Sains Malaysiana 48(2)(2019):309–315

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4802-06

Ce Anomaly in I‒Type Granitic Soil from Kuantan, Peninsular Malaysia: Retention of Zircon in the Weathering Product

(Anomali Ce dalam Tanah Granit Jenis I dari Kuantan, Semenanjung Malaysia: Ketahanan Zirkon dalam Hasil Perluluhawaan)

AZMAN A GHANI¹*, MUZAMMIL SHAHJAMAL², NG THAM FATT¹, NOER EL HIDAYAH ISMAIL¹, MOHAMAD TARMIZI MOHAMAD ZULKIFLEY¹, NUR ISLAMI³, QUEK LONG XIANG¹, AHMAD FARID ABU BAKAR¹, MEOR HAKIF AMIR HASSAN¹, JASMI HAFIZ ABDUL AZIZ¹ & AMIRA FAHIRA MASOR¹

¹Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

²Reservoir Geoscience Department, Level 11, Tower 2, Petronal Twin Tower KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia

³Physics Education, PMIPA, Universitas Riau, Pekanbaru, 28293, Indonesia

Received: 16 May 2018/Accepted: 14 September 2018

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the Ce anomaly observed in granitic soil from the humid, tropical area of Kuantan, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. Three granite rock soil profiles from Kuantan, were sampled and all samples were analysed for rare earth elements. All the profiles of the granitic soil samples show prominent positive Ce anomalies, with the Ce/Ce* ratio values (Ce/Ce*= CeN/√LaN.PrN) ranging from 1.2 to 125. l. Ce4+ is compatible in zircon because it has also the same charge and a similar ionic radius as to Zr4+ (Ce4+ = 0.97 Å; Zr4+ = 0.84 Å). The retention of zircon in the weathering product of the granitic rocks will increase the Ce content in the soil. Thus it is likely that the positive Ce anomaly in the REE profile of the Kuantan Granites may also have resulted from retention of zircon in the weathering product.

Keywords: Ce anomaly; granitic soils; mineral zircon; rare earth elements; zircon

ABSTRAK

Kertas ini menghuraikan anomali Ce yang diperhatikan di dalam tanah granit dari kawasan lembap tropika di Kuantan, Pahang, Semenanjung Malaysia. Tiga profil tanah granit dari Kuantan telah dijalankan persampelan dan kesemua sampel dianalisis untuk unsur nadir bumi. Kesemua profil tanah granit tersebut menunjukkan anomali Ce yang ketara dengan nilai nisbah Ce/Ce* (Ce/Ce*= CeN/√LaN.PrN) berjulat antara 1.2 ke 125.1. Ce4+ adalah sepadan di dalam zirkon kerana ia mempunyai cas dan garis pusat ionik yang sama dengan Zr4+ (Ce4+ = 0.97 Å; Zr4+ = 0.84 Å). Ketahanan zirkon di dalam hasil perluluhawaan batuan granit akan menaikkan kandungan Ce di dalam tanah. Oleh itu, berkemungkinan anomali Ce positif di dalam profil REE batuan granit Kuantan disebabkan oleh ketahanan zirkon terhadap luluhawa.

Kata kunci: Anomali Ce; mineral zirkon; tanah bergranit; unsur nadir bumi; zircon

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*Corresponding author; email: azmangeo@um.edu.my