1. Soils, Minerals, Wood, & Other Vegetative Matter
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2. Soils, Minerals, Wood, and Other Vegetative Matter.
Location
Link suspect
Trace Evidence
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3. Soil
Any material, both natural and artificial, that lies on or near Earth's surface
Most of this evidence is only useful as support or lead generating
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4. Examination of Soil
Throughout the examination of soil an observer must:
Look for trace evidence
Compare the physical and chemical properties of each sample to a control sample
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5. Matching Soil Samples
Two samples are considered to be the same if and only if they match on each and every step of the following tests
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6. Dry Samples & Pulverize
Dirt changes shade and color at different moisture levels
Dried dirt may clot
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7. Soil colors Geologists estimate nearly 1100 soil colors Munsell Soil
Color Chart

8. Visual Examination
Color
Texture
Shapes
Foreign Objects
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9. UV-Observations
Note the shape, size, number, and identity (if possible) of any material that fluoresces
Compare
Samples
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10. 2200 different fluorescent minerals in Soil

11. Forensic Geologists only encounter about 40
Mineral Ultraviolet Fluorescence Table

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15. Microscopic Observation
Color
Texture
Shapes
Foreign Objects
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16. Microscopic examinations best on small thin quantities of soil

17. Place a thin layer of dirt on a slide
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18. WARNING
Place only a small amount of sample on the slide at a time. Be sure the dirt is placed only in the center of the slide so as not to allow it to fall in the microscope.
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19. Place a second slide on top of the sample
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20. Naked Eye
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21. Microscopic x10
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22. Microscopic x40 (Cotton Fiber)
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23. Final Comparison
Any and all foreign objects found should be investigated separately
If all previous comparisons are similar between two samples they likely originate from the same area
As final comparison density gradient columns may be utilized
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24. Naked Eye
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25. Microscopic x40 (Minerals)
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26. Naked Eye
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27. Microscopic x40 (Organic Material)
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28. copyright of Brennon Sapp and bsapp.com.

29. Density Gradient Tubes
Assemble two identical density columns with varying levels of liquids in them
Drop equal amounts of soil samples (a control and unknown) in the columns
Allow the samples to disperse throughout the columns for comparison
If the two samples are of the same origin, then they will produce nearly identical gradient tubes
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31. bsapp.com When soil is added to a density-gradient
tube, its particles will sink to the portion of the tube that has a density of similar value; the particles will remain suspended in the liquid at this point until the soil becomes saturated
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