Coastal Acid Sulfate Soils

This page deals specifically with coastal acid sulfate soil and it's creation under marine/estuarine conditions. Some other acid sulfate soils found around Victoria can be associated with the weathering of rocks containing high levels of pyrites.

Acid sulfate soils and sediments have accumulations of iron sulfides in the upper layers which occurred under waterlogged or highly reducing (anaerobic) conditions. As long as these materials remain waterlogged or de-oxygenated, they remain innocuous and do not cause problems. Drainage or other disturbance which causes oxidation creates a chain of events resulting in the release of highly acidic leachates from the soil. A recent report on acid sulfate soil hazard maps - guidelines for coastal Victoria has been produced by the Department of Primary Industries (Rampant et al 2003). A copy of this is available for download below.

Statewide Acid Sulfate Soils

(PDF 939KB) To view the information PDF requires the use of a PDF reader. This can be installed for free from the Adobe website (external link).

Gemco sampling rig in operation. This was used to mechanically extract samples to a depth of 5 metres.

Hand Augering for acid sulfate soils close to Melbourne. Note the grey and black layering typical in the soils from this environment . Often there may be layers of shell (sometimes up to 70%) within the profile. Hand augering to 4-5 m was quite common during this study.

The straw-coloured material in this black clay is the mineral Jarosite. Jarosite is evidence that there is oxidised acid sulfate soils. It is found in places where the ASS has been disturbed (excavated or drained) so that the previously inundated ASS layers have been exposed to air. This shows the typical Jarosite formation in drained soil: first appearing along the root channels. This sample was taken from South Melbourne.

Related Links

• Information about Coastal Acid Sulfate Soils in Victoria (external link) - on the Victorian Coastal Council website. Includes information on: planning context; analysis; waste ASS; national problems.
• Acid Sulfate Soil and Rock (external link). Downloadable document on the EPA Victoria website.
• Information about Acid Sulfate Soils (external link) on the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy website.
• Information about Acid Sulfate Soils in NSW - on the NSW Agriculture website. Includes information on: distribution of acid sulfate soils in NSW; National Strategy for Acid Sulfate Soils; ASS Local Environment Plans; ASS Manual and Newsletters.
• Information about Acid Sulfate Soils in NSW - on the NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation website. Includes information on distribution of ASS; causes of acid sulfate soil oxidation; effects of acid sulfate soils; management and remediation of ASS in NSW; online technical papers.
• Information about National Coastal Acid Sulfate Soils (external link) - on the Environment Australia website.
• Information on Coastal Acid Sulfate Soils is available on Geoscience Australia's OzEstuaries website (external link). This page also has links to other relevant sources of information.
• The Western Australian Planning Commission website provides downloadable Planning Bulletins (external link) - to provide advice and guidance on matters that should be taken into account in the rezoning, subdivision and development of land that contains acid sulfate soils in WA.
• Information about Acid Sulfate Soils (including mapping, identification and impacts) (external link) is available on the Queensland Government's Department of Natural Resources and Water website.

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