The study of morphological and mineralogical changes within a natural acid saline seep affected landscape revealed that seasonal differences in surface mineralogy, reflecting the operation of sulfidization and oxidative sulfide weathering processes. During the wet season, the surface and near surface of the waterlogged seep and marsh areas is dominated by black sulfidic materials (pyrite) and minor salt crusts, with negligible iron oxides and oxyhydroxides. The Fe and S emerging from seeps contribute to the sulfidization processes operative in reducing conditions within the waterlogged zones. During the dry season, the surface mineralogy of the natural seepage zone is dominated by salts (halite), sulfates (gypsum and barite) and importantly, iron oxyhydroxides gel precipitates and crusts (ferrihydrite, goethite, schwertmannite). The gradual drying of previously waterlogged zones during summer facilitates oxidative weathering of the sulfides, which together with rapid oxidation of Fe²⁺ emerging from the still persisting minor seeps, results in the formation of iron oxyhydroxides and acid generation. The visible near infra-red (VNIR) reflectance spectra of the surface minerals from unaffected, salt crusted and acid seep areas, showed spectral differences expressed in the VNIR region due to absorption bands of iron oxides and hydroxides. The spectral difference can be utilized for regional scale mapping of acid seeps and acid sulfate soils of affected areas via hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing.

Acid and saline seeps are an increasing problem in most parts of the World and Australia as well. They are areas of bare soil or reduced crop production. Recent laboratory, field, and remote sensing studies have explored the use of visible to short – wave infrared (VIS- SWIR; 400-2500 nm) reflectance data for characterizing the mineralogy of mine wastes, surface mineralogy of acid-saline affected areas and for evaluating waste impacts on hydrologic and biologic systems. Seasonal surface sampling through topo-sequence of the study area and analytical results of XRD, SEM and VNIR indicate that morphological and mineralogical changes within a natural acid saline seep affected landscape revealed that seasonal differences in surface mineralogy. The visible near infra-red (VNIR) reflectance spectra of the surface minerals from unaffected, salt crusted and acid seep areas, showed spectral differences expressed in the VNIR region due to absorption bands of iron oxides and hydroxides. This difference in the surface mineralogy during summer can be readily identified via multi-spectral and hyper-spectral remote sensing methods, and therefore regional mapping com be done for identification of surface mineralogy due to spatial and temporal distribution of acid seeps, which has caused degradation of agricultural lands is suggested.