Results from two sets of laboratory test programmes on sand-salt mixtures in which the salt fractions, of different amounts and size, are dissolved are brought together to gather insight into the mechanics of mass loss and its controlling factors. The test results are then used to provide a framework in which to interpret the long term behavior of two landfill reclaimed soils. There is some settlement and in all cases an increase in void ratio. It is shown that settlement and void ratio increases are strongly influenced by the amount of salt but almost insensitive to the particle size, at least over the ranges and size distributions tested. Both settlement and void ratio increases are muted by wider particle size distributions.