ABSTRACT
A technical assessment of rare earth elements (REEs) in soils obtained around quarzite mines in Igarra. Soil samples were collected and grounded manually to very fine powder with pestle and mortar to break down aggregates in order to satisfy homogeneity of XRF analysis. The mean concentration of REEs in soil samples was collected from the study area at a depth range of 0- 10cm, 10-20cm respectively from four sampling points S1, S2, S3 and S4. The following are the Rare Earth Elements that was determined from the analysed soil samples: Ce, Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, Ho, Lu, Nd, Pr, Sm, Si, Sr, Tb, Tm, Yb. The mean concentration of REEs in sampling point one (S1) ranges from 0.00mg/kg to 2.925mg/kg, S2 ranges from 0.00mg/kg to 15.682mg/kg, S3 ranges from 0.00mg/kg to 5.852mg/kg and S4 ranges from 0.00mg/kg to 12.850mg/kg. The REEs mean concentration values was compare with normalization values of PAAS and UCC and the REEs mean concentration values was normalized by dividing the REEs mean concentration values with PAAS values or UCC. Findings also revealed that most concentration of REEs increased down the soil profile within the sampling locations. Gd (0.047-0.795) in S1, Lu S1 (0.000-5.850), S2 (5.851-19.850), SmS1 (0.000-0.405), TbS1 (0.000-0,012), Tm (0.033-0.045) S2, Yb (0.003-0.790) S2 in mg/kg indicate slight increase with depth at the different sampling locations. The increase of REEs down the soil profile could be a consequence of their high charge and ionic radii. Hence they are more likely to be displaced during geochemical processes of weathering, leaching and mineral precipitation.
