Rare earth element and clay minerals of paddy soils from the central region of the Mekong River, Laos》.pdf

GEODE UJ-qEVIER Geederma78 (1997)237-249 , Rare earth element and clay minerals of paddy soils from the central region of the Mekong River, Laos K. Egashira ~*, K. Fujii a, S. Yamasaki b,1, p. Virakomphanich c,2 a Faculty ofAgriculture, Kyushu University,I0-1, Hakozala 6-Chome, Fukuoka, 812-81, Japan bNational Institute ofAgro-Environmental Sciences, Tsulmba, 305, Japan c Department ofAgriculture, Chatuchak,Bangkok, 10900, Thailand Received27 March 1996;accepted20 March 1997 Abstract The rare earth elements (REE) content, particle-size distribution, and clay mineralogical composition were analyzed for the paddy soils collected from the central region of the Mekong River, Laos, to study the origin and inherent potentiality of soils. REE as the chondrite-normalized curve or the plot of Ce/Eu against Eu/Sm were found to be useful for grouping soils according to their origins. The soils in the upper area (Luang Prabang Province, approximate elevation 300-400 m) were estimated to originate from the composite materials of the sediment derived from local granite and limestone and the sediment transported by the Mekong River. The predominant clay mineral was mica and its weathering product or kaolins, and the mineralogical composition varied from site to site. The soils were generally characterized by high clay and silt contents. Inherent potentiality was evaluated to be of intermediate to high level. The soils in the lower area (Vientiane Prefecture and Borikhamxay Province, approximate elevation 90-150 m) were estimated to originate from sediment transported by the Mekong River or from s