A Critique on Methods of Determining Free Iron Oxides Employing Podzolic Soils from Thor Lake, North West Territories

TLDR: The most useful method for free iron oxide extraction is one that is independent of complexing variables such as pH, C.E.T.C., temperature and time.

Abstract: The study of free iron oxides in soils has for many years been an important area of research in the soil science. The development of many standard procedures over the years has led to confusion as to which method is most suitable for extracting free iron oxides. This study presents a systematic review of {a) the development of chemical processes and iron deposits in the podzolic group of soils, a major Canadian soil group in which free iron oxides deposits are found; {b) a review of the theory and experimental data behind some of the most widely accepted procedures of iron extraction; (c) a systematic review of four of the major methods of free iron extraction through experimental and statistical analysis employing soil samples from Thor Lake, N.W.T. The results of this study show that the most useful method for free iron oxide extraction is one that is independent of complexing variables such as pH, C.E.C., temperature and time.