Abstract
To identify the principal humification pathways which occur during the initial stages of pedogenesis, organic matter from mine soils of different ages from the Meirama lignite mine in NW Spain was subjected to a series of physícochemical and chemical fractionations. Although humic molecules of molecular weight lower than 10,000 Da were always predominant, the percentage of C associated with molecules of between 50,000 and 200,000 Da increased with soil age, as did the percentage of chemically stabilized humus and the percentage of C associated with immobile complexes. In general, our results suggest that the principal humification pathway in these soils involves abiotic condensation reactions, as in the case of natural soils of this region. The low complexed metal content of the mine soils in comparison with natural soils indicates the low degree of weathering of inorganic fraction which has occurred in the former.
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