of topsoil), 1975
  (salvage of topsoil, restore productivity).
• Federal SMCRA passed in 1977 much of patterned
  after ND law.

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Mining Permit Soil Surveys

• One of the required pre-mine inventories.
• Intended to document the pre-mine soil resources
  demonstrate the suitability of the soil
  materials and potential for successful
  reclamation.
• Must be prepared by Professional Soil Classifier.
• 14,800 scale (1 400 ft.).
• Usually an Order 1 or 2 survey.

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Uses of Soil Survey Information

• Determine potential for reclamation success.
• Determine the quality and quantity of topsoil and
  subsoil materials.
• Use pre-mine soils information to calculate
  reclamation success standards.
• Soils information used to in conjunction with
  other disciplines (hydrology, vegetation, etc).

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Soil Survey must contain the following
information

• Vertical areal extent of topsoil materials
  (SAR lt 4, EC lt2, OM gt1, normally the dark
  colored, noncalcareous surface layer usually
  the A horizon and upper part of the B horizon).
• Vertical areal extent of subsoil materials (SAR
  lt 10, EC lt4 usually the lower B horizon and C
  horizon).
• Location of prime farmlands.
• Results of any chemical physical analyses (lab
  data).
• Description, classification, interpretation of
  the soils.

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Soils Operations Reclamation Plans

• Soil salvage respread usually done by scrapers
  and/or truck/shovel.
• Topsoil subsoil prime and nonprime soils
  handled separately.
• All topsoil must be salvaged.
• 2 options for subsoil removal/respread
  remove/respread total volume of subsoil or
  remove/respread based on graded spoil
  characteristics.
• Soil materials either stockpiled or directly
  respread.

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Reclaimed Soils

• Typically medium textured, A horizon 7- 12
  thick, heavily compacted, massive with little or
  no structure development.
• Classification?
• Tend to be highly productive if adequate soil
  moisture.
• Compaction main concern.
• Subsidence on reclaimed areas.
• Long-term sustainability.

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