MICROSCOPY AND ELECTRON MICROPROBE ANALYSIS OF SOME IRON–MANGANESE PANS FROM NEWFOUNDLAND

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Soil Science
• Main Authors: BREWER, R., PROTZ, R., McKEAGUE, J. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1973
• Subjects: Soil Science; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/cjss73-052; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.4141/cjss73-052

A number of thin iron–manganese pans from soils with peaty surface horizons have been examined with a light microscope and electron microprobe analyzer. The results show that: (1) concentrations of Fe and Mn (as oxides, hydroxides, or both) occur distinctly separated from each other even where closely associated, i.e., every unit analyzed was dominantly either Mn or Fe with little contamination by the other; (2) Mn concentrations always increase in proportion to Fe with increasing depth in the pans; generally Mn concentrations underlie Fe concentrations; (3) at least in these pans, the various kinds of Fe and Mn concentrations can be distinguished optically by using both transmitted and reflected light characteristics.