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- Sulfur: Pyritic Sulfur <br />Sulfate Sulfur • <br />Total Sulfur <br />- Carbonate and Bicarbonate <br />- Total Combustible Solids 1-fCSI <br />- Arsenic IAS) <br />- Mercury IHgI <br />During 1991, Peabody began an exploration drilling program in the Seneca IIW South. project <br />area. Two overburden sites were selected for sampling in addition to two sites that had <br />previously been sampled in 1974. Samples from the four sites were analyzed for a combination <br />of the parameters listed above based upon previous sample results from similar lithology at <br />Seneca II, Seneca IIW, and Yoast mines. Four additional parameters, ammonium-nitrogen, <br />chloride, chromium, and nickel weere also tested. <br />The Seneca II-W geologic strata was analyzed for these parameters to document the physical <br />and chemical properties of the overburden and underburden, to compare these properties to <br />ground water quality, to develop effective and efficient overburden handling procedures, and to <br />determine potential reclamation success. The following discussion describes the importance <br />and applicability of each physical and chemical test that was completed. Since portions of the <br />overburden will be used as a root growth medium beneath the topsoil, the words soil and <br />overburden are used here interchangeably. <br />pH. Soil reaction for pH) of the growth medium significantly affects the availability of essential <br />nutrients in addition to the solubility of potentially toxic ions. Soils with a pH ranging from 7.5 <br />to 8.4 contain alkaline earth carbonates and may be alkali. Soils with a pH greater than 8.5 <br />are nearly always alkali and contain a large percentage of alkaline-earth carbonates (USDA, <br />1951 and USDA, 19691. Soils with pH less than 5.0 usually contain solubilized aluminum and <br />excessive amounts of other heavy metal trace elements which are soluble under acid <br />conditions. Total nutrient availability is greatest for neutral to slightly acid soils witYiin a pH <br />range of 6.5 - 7.0 (Donahue at al., 1977; USDA, 1951; and Walsh, 19721. For these reasons, <br />soils with a pH less than 5.0 or greater than 8.5 are typically unsuitable far plant propagation. <br />• <br />10 Revised 9/98 <br />