Pedogenic trends in Anthrosols developed in sulfidic mine spoils: A case study in the Temperino mine archaeological area (Campiglia Marittima, Tuscany, Italy)

Morphological, chemical, and mineralogical features of 35 soil profiles developed from mine spoils in the abandoned mine district of Campiglia Marittima (Tuscany, Italy) were examined with the goal of determining the effects of anthropogenic mine spoil on pedogenesis, in comparison with conterminous normal soils. We have recorded three different stages of soil development. Immature soils showing features of the parent material ( Spolic Xerorthents) formed in close proximity to the recent (modern) mine wastes. Soils developed from old mine dumps, or in the distal parts (up to 0.5 km) of the dumps, present a moderate evolution, with a A–B–C profile (Spolic Haploxerepts and Dystroxerepts). At major distance (40.5 km), soils present little evidence of mine waste in the profile, with sulfidic minerals in the surface horizon and an abrupt textural change between the upper and lower part of the soil profile, which shows features typical of Alfisols. Therefore, these soils could be classified as Spolic Rhodoxeralfs or as Spolic Xerorthent over Typic Rhodoxeralf. Most of the conterminous soils, not influenced by mine spoils, present features typical of the ‘‘terra rossa’’ (Typic Rhodoxeralfs). Data indicate that current pedogenic processes of mine spoils were driven by the nature and properties of the new parent material (mineralogy, chemistry, grain size, porosity), and that the rate of soil development was mainly governed by inherited factors of parental material. Based on the results obtained, a linear relationship of A horizon thickness to soil age (R 2¼ 0 :9766) was observed, and a chronofunction corresponding to the studied chronosequence for anthropogenic soils is presented. The recorded trend of soil evolution from mine spoils may contribute to better understanding of areas affected by similar waste material, and may be utilized in remediation of abandoned mine areas