Vol. 337 No. 2 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/2/5036
Rare earth elements in the manifestation of soda-type fresh groundwater in eastern Transbaikalia
Relevance. Rare earth elements in groundwater are considered as indicators of interaction in the water–rock system, data on distribution in a specific hydrogeochemical system expand the understanding of their water migration properties and the possibility of using them to clarify the conditions of groundwater formation. Aim. To expand the database on the hydrogeochemistry of rare earth elements, to identify the features of their presence in a rare occurrence of soda-type fresh groundwater in Eastern Transbaikalia. Object and methods. The rare earth elements content was obtained from data of testing a well in the Gazimur River basin used for water supply. The chemical composition of water was determined at the Institute of Natural Resources, Ecology and Cryology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences according to regulatory methods. Trace element analysis was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) at the Institute of Geochemistry SB RAS. The MINTEQ program is used for thermodynamic calculations of migration forms of macro- and micro-components and mineral equilibria. Results. The authors have analysed the obtained data on the chemical composition of the water from the well used for the water supply of the settlement. The soda type of water with a very low magnesium content (less than 0.1 mg/l), as well as a Ca/P ratio of less than 100, were established. This may be one of the reasons for the existing damage to the inhabitants of the Urovsky endemic disease. The distribution of rare earth elements weight concentrations on the graph corresponds to the Oddo-Garkins parity rule. Thermodynamic calculations determined that in the studied manifestation, macro components are present mainly in the form of simple ions, lanthanides are mainly in the composition of carbonate complexes, which may explain their increased content in an alkaline medium. The equilibrium mineral phases are represented by carbonates, hydroxides, oxides, and silicates. The only mineral form of lanthanides are phosphates, which can remove rare earth elements from the aquatic environment. Conclusions. A new manifestation of soda waters in Eastern Transbaikalia was revealed with rare earth elements distribution for fresh groundwater in the hypergenesis zone, corresponding to the Oddo-Garkins parity rule. For a well-founded explanation of the nature of soda water formation and the distribution features of these rare earth elements in the waters, petrological and geochemical studies of the water-bearing rocks are required.
Keywords:
rare earth elements, soda waters, Eastern Transbaikalia, Oddo-Garkins rule, migration patterns, mineral phases
References:
1. Dubinin A.V. Geochemistry of rare earth elements in the ocean. Lithology and Mineral Resources, 2004, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 289–307. (In Russ.)
2. Kharitonova N.A., Vakh E.A., Chelnokov G.A., Chudaev O.V., Aleksandrov I.A., Bragin I.V. REE geochemistry in groundwater of the Sikhote-Alin fold region (Russian Far East). Russ. J. of Pacific Geology, 2016, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 141–154. (In Russ.)
3. Vakh E.A., Pavlova G.Yu., Mikhaylik T.A., Tishchenko P.Ja., Semkin P.Yu. Basic salt composition and rare-earth elements as indicators of ecological condition of rivers in southern Primorye, Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2017, vol. 328, no. 1, pp. 39–49. (In Russ.)
4. Vetoshkina A.V., Chekryzhov I.Yu., Panichev A.M., Vakh E.A., Baranovskaya N.V., Lutsenko T.N. Radioactive (Th, U) and rare earth elements in natural waters of Central Sikhote-Alin (Primorsky krai). Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2022, vol. 333, no, 1, pp. 45–56. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18799/24131830/2022/1/3408.
5. Pasechnik E.Yu., Savichev O.G., Domarenko V.A., Vladimirova O.N. Rare earth elements in surface and ground waters of the upper hydrogeodynamic zone in the Upper and Middle Ob basin (Western Siberia). Bulletin of the Irkutsk State University. Earth Sciences Series, 2020, vol. 32, pp. 113–127. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.26516/2073-3402.2020.32.113.
6. Traore M., He Y., Wang Y., Gong A., Qiu L., Bai Y., Liu Y., Zhang M., Chen Y., Huang X. Research progress on the content and distribution of rare earth elements in rivers and lakes in China. Marine Pollution Bull., 2023, Jun. 91: 114916. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114916.
7. Jiang C., Li Y., Li C., Zheng L., Zheng L. Distribution, source and behavior of rare earth elements in surface water and sediments in a subtropical freshwater lake influenced by human activities. Environ. Pollut., 2022, Nov. 15: 313:120153. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120153.
8. Noack C.W., Dzombak D.A., Karamalidis A.K. Rare earth element distributions and trends in natural waters with a focus on groundwater. Environmental Science and Technology, 2014, vol. 48 (8), pp. 4317–4326. DOI: 10.1021/es4053895.
9. Gruaua G., Dia A., Olivieґ-Lauqueta G., Davranchea M., Pinay G. Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in shallow groundwaters. Water Research, 2004, vol. 38, pp. 3576–3586. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2004.04.056.
10. Johannesson K.H., Zhou X., Guo C., Stetzenbach K.J., Hodge V.F. Origin of rare earth element signatures in groundwaters of circumneutral pH from southern Nevada and eastern California, USA. Chemical Geology, 2000, vol. 164, pp. 239–257.
11. Smedley P.L. The geochemistry of rare earth elements in groundwater from the Carnmenellis area, southwest England. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1991, vol. 55, pp. 2767–2779. DOI:10.1016/0016-7037(91)90443-9.
12. Yuan J., Mao X., Wang Y., Deng Zh., Huang L. Geochemistry of rare-earth elements in shallow groundwater, northeastern Guangdong Province, China. Chinese Journal of Geochemistry, 2014, vol. 33, pp. 53–64. DOI: 10.1007/s11631-014-0659-1.
13. Nikanorov A.M. Handbook on hydrochemistry. Ed. by A.M. Nikanorov. Leningrad, Gidrometeoizdat Publ., 1989. 391 p.
14. Posokhov E.V. Origin of soda waters in nature. Leningrad, Gidrometeorological Publ., 1969. 154 p. (In Russ.)
15. Shvartsev S.L. Soda water as a stage of interaction in the water-aluminosilicate-rock system. Geological evolution and self-organization of the water-rock system: in 5 volumes. Vol. 2. Water-rock system in the conditions of the hypergenesis zone. Ed. of the volume by B.N. Ryzhenko]. Novosibirsk, SB RAS Publ., 2007. pp. 126–129. (In Russ.)
16. Borzenko S.V., Drebot V.V., Fedorov I.A. Main formation conditions of soda-type groundwater: A case study from south-eastern Transbaikal region (Russia). Applied Geochemistry, 2020, vol. 123 (1), 104763. DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2020.104763.
17. Zamana L.V., Rikhvanov L.P., Soktoev B.R., Baranovskaya N.V., Epova E.S., Solodukhina M.A., Mikhailova L.A, Kopylova Yu.G., Khvashchevskaya A.A. New data on chemical composition of natural waters in the area of distribution of Urov (Kaschin–Beck) disease (Transbaikal region). Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2019, vol. 330, no. 1, pp. 121–133. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.18799/24131830/2019/1/56.
18. Felmy A.R., Girvin D., Jenne E.A. MINTEQ: calculating aqueous geochemical equilibria. Washington, US Environmental Protection Agency, 1984. 98 p.
19. Zamana L.V., Solotchin P.A., Sklyarov E.V. Low-temperature geyserite and ephemeral miner-als of Mogoiskii thermal spring (Northern Transbaikalia, Baikal rift zone). Dokl. Earth Sciences, 2023, vol. 511, no. 1, pp. 526–530. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.1134/S1028334X23600615
20. Zamana L.V., Gladkaya N.M. Geochemical features of the natural waters in the Urov biogeochemical region. Geochemistry Int., 1993, vol. 30, no. 9, pp. 105–116. (In Russ.)
21. Drebot V.V., Lepokurova O.E. Distribution of rare-earth elements in natural waters of the Torey Lakes area as a result of interaction in the water-rock system. Geological evolution of water–rock interaction. Proc. of the V All-Russian scientific conference with international participation named after Prof. S.L. Shvartsev. Tomsk, October 16–21, 2023. Tomsk, Tomsk National Research Polytechnic University Publ., 2023. pp. 8–12. (In Russ.)
22. Nikanorov A.M. The Oddo-Harkins rule and distribution of chemical elements in freshwater ecosystems. Dokl. Earth Sciences, 2009, vol. 426, no. 1, pp. 600–604. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.1134/S1028334X09040205.
23. Zamana L.V. Hydrogeochemistry and isotopy of the Mordoi carbon dioxide spring (South-Eastern Transbaikalia). Underground hydrosphere. Proc. of the All-Russian meeting on groundwater in the East of Russia (XXIV Meeting on groundwater in Eastern Siberia and the Far East with international participation). Yekaterinburg, June 21–28, 2024. Yekaterinburg, Institute of Mining Engineering IGD Ural RAS, 2024. pp. 269–273. (In Russ.)
24. Panichev A.M., Baranovskaya N.V., Vakh E.A. New data on the water composition of the Dzhumalin geothermal spring, Gorny Altai, Russia. Field Studies in the Altai Biosphere Reserve, 2022, no. 4, pp. 137–143. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.52245/26867109_2022_4_137.
25. Gromet L.P., Dymek R.F., Haskin L.A., Korotev R.L. The «North American shale composite»; its compilation, major and trace element characteristics. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1984, vol. 48, pp. 2469–2482.
26. Wood S.A. The aqueous geochemistry of the rare-earth elements and yttrium. Chemical Geology, 1990, vol. 82, pp. 159–186. DOI: 10.1016/0009-2541(90)90080-q.
