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Geochemical characteristics and provenance implication of rare earth elements in surface sediments from bays along Guangdong Coast, Southeast China

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Abstract

A systematic study of the granulometric properties and the occurrence and distribution of rare earth elements (REE) within surface sediments from ten bays situated along the coast of Southeast China has facilitated a more rigorous understanding of constraints on sediment provenance in the area. The results show that REE concentrations are similar within a single bay, but vary considerably (133.58–251.77 mg/kg) among the bays. The chondrite-normalized distribution patterns show the typical enrichment of light REEs (LREEs: La–Eu) relative to heavy REEs (HREEs: Gd–Lu), and an apparent depletion of Eu, which is diagnostic of a terrigenous sediment source. Obvious enrichments of the middle REEs (MREEs: Sm–Ho) in the PAAS-normalized (Post-Archean Australian Shale) distribution patterns of these bay sediments are similar to results reported from large rivers in China. Comparing the REE composition of the bay sediments with those of adjoining fluvial sediments and with the bedrock of the surrounding drainage basins, the latter are indicated as the dominant sediment source. The uniform REE distribution patterns, and MREE enrichments, prove that the sediments are derived from the material transported by the streams and rivers that discharge into the bays.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the special project (GD908-01-03) and the integration project (GD908-JC-07), Guangdong Province 908, and the Key project of NSFC-Guangdong Joint Foundation (U1133002). The authors would like to extend thanks to all of the team members who worked on the sampling and sample preparation at the two institutes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 164 West-Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China

    Bin Yan, Wen Yan, Li Miao, Weixia Huang & Zhong Chen

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100039, People’s Republic of China

    Bin Yan & Weixia Huang

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  1. Bin Yan
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  2. Wen Yan
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Correspondence to Wen Yan.

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Yan, B., Yan, W., Miao, L. et al. Geochemical characteristics and provenance implication of rare earth elements in surface sediments from bays along Guangdong Coast, Southeast China. Environ Earth Sci 65, 2195–2205 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1514-x

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