Abstract; In 1983 the Alberta Research Council and Luscar Ltd. initiated a study to monitor the physical and chemical properties of newly mined and reconstructed soils at the Paintearth Mine. The objective was to determine what changes were occurring and the impact, if any, of these changes on long-term soil quality and productivity. Baseline soil sampling and neutron access tube installation were completed shortly after spoil leveling and soil replacement at six locations representing different slope positions and thickness of replaced subsoil. Monitoring sites were also established in unmined soils adjacent to the mine area. Neutron probe measuremen!S to determine soil moistute and bulk density status in the upper 4 m were conducted annually from April to October. Forage crop harvests were completed to determine yield and forage quality in three different years. Sampling of soils in 15 cm intervals to a maximum depth of 210 cm for analytical purposes was completed in seven of the ten years of the study.Soil moisture data indicated that moisture content and distribution pattern in the reconstructed soils were similar to that of adjacent unmined soils. Bulk density at the reconstructed sites decreased with time during the term of the project and was similar to the bulk density values measured at unmined sites. The electrical conductivity data indicated salts were leached or rediJ,tributed downward in the profiles over time. Measurements to date indicate that in terms of soil moisture regime, bulk density status and forage yield the reconstructed soils are similar to unmined soils in the area. The overall improvement in the chemical properties of the reconstructed soils from the time of reconstruction could be largely attributed to leaching of salts.

No abstract