ABSTRACT Growth in the agricultural and industrial sectors has increased the demand for rare earth elements (REEs) in the production of technological devices and fertilizers. Thus, the accumulation of these elements in the soil has become an environmental concern. Here, we aim to determine the natural contents of REEs in soils derived from different parent materials and under climatic conditions ranging from humid to semi-arid. We then evaluate the influence of major elements and soil properties on the geochemistry of […]

ABSTRACT: Studies regarding background concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) are scarce and have mainly focused on a limited number of soil types from the northern hemisphere. The aim of this study was to determine REE concentrations in thirty-five benchmark soils of Brazil. Composite soil samples were taken from areas under native vegetation or with minimal anthropogenic influence. Concentrations of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Yb, Lu, Dy, Er, Ho, Tb, Tm, Y, Sc, and Fe were determined […]