Abstract
This work was carried out to analyze and compare Hazm El-Jalamid phosphate ores—Saudi Arabia with other ores, for their uranium (U) and rare earth elements (REE) abundance and geochemical pattern. Fifteen representative phosphate ore samples were collected from three phosphate mines (Hazm El-Jalamid and Umm Wu’al) in Saudi Arabia and (El-Sibayia) Egypt and analyzed for some elements (Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cr, Ti, Mn, P, Sr and Ba), U and REEs using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Detailed studies of the Hazm El-Jalamid phosphorite samples were conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The average U contents in the Hazm El-Jalamid samples were considerably lower than those of other phosphate ores from different origins and countries. The SEM–EDX analyses reveal the presence of uranium-bearing minerals (apatite) and uranyl vanadate minerals [carnotite, K2 (UO2)2(VO4)]. The highest REE concentration values were recorded for La in all samples, followed by Ce and Nd. The lowest REE concentrations were recorded for Tm in all samples. Hazm El-Jalamid phosphate samples are highly enriched in heavy REEs (HREEs) and depleted in light REEs (LREEs), except for La. The REEs exhibit the same behavior in the phosphate deposits of Hazm El-Jalamid, Umm Wu’al, El-Sibayia, Florida and Morocco and the opposite behavior in the phosphate deposits from Jordon and Kola, which are enriched in LREEs (except for La) and depleted in HREEs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aissa A, Abdeen A, Abualreish M (2014) Qualitative and quantitative analysis of phosphate rock from Hazm Al-jalamid area, northern Saudi Arabia. Int J Basic Appl Sci 3(3):190–198
Aksoy A, Ahmed M, Matter W, El-Naggar Z (2002) Gamma-ray spectroscopic and PIXE analysis of selected samples from the phosphorite deposits of Northwestern Saudi Arabia. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 253(3):517–521
Al-Fariss TF, Ozbelge HO, Abdulrazik AM (1993) Optimum flotation conditions for Al-Jalamid phosphate rock. Dev Chem Eng Min Process 1(1):56–62
Al-Hobaib AS, Baioumy HM, Al-Ateeq MA (2013) Geochemistry and origin of the Paleocene phosphorites from the Hazm Al-Jalamid area, northern Saudi Arabia. J Geochem Explor 132:15–25
Al-Hwaiti M (2012) Toxic trace elements composition of Eranbee phosphate deposits, Central Jordan: Possible Environmental Implications. Chapter 18 in: Zhang P, Miller J, El-Shal H (eds) Beneficiation of phosphates: new thought, new technology, new development. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc
Altschuler ZS (1980) The geochemistry of trace elements in marine phosphorite: part I. Characteristic abundances and enrichment. SEPM Spec publ, Tulsa 29:19–30
Altschuler ZS, Clarke RS, Young EJ (1958) Geochemistry of uranium in apatite and phosphorite. U.S. Geol Surv Prof paper, 314-D:45–87
Barnes DP, Gaukroger KF, Smith EA (1986) Selected mineral occurrences of the Arabian Shield showing their relationship to major Precambrian tectonostratigraphic entities. Jeddah, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources
Baturine GN (1982) Phosphorites on the sea floor, origin, distribution and composition, developments in sedimentology. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 340
Burnett WC (1977) Geochemistry and origin of phosphorite deposits from off Peru and Chile. Geol Soc Am Bull 88(6):813–823
Collenette P, Grainger DJ (1994) Mineral resources of Saudi Arabia: not including oil, natural gas, and sulfur. Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Directorate General of Mineral Resources, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Conceicao FT, Bonotto DM (2006) Radionuclides, heavy metals and fluorine incidence at Tapira phosphate rocks, Brazil and their industrial (by) products. Environ Pollut 139:232–243
Cullers RL, Barrett T, Carlson R, Robinson B (1987) Rare-earth element and mineralogical changes in Holocene soil and stream sediment: a case study in the Wet Mountains, Colorado, U.S.A. Chem Geol 63(3–4):275–297
Dongarra G (1984) Geochemical behaviour of uranium in the supragene environment. In: De Vivo B, Ippolito F, Capaldi G, Simpson PR (eds) Uranium geochemistry, mineralogy, geology, exploration and resources. The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, pp 18–22
Egashira K, Fujii K, Yamasaki S, Virakornph-Anich P (1997) Rare earth element and clay minerals of paddy soils from the central region of the Mekong River, Laos. Geoderma 78(3–4):237–249
El-Arabi AM, Khalifa IH (2002) Application of multivariate statistical analyses in the interpretation of geochemical behaviour of U in phosphoric rocks in the Red Sea, Nile Valley and Western Desert, Egypt. Environ Radioact 61:169–190
El-Naggar ZR, Saif SI, Abdennabi A (1982) Stratigraphical analysis of the phosphate deposits in Northwestern Saudi Arabia. Progress report 1-4 submitted to SANCST, Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
El-Taher A (2007) Determination of some rare earth elements in Egyptian granite by instrumental neutron activation analysis. J Appl Radiat Isot 65:458–464
El-Taher A (2010a) Rare earth elements content in geological samples from gabal gattar eastern desert-Egypt determined by INAA. J Appl Radiat Isot 68:1859–1863
El-Taher A (2010b) Elemental analysis of two Egyptian phosphate rock mines by instrumental neutron activation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry. Appl Radiat Isot 68(3):511–515
Habashi F (1985) The recovery of the lanthanides from phosphate rock. J Chem Technol Biotechnol Chem Technol 35:5–14
Habashi F, Awadalla FT, Zailaf M (1986a) The recovery of uranium and the Lanthanides from phosphate rock. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 36:259–267
Habashi F, Zailaf M, Awadalla FT (1986b) Determination of the total lanthanides in phosphate rock. Fresenius’ J Anal Chem 325(5):479–480
Haneklaus N, Schnug E, Tulsidas H, Tyobeka B (2015) Using high temperature gas-cooled reactors for greenhouse gas reduction and energy neutral production of phosphate fertilizers. Ann Nucl Energy 75:275–282
Hayumbu P, Haselberger N, Markowicz A, Valkovic V (1995) Analysis of rock phosphates by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Appl Radiat Isot 46(10):1003–1005
Henderson P (1984) Rare earth element geochemistry. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Kato Y, Yamaguchi KE, Ohmoto H (2006) Rare earth elements in Precambrian banded iron formations: secular changes of Ce and Eu anomalies and evolution of atmospheric oxygen. Geol Soc Am Mem 198:269–289
Khan KF, Dar SA, Khan SA (2012) Rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of phosphorites of the Sonrai area of Paleoproterozoic Bijawar basin, Uttar Pradesh, India. J Rare Earths 30(5):507
Kharikov AE, Smetana VV (2000) Heavy metals and radioactivity in phosphate fertilizers: short term detrimental effects. USFEC, Ukrania. http://www.fertilizer.org/ifa/publicat/PDF/2000_biblio_126.pdf. Accessed 20 July 2014
Khater AEM, Higgy RH, Pimpl M (2001) Radiological impacts of natural radioactivity in Abu-Tartor phosphate deposits, Egypt. J Environ Radioact 55(3):255–267
Kolodny Y (1981) Phosphorites. In: Emiliant C (ed) The sea, vol 7. Wiley, New York, pp 981–1023
Kratz S, Schnug E (2006) Rock phosphates and CP- Fertilizers as sources of U contamination in Agricultural soils. In: Merkel BJ, Hasche-Berger A (eds) U in the environment. Springer, Berlin, pp 57–68
Kratz S, Schick J, Schnug E (2016) Trace elements in rock phosphates and P containing mineral and organo-mineral fertilizers sold in Germany. Sci Total Environ 542:1013–1019
Loneseu ETE, Rachila R (1980) Proceedings international symposium CIEC, PFS and workshops IMPHOS, IPI, 27–30 September, 1998, Pulawy, Poland. International Symposium CIEC, P. F. S. workshops Imphos, I. P. I., Pulawy, Polskie Towarzystwo Nauk Agrotechnicznych
Long KR, Van Gosen BS, Foley NK, Cordier D (2012) The principal rare earth elements deposits of the United State a summary of domestic deposits and a global perspective. http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5220/. Accessed 9 Aug 2015
Lounamaa N, Mattila T, Judin VP, Sund HE (1980) Proceedings international symposium CIEC, PFS and workshops IMPHOS, IPI, 27–30 September, 1998, Pulawy, Poland. International symposium Ciec, P. F. S. workshops Imphos, I. P. I., Pulawy, Polskie Towarzystwo Nauk Agrotechnicznych
Lucas J, Prevot L, Ataman G, Gundogdu N (1980) Mineralogy studies of the phosphate Formation in southeastern Turkey (Mazidagi-Mardin). Soc Econ Paleontol Mineral, Spec Publ 29:149–152
Masters C, Klemme H, Coury A (1982) Assessment of undiscovered conventionally recoverable petroleum resources of the Arabian-Iranian basin. U S Geol Surv Circ 881:1–12
Mazumdar A, Banerjee DM, Schidlowski M, Balaram V (1999) Rare-earth elements and stable isotope geochemistry of early cambrian chert-phosphorite assemblages from the lower Tal formation of the Krol Belt (Lesser Himalaya, India). Chem Geol 156(1):275–297
Mishra PP, Mohapatra BK, Singh PP (2007) Contrasting REE signatures on manganese ores of iron ore group in North Orissa, India. J Rare Earths 25:749
Murray RW, Jones DL, Brink MRB (1992) Diagenetic formation of bedded chert: evidence from chemistry of the chert-shale couplet. Geology 20(3):271–274
Piper DZ (1999) Trace elements and major-element oxides in the phosphoria formation at Enoch Valley, Idaho—permian sources and current reactivities. U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 99–163
Rackley RI (1972) Environment of Wyoming tertiary uranium deposits. Mt Geol 9(2–3):143–157
Reynard B, Lécuyer C, Grandjean P (1999) Crystal-chemical controls on rare earth element concentrations in fossil biogenic apatites and implications for paleoenviromental reconstructions. Chem Geol 155:233–241
Sabiha-Javied, Waheed S, Siddique N, Tufail M, Chaudhry M, Irfan N (2008) Elemental analysis of phosphate rocks: for sustainable agriculture in Pakistan. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 278(1):17–24
Sattouf M (2007) Identifying the origin of rock phosphates and phosphorus fertilisers using isotope ratio techniques and heavy metal patterns, vol 311. FAL Agricultural Research, Sonderheft
Schnug E, Haneklaus N (2015) Uranium in phosphate fertilizers—review and outlook. In: Merkel BJ, Arab A (eds) Uranium-past and future challenges. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, pp 123–130
Schnug E, Haneklaus N (2014) Uranium, the hidden treasure in phosphates. Procedia Eng 83:265–269
Su WQ (2005) Research on development strategy of rare earth industry in inner Mongolia. J Chin Rare Earth Soc 23(Suppl.):628 (in Chinese)
Tamish M (1988) Geomathematical and geochemical studies on Egyptian phosphorite deposits. Berliner Geowiss. Abh. A98, Berlin, p 97
Van Kauwenbergh SJ (1997) Cadmium and other minor elements in world resources of phosphate rock. In: Proceeding of the fertilizer society no. 400, London
Yang BY, Hu B, Bao ZY, Zhang ZG (2011) REE geochemical characteristics and depositional environment of the black shale-hosted Baiguoyuan Ag-V deposit in Xingshan, Hubei Province, China. J Rare Earths 29:499
Yoshida S, Muramatsu Y, Tagami K, Uchida S (1998) Concentrations of lanthanide elements, Th, and U in 77 Japanese surface soils. Environ Int 24(3):275–286
Zhanheng C (2011) Global rare earth resources and scenarios of future rare earth industry. J Rare Earths 29(1):1–6
Acknowledgments
This Project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Award Number (ENV 1962). The authors acknowledge the valuable support of Prof W. Burnett and his comments on the manuscript. Also, the support of Prof. S. Al-Zahrani during the course of this work is highly appreciated.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Khater, A.E.M., Galmed, M.A., Nasr, M.M. et al. Uranium and rare earth elements in Hazm El-Jalamid phosphate, Saudi Arabia: concentrations and geochemical patterns comparison. Environ Earth Sci 75, 1261 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6063-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6063-x