Acid Sulfate Soil Management

Earth Systems has extensive expertise in the management and remediation of acid sulfate soil (ASS) sites. Our expertise encompasses all aspects of ASS management, including identification, characterisation, prediction, prevention, control and treatment of acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) associated with acid sulfate soils (ASS).

Services Provided

• Acid Sulfate Soil site auditing, including risk assessment and management systemaudits.
• Identification and characterization of soil samples based on geochemical static tests (acid base accounting) and kinetic tests (eg. column leach tests, sulfide oxidation rate measurement).
• Baseline studies and impact assessment associated with disturbance / dewatering of sulfidic soils and potential AMD generation.
• Design and implementation of ASS prevention, control and treatment strategies.
• Development of comprehensive ASS Management and Monitoring Plans, incorporating short and long term AMD management or prevention strategies.
• Leading practice environmental training workshops for regulators, managers, supervisors and operators on ASS issues and management.

Experience

Our recent experience includes:

• Identification, characterisation, prediction and management of Acid Sulfate Soils at numerous sites in all states of Australia, as well as Indonesia and Vietnam.
• Development of AMD prevention, control and treatment strategies for Acid Sulfate Soils in the Lower Murray Lakes, South Australia.
• Senior authors of the Leading Practice Handbook on “Managing AMD” for the Australian Federal Government.
• Development of Acid Sulfate Soil management strategies for a 50,000 ha sugar cane plantation in Eastern Sumatra.
• Provision of advice on potential Acid Sulfate Soil issues in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
• Characterisation and impact assessment of sulfidic mine tailings from Mount Lyell in the King River system and delta, Tasmania.
• Provision of technical input into the Victorian Government’s Acid Sulfate Soil Policy.