Discussion

5.1 petrology and geochemistry

The studied soil cover is made up of two major sets of horizons above the
fresh rock: a lower set dominated by quartz, muscovite and allite-vermiculite that
encompasses the parent rock, coarse saprolite and fine saprolite and an upper set
made up of kaolinite, goethite and hematite in a nodular horizon and a loose clayey
horizon. This succession process from basal coarse saprolite fine saprolite nodural
horizon and loose clay horizon is commonly observed in lateric profiles (Leprun,
1979; Kamgang Beyela, 1987; Bitom and volkoff, 1993; Bekoa, 1994; Etama, 2004;
Nyeck, 2005). It is characteristic of a two-phase evolution: ancient humid and recent
dry (Nguetnkam et al, 2006). These materials are siliceous. The signatures of
elements are generally identical in the upslope and downslope domains. The
profiles are characterized by a large thickness of alterites (67% of the profile)
compared to the upper set (33%). Chlorite, which is present in the parent rock,
weathers very fast and only appears as traces in the coarse saprolite of the
downslope. The abudance of cuartz in the profile may be due to the siliceous
neogenesis ( Tardy, 1993). The presence of gibbsite in the massive saprolite might
be a result of the presence of a system of microfissures ov very high filtering
material at this level (Nguetnkam et al. 2006). This Mineralogy is similar to that
already documented by Ekodeck (1984) on the weathering products of rhe
Ngoumou chloritoschists. However,Ekodeck (1984) observed neither muscovite nor
inter stratified illite-smectite at the bottom of the profile. The magnesium,
potassium and ferrous iron contents are minor (comprise between 1% and 0.1%) to
major (up to1%) in the lower set. They are higher than those obtained by Ekodeck
(1984). This enrichment in Mg, K and Fe might be explained by the presence of the
illite-smectite interstratified in this part of the profile where bisiallitisation
predominates. Monosiallitisation predominates in the upper set without reaching
allitisation. This profile is therefore averagely evolved as indicated by the pH values,
which are very weakly acidic to basic.
5.2 fractionation and normalization of REE
The studied weathering materials materials are depleted in REE with respect to the
parent rock. These materials are chracterised by an accumulation of these elements
at the bottom of the profiles. This trapping result from their mobilization and
transportation after the dissolution an increase in pH ( pH = 7.79) around the
parent rock as well as the presence of mineral ligends (Fortin,1990; Braun, 1991).
The nodules are poorest in REE. The REE spectra normalized with chlorite schists
are subconcave around an axis defined by gadolinium.Their forms show that the
materials of the upper set are autochthonous (Boulange and colin, 1994). These
spectra show a fractionation between LREE and HREE as indicated by the (La/Yb)
NASC. The major fact here is that the values of theis ratio, but for the lower violet
red hard coarse saprolite, are less than unity. This implies that the LREE.apart from

Ce (presence of anomalies), are more mobile in the course of weathering than the
HREE. Nesbitt (1979) and Nesbitt and Marcovics (1997) has already observed a
similiarenrichment in HREE in the less- weathered zones of an Australian diorite.The
highest mobility of LREE in the profile of the Mbalmayo area might be due to: (1)
either the difference in stability of REE- bearing minerals (Boulange and Colin, 1994;
Nesbitt and Markovics, 1997; Etame,2004),(2) or the slightly acidic (Etame, 2004) to
basic pH conditions (6.70<pH<7.80), (3) or Finally, due to the moderate degree of
evolution of the weathering materials. Light positive anomalies exist in the coarse
saprolite materials and in the nodules. Another characteristic of the study profile is
the weak fractionation of Ce. Ce anomalies are generally interpreted to represent
the precipitation of this element in the tetravalent form, under insoluble oxidation
conditionts during pedogenesis. The weathered materials are non anomalous in
europium. This is due to the oxidation conditions of the environment and/ or the
absence of plagioclase or sulphides (Leybourne et al, 2006). The pathway of the REE
acroos the profile is as follows: (1) Leaching in the saprolitc horizons and summit of
the profile, except for Ce, which precipitates very weakly in the nodular materials
and the coarse saprolite materials, (2) at the base of the profile, solution come in
contact with chlorite schist formations, and a part of LREE partially void of Ce
precipitate, (3) the other part of LREE precitipates much higher up the profil.
6 Conclution
The weathered material overlying chlorite schist in the Mbalmayo - Bengbis series
are made up of a lower set comprising quartz, muscovite and interstrtified illites
vemicilites that enclose a weathered compact rock, a coarse saprolite and a fine
saprolite, and an upper set rich in kaolinite, goethite and hermatite that make up
the nodular horizon and the surface loose horizon. These materials are
predominantliy siliceous.The soil/saprolites ratio is 1/2.3 bisialitisitation prevails in
the lower set while monosiallitisation is dominant in the upper set. The profile is
averagely weathered. This weathering profile that is developed on a metamorphic
substratum does not show evidence of previous enrichments in REE ( REE < 200
ppm), thus clearly explaining the deficiency of the weathering material in these
elements. The highest mobility of LREE relative to the HREE is either due to
difference in stability of REE- bearing minerals, or to the very weakly acidic to basic
conditions (6.70 < pH <7.80), or finally to the average degree of evolution of the
eathering material. The pathway of REE acrossnthe profile is as follows: (1) laching
in the saprolites and summit of the profile, except for Ce, which precipitates very
weakly in the nodular materials and the coarse saprolite materials.(2) at the base of
the profile, solutions come in contact with chlorite schist formations, at this level,
the ph increase (pH= 7.79), HREE and a part of LREE partially void of Ce precipitate,
(3) the other part of LREE precipitates much higher up the profile. The REe spectra
show that the various sets of the profile are genetically related. The mass balance
calculations reveal that REE are lached from the same phasese as the realitvely
high quantities of Si, Al, K and Fe.