F LIMPOPO

UN YO
I VERSIT

Faculty of Science and Agriculture

SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MINERAL SCIENCES

Department of Geology and Mining

PRACTICAL MANUAL
(SGIB022)
2024
Introduction

Agricultural Geology (SGIB022) is a service module given in the second level of study in
the second semester. This module forms part of the modules given in the curriculum of
the Soil Science students. The module exposes the student to the geological aspect of
agriculture. It is common knowledge that geology is the study of rocks, therefore, before
one can study soil they have to first understand the parent material it formed from. Rocks
play an important role in the development of soil’s mineralogy, geochemistry and fertility.
In this module the student should gain knowledge and skills in the application of the
geological processes in soil formation.

Rules of Engagement
• Arrive on time
• Safety is a priority, you are responsible for your safety and the safety of those
around you.
• Cleanliness is next to holiness
• Respect yourself and those around.
SGIB022 Practical 1

Mineral Identification total: 25

Apparatus

• Rock forming mineral specimens

Procedure

1. In a group of 3, copy the table down and fill it in with the physical properties of
minerals. Each tray has a different mineral in please don’t take a mineral out of it
tray.

Sampl col hardne stre Lust Cleava transpare Chemical Class Nam
es or ss ak re ge ncy compositi of e of
on miner miner
al al

2. Draw the Bowens Reaction Series, and identify where each mineral sits on the
series.

Experiment 2

Rock Identification

Apparatus:

Different types of rocks specimens from each class: Igneous, Sedimentary and
Metamorphic rocks
Procedure

Sample Roc Mode of Textur Chemical Colou Class of Grai Nam

s k formatio e compositio r sedimetar n e of
type n n of magma y size the
rock

Experiment 3

Grain Size Analysis

Apparatus

Sieve Stack

Methods

Samples should be oven-dried (at about 60 C) and free of large twigs, leaves or other
organic debris. Take 25-30 grams of dried sample, weigh the sample carefully, and
record the initial weight. Assemble the sieve stack with largest mesh spacing’s on the
top, progressively smaller mesh spacing’s downward, and a pan on the bottom. Pour the
sample in the top sieve, shake for 20 minutes, and record the weight retained in each
pan. We will weigh by difference, so first record the weight of the weighing paper or
weighing tray. Then record the gross weight (weighing paper + sand retained) and finally
subtract the paper weight from the gross weight to obtain the net sample weight retained.

When you are ready to plot your data you will use a spreadsheet that is posted on
Blackboard. This spreadsheet will calculate the individual weight percent for each sand
fraction by dividing the fraction weight by the total weight retained. The spreadsheet will
also calculate cumulative weight percent for the entire sand sample by adding the
individual weight percent’s. There are tabs for a data table, a cumulative frequency graph
and a histogram that you will present in your report.

Calculations

Part of your practical is to determine the mean, median, sorting and skewness of the
sample. We will construct a data table, a grain size histogram, and an arithmetic
cumulative frequency diagram to make these calculations. You will be able to read the
mode from your histogram. When you have constructed the cumulative frequency
diagram, you will be able to read values for φ5, φ16 , φ50, φ84 and φ95 from this curve.
These values are then substituted into the equations below to determine the graphic
mean, median, inclusive graphic standard deviation (sorting) and inclusive graphic
skewness (skewness) for your sand sample. Formulas for these measures are given
below:

Graphic Mean (Mz) = (φ16 + φ50 + φ84)

3
Median = φ50 from the cumulative frequency curve

Inclusive graphic standard deviation" σi (sigma) = (φ84 - φ16) + (φ95 - φ5)

4 6.6
Inclusive graphic skewness SKi = (φ84 + φ16 - 2φ50) + (φ95 + φ5 - 2φ50)
2 (φ84 - φ16) 2 (φ95 - φ5 )
Exepiment 4

Physical properties of soil

1. Water Retention Capacity

Apparatus:

• Funnel
• Beakers
• Measuring cylinder 100ml
• Filter paper
• Spatula
• Three types of soil: sand, loam , clay

Procedure

• Take three empty cylinders and put funnels on top

• Put filter papers in each of the funnels
• Put the three different soils in the funnels, on type of soil per funnel
• Pour 100ml of water into the funnels.
• Wait for the water to be infiltrated
• Observe the water in the cylinder.

Experiment 5

Water Holding Capacity

Apparatus
• Filter paper
• Petridish
• Tin boxes with holes at the bottom
• Weighing balance
• Glass rods ( long and short)
• Garden soil
• Roadside soil

Procedure

• Put the filter paper on the bottom of the tin on the inside and weigh
 • Pour the soil in the tin and weigh
• In the Petri dish pour water, put the small glass rods parallel to each other with
a small space between them
• Put the tin with soil on top of the water and wait till the water is visible on top of
the soil
• Take the tin out of the water, wipe the bottom and weigh
• Do so with the other soil type

Soil Weight Weight Weight Weight Weight Mass of % of

samples of tin+ of tin+ of tin+ of dry of wet water WHC
filter filter filter soil soil absorbed (N/D)*100
paper paper+ paper+ B-A=D C-A=E by soil
(A) soil wet soil E-D=N
(B) (C)
Garden
soil
Roadside
soil

Experiment 6

Moisture Content in soil

Apparatus

Crucibles

Weighing balance

Heating metal

Procedure

• Pour the soils in the crucible

• Weigh the crucibles and soil, record the initial value
• Heat the soil for 10 minutes then weigh them, record the final value
 • Calculate the different

Soil samples initial final difference

Roadside soil
Garden soil

Discuss the results.

Experiment 7

Soil textures

Apparatus

• Measuring cylinder
• Beaker
• Garden soil
• Roadside soil
• clay

procedure

• In 100ml cylinder pour water 50ml

• Pour soil in the cylinders and shake
• Wait for the soil to settle
• After the soil settling, measure the three layers the soil made and calculate the
percentages
• On the textural triangle, check the soil textures with the percentages of the layer
Experiment 7

pH of the soil

Apparatus

LAB: To get started you will need a standard pH meter, a pH electrode, an ATC probe,
a stirrer with stir bar, beaker, deionized water, and buffers.

Procedure

Weigh 20 g of soil sample into a 100 mL beaker. Add 20 mL of deionized (DI) water
and place on a stirrer to mix for 30 minutes. Cover and let stand for an hour. For the
most accurate measurements, allow the buffers and the soil sample both to come to
room temperature. (A difference in temperature will add error to your measurement.).
We recommend a 2-point calibration with a pH 7 and a pH 10 buffer solution. The
electrode slope should be between 92 and 102%.6. Rinse electrode and ATC with DI
water and blot dry. Place probes in soil sample and measure pH and record
measurement.
Experiment 8

Clay separation for elemental analysis

The separation processes are used for removing contaminated concentrates from
soils, to leave relatively uncontaminated fractions that can then be regarded as treated
soil. Ex situ separation can be performed by many processes. Gravity separation and
sieving/physical separation are two well-developed processes that have long been
primary methods for treating municipal wastewaters. Magnetic separation, on the other
hand, is a much newer separation process that is still being tested.

Gravity Separation

Gravity separation is a solid/liquid separation process, which relies on a density

difference between the phases. Equipment size and effectiveness of gravity
separation depends on the solids settling velocity, which is a function of the particles
size, density difference, fluid viscosity, and particle concentration (hindered settling).
Gravity separation is also used for removing immiscible oil phases, and for
classification where particles of different sizes are separated. It is often preceded by
coagulation and flocculation to increase particle size, thereby allowing removal of fine
particles.

Magnetic Separation

Magnetic separation is used to extract slightly magnetic radioactive particles from host
materials such as water, soil, or air. All uranium and plutonium compounds are slightly
magnetic while most host materials are nonmagnetic. The process operates bypassing
contaminated fluid or slurry through a magnetized volume. The magnetized volume
contains a magnetic matrix material such as steel wool that extracts the slightly
magnetic contamination particles from the slurry.

Sieving/Physical Separation

Sieving and physical separation processes use different size sieves and screens to
effectively concentrate contaminants into smaller volumes. Physical separation is
based on the fact that most organic and inorganic contaminants tend to bind, either
chemically or physically, to the fine (i.e., clay and silt) fraction of a soil. The clay and
silt soil particles are, in turn, physically bound to the coarser sand and gravel particles
by compaction and adhesion. Thus, separating the fine clay and silt particles from the
coarser sand and gravel soil particles would effectively concentrate the contaminants
into a smaller volume of soil that could then be further treated or disposed.

Apparatus:

Pipette

Beaker

Soil

Water

Spetula

Stirring rod

Weighing balance

Filter paper

Weighing boats

Measuring cylinder

Procedure

Part One

Weigh any amount of soil in the weighing boat (as long as you record the reading).
Pour the weighed soil in to the beaker. Measure 100ml of water with the measuring
cylinder and pour into the beaker. Stir your mixture and put it aside to settle for 3 to 7
for the results to be accurate.

Part two (after settling/separation)

Using a pipette to take the solution which contain clay after a known hour by stocks
law and waiting days to collect the clay. Take the filter paper and place it in a weighing
boat. Using the pipette, withdraw the clay layer slowly and pipette on to the filter paper.
Leave it to air dry or oven dry it.

Part 3 (milling and analysis)

After the clay has air dried, place it in a pastel and crush it in to powder. Prepare the
sample for analysis.