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Plant and Soil Reactions to Nickel Ore Processed Tailings¹

ABSTRACT

Greenhouse and laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect that tailings, produced during the processing of nickeliferous laterite ores by a proposed U.S. Bureau of Mines Process, would have on plant growth and soil properties. The tailings contained soluble salts (7.6 mmhos/cm), NH₄-N (877 µg/g), Ni (0.28%), Mn (82 µg/g DTPA-extractable), Cr (0.44%), P (2 and 6 µg/g acid F- and NaHCO₃-extractable, respectively), and Ca and Mg (1.0 and 20.7 meq/100 g NH₄Ac-extractable, respectively). Water leaching decreased the NH₄-N concentration to 53 µg/g and the EC to 0.4 mmhos/cm by removal of (NH₄)₂SO₄ and MgSO₄ salts. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) was grown on Eightlar clay soil (skeletal, serpentinitic, mesic Typic Xerochrept) amended with 0, 223, 446, and 669 g tailings/kg soil and pure, unleached tailings for 32 weeks in the greenhouse. Seedling establishment of plants grown on soil amended at the highest tailings rate and the pure tailings was initially slow, but plants grown on soil amended at lower rates established readily and grew well. Plant P was <0.24%, while plant Ca concentrations were <0.45% throughout the growth period even though Ca(H₂PO₂)₂ and gypsum had been added. Ammonium acetate-extractable Ca at the end of the growth period was <5.0 meq/100 g on all amended soils. The Mn, Ni, and Cr concentrations of plants grown on treated soils were within normal ranges, although soil-analysis values were higher than commonly found. It is recommended that the tailings be washed to reduce NH₄-N and soluble salts prior to revegetation, and that native soil be added to the surface to reduce crusting.

Key Words: tall fescue • ammonium • soluble salts • phosphorus • calcium • serpentine soils • revegetation

¹ Contribution of the Oregon Agric. Exp. Stn., Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331. Tech. Paper no. 5966. Research supported by funds provided by the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Dep. of Interior, under Contract no. J0295058, and by the Oregon Agric. Exp. Stn.

² Graduate Research Assistant and Professors, respectively, Dep. ofSoil Science.

Received for publication September 8, 1981.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				U. Kukier and R. L. Chaney Amelioration of Nickel Phytotoxicity in Muck and Mineral Soils J. Environ. Qual., November 1, 2001; 30(6): 1949 - 1960. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]