The dynamics of rare earth elements in soil–plant systems in southern Brazil: a case study of carbonatite-bearing areas and Baccharis trimera

Description

Rocks called carbonatites are rich in rare earth elements, the metals behind many modern technologies. A seven-author team traced how those elements move from rock into soil and plants in southern Brazil. Near two carbonatite bodies, they collected 83 samples of soil, roots, and leaves of a local shrub and measured the elements in each.

Soils were enriched, mostly in the lighter rare earths, and kept the chemical fingerprint of the parent rock, with matching telltale patterns. Levels fell with distance from the outcrops, showing the rock controls the pattern. Roots held far more of the elements than leaves, acting as a barrier that keeps most of the load below ground. Because rock, soil, and plant values track each other closely, the authors suggest soil chemistry can map where these rock bodies extend, even under cover.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13294312