The Geochemical Behavior of Rare Earth Elements during the Rock Weathering and Soil Formation at Lichen-Rock Interface in Shir-kuh Granitoid Batholith of Yazd Province

The concentrations of rare-earth elements (REEs) were determined with the aim of investigating the behavior of these elements in granitic rock, granitic soils and soils between rock and lichen in Shir-kuh of Yazd province. Rare earth element patterns of the P-rich granite were determined by the mixture of Eu-enriched feldspars, middle REEs to heavy REEs-enriched apatite and Light REEs-enriched monazite. Granite-normalized REEs patterns for soils and soil lichen-granite interface represented the same signatures and similar to parent rocks. The REEs levels of the soils lichen-granite interface were similar to the concentrations of the elements in the natural compositions (Upper Continental Crust and Post-Archean Australian Shale). PAAS-normalized Rare earth element patterns for three soils’ lichen-granite interface were identical to each other and PAAS and close to the reference axis (PAAS). The same signatures of REEs in granitic rock, granitic soils and soils lichen-granite interface in arid and semi-arid mountainous areas indicate that the elements are immobile and therefore, they can be used as a suitable tracer in soil provenance studies.