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Significance of Sulfide Oxidation in Soil Salinization in Southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada¹

ABSTRACT

Several deep soil columns in the Weyburn area, Saskatchewan, Canada, show features related to S^2- oxidation, including the presence of high amounts of SO^2-₄ salts and low pH. A soil 4-km west of Cedoux that had 1-m layer of till underlain by Cretaceous marine shale was selected to characterize these features. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and chemical techniques confirmed the presence of well-developed crystals of natrojarosite between the 100- to 600-cm depth, and sulfides below 550 cm. Sulfate was the predominant water-soluble anion, with Na⁺ followed by Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ as major cations. Accumulation of sulfate in the Cedoux soil and similar soils in the area was attributed to sulfide oxidation and hydrolysis of natrojarosite. Sulfate salts probably are still produced at present. Due to their mobility and recycling in the soils and Cretaceous marine shale it was difficult to bring to light the genesis of salts in Saskatchewan.

¹ Contribution no. R492 from Saskatchewan Institute of Pedology, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W0, Canada. Research supported by the Saskatchewan Agric. Res. Fund (SARF-B).

² Adjunct Professor, Inst. of Pedology, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Canada; and Senior Research Scientist, Agric. Canada Res. Stn., Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada, respectively.

Received for publication November 19, 1985.