Author Description

In fall 1983, study plots were established on a near level tailings sand pad on the Syncrude Canada Ltd. oil sands mine site, north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. The plots consisted of soil reconstructed by applying and mixing various quantities of peat and clayey overburden at 20 and 40 cm depths. A total of 18 treatments were established consisting of three application rates each of peat and overburden to form nine reconstructed soil formulations to be tested at each depth. A study was conducted to determine which mixtures would support establishment of an initial vegetation cover that would evolve to support a maintenance-free forest cover of a desired level of productivity. Ten species of trees and shrubs were planted in fall 1984 to act as indicators of soil capability and the original component materials and the various mixtures were analyzed for a variety of soil physical and chemical properties.