Red mud flooded agricultural lands

Source of the photo
Gruiz Katalin
Author of the description
Gruiz Katalin

The red mud layer on the agricultural lands is not thick enough to be efficiently removed but it is thick enough to seal the soil surface from air access into the soil pores. This red mud layer should be mixed as soon as possible into the soil in order that the soil pores are free to get air and the red mud layer does not dry out to be exposed to wind erosion.

The red mud dried out on the grasslands may be able to be delivered further by the wind. To prevent this the most efficient solution would be tillage. 5−10 weight % red mud addition to the soil does not damage the soil. If 2 cms thick red mud layer is mixed into 30 cms thick soil layer (function of the soils moisture content) 5−7 weight% red mud is to be mixed into the soil. According to the ecotoxicity tests performed by BME this amount is not toxic for the soil living organisms and does not inhibit plant growth either.