Gamma radiation for rare earth elements (REEs) in deep-sea sediments

Gamma ray is routinely used for correlation, evaluation or classification of minerals and rocks on continent and ocean. Using natural gamma radiation (NGR) derived from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) and Ocean Drilling Program (ODP), this study focuses on the correlation between lithology and REE (Rare Earth Element)-bearing sediments in two deep-sea areas, IODP Expedition 329 in the Southwest Pacific and ODP Leg 199 Sites in the Northeast Pacific basins, where values of the REEs are abundant. Deep-sea sediments are consisting mainly of clays, calcareous oozes and siliceous oozes. As a result of the correlation, the REEs prefer to the clays rather than oozes and high values of the REEs correspond with intervals of the clays where the upper sediments (0–70 mbsf) are. The clays show relatively high values of the gamma radiation and the differences between significant elements (Th, U and K) for gamma radiation, derived from geochemical analysis at every site, show two trends reflecting characteristics of regions. Therefore we suggest that the gamma radiation is fully useful for detecting REEs in the deep-sea sediments and plays a role as a predictable tool for finding quantitative REEs.