Elemental Composition of 

Surficial Materials in the 

Conterminous United States

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 574-D
Elemental Composition of 

Surficial Materials in the 

Conterminous United States

By HANSFORD T. SHACKLETTE, J. C. HAMILTON, 

JOSEPHINE G. kOERNGEN, and JESSIE M. BOWLES

STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 574-D

An account of the amounts of certain chemical 

elements in samples of soils and other regoliths

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1971
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

ROGERS G. B. MORTON, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

William T. Pecora, Director

Library of Congress catalog-card No. 71-610288

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price 70 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

Abstract _ _ _ _ ________

Introduction ____________________________

Acknowledgments ________________________

Review of the literature __________________

Collection and analysis of geochemical data 

Sampling plan _________________

Page

Dl 

1

1

2

2

2

Page

Collection and analysis of geochemical data Con.

Sampling media _ _ D4

Chemical analysis procedures _ 4

Methods of statistical analysis _ 5

Results _______ 6

Discussion and conclusions __ _ 6

References cited 7

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIGURE 1. Map showing location of sample sites 

in the conterminous United States 

where elements not commonly detected in surficial deposits were 

found, arid the amounts of the elements present

2-31. Maps showing element content of 

surficial materials in the conterminous United States :

3. Barium

4. Beryllium

5. Boron

6. Calcium

7. Cerium

8. Chromium

9. Cobalt

10. Copper

11. Gallium

12. Iron

Page 

DIG

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

FIGURES FIGURES 2-3 2-31. Maps showing element content of surficial materials in the conterminous United States Continued

14. Lead ___________ 

15. Magnesium _ _______ 

16. Manganese ______ 

17. Molybdenum ___ _____ 

18. Neodymium ___ .____ 

19. Nickel _________ -

20. Niobium ______ -

21. Phosphorus ______ -

22. Potassium _ _ -

23. Scandium _____ _ .

24. Sodium ____________-

25. Strontium ____ _____

26. Titanium ______ -

27. Vanadium ____ -

28. Ytterbium _______ _.

29. Yttrium _________ -

30. Zinc _____________ 

31. Zirconium ______- __

Page

D36 

38 

40 

42 

44 

46 

48 

50 

52 

54 

56 

58 

60 

62 

64 

66 

68 

70

TABLES

Page

TABLE 1. Average contents, and range in contents, reported for elements in soils and other surficial materials D3

2. Analytical limits of detection ____________________________________ 5

3. Geometric mean compositions, and geometric deviations, of samples of soils and other surficial materials

in the conterminous United States ______________________________ 7

III

STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS 

IN THE CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES

By HANSFORD T. SHACKLETTE, J. C. HAMILTON, JOSEPHINE G. BOERNGEN, and JESSIE M. BOWLES

ABSTRACT

Samples of soils or other regoliths, taken at a depth of 

approximately 8 inches from locations about 50 miles apart 

throughout the conterminous United States, were analyzed for 

their content of elements. In this manner, 863 sample sites 

were chosen, and the results of the sample analyses for 35 

elements were plotted on maps. The arithmetic and geometric 

mean, the geometric deviation, and a histogram showing frequencies of analytical values are given for 30 elements.

Surficial materials of the western half of the United 

States generally contain more calcium, magnesium, strontium, 

potassium, sodium, aluminum, and barium, but contain less 

titanium and zirconium than do those of the eastern half. 

Surficial materials in the Atlantic Coastal Plain tend to 

have much lower concentrations of most metals than are 

common in those of other regions, whereas these materials in 

the Basin and Range province, in parts of the Rocky Mountains, and in Maine and adjacent States generally have high 

metal concentrations. Some smaller patterns of element abundance can be noted, but the degree of confidence in the 

validity of these patterns decreases as the patterns become 

less extensive.

INTRODUCTION

The abundances of certain chemical elements in 

soils and other surficial materials are determined not 

only by the element content of the bedrock or other 

deposits from which the materials originated, but 

also by the effects of climatic and biological factors 

that have acted on the materials for various periods 

of time. The diversity of these factors in a large area 

is expected to result in a corresponding diversity in 

the element contents of the surficial materials.

At the beginning of this study, few data were 

available on the abundance of the elements in surficial materials of the United States as a whole. Most 

of the early reports discussed only the elements that 

were of economic importance to mining or agriculture in a metallogenic area or State; and the data, 

for the most part, cannot be evaluated with reference 

to average, or "normal," amounts in undisturbed 

materials because they were based on samples of deposits expected to have anomalous amounts of certain elements, or were based only on samples from 

cultivated fields.

We began a sampling program in 1961 that was 

designed to give estimates of the range of element 

abundance in surficial materials that were unaltered 

or very little altered from their natural condition, 

and in plants that grew on these deposits, throughout 

the conterminous United States. Because of the 

great amount of travel necessary to complete this 

program, geologists and others of the U.S. Geological 

Survey were asked to assist by collecting samples 

when traveling to and from project areas and to 

contribute appropriate data that they might have 

collected for other purposes. The response to this 

request, together with the samples and data that we 

collected, resulted in obtaining samples of surficial 

materials and plants from 863 sites. The locations 

of these sites are shown on the maps of element distributions in this report.

The elemental compositions of only the surficial 

materials are given in this report; the data on analyses of the plant samples are held in files of the U.S. 

Geological Survey.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was made possible by the cooperation 

of many persons in the U.S. Geological Survey. We 

thank Messrs. D. F. Davidson, A. T. Miesch, and 

A. T. Myers for their interest in, and continued 

support of, this study. The sampling plan was suggested by Mrs. Helen L. Cannon, who also contributed analytical data from her project areas and 

many samples from her travel routes. We thank 

also Messrs. E. V. Post and W. R. Griffitts for the 

large number of samples that they collected for this 

study. Others who collected samples, and to whom 

we express gratitude, follow: F. A. Branson, R. A. 

Cadigan, F. C. Canney, F. W. Cater, Jr., Todd 

Church, J. J. Connor, Dwight Crowder, J. A. Erdman, G. B. Gott, T. P. Hill, E. K. Jenne, J. R. Keith,

Dl
D2 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

Frank Kleinhampl, A. T. Miesch, R. F. Miller, R. C. 

Pearson, M. H. Staatz, T. A. Steven, M. H. Strobell, 

V. E. Swanson, R. R. Tidball, and J. D. Vine.

We acknowledge the analytical support provided 

by the following U.S. Geological Survey chemists: 

Lowell Artis, Philip Aruscavage, S. D. Botts, L. A. 

Bradley, J. W. Budinsky, Alice Caemmerer, E. Y. 

Campbell, G. W. Chloe, Don Cole, E. F. Cooley, N. M. 

Conklin, W. B. Crandell, Maurice DeValliere, P. L. 

D. Elmore, E. J. Fennelly, J. L. Finley, Johnnie 

Gardner, J. L. Glenn, T. F. Harms, R. G. Havens, 

R. H. Heidel, M. B. Hinkle, Claude Huffman, Jr., 

L. B. Jenkins, B. W. Lanthorn, L. M. Lee, K. W. 

Leong, J. B. McHugh, J. D. Mensik, V. M. Merritt, 

Wayne Mountjoy, H. M. Nakagawa, H. G. Neiman, 

Uteana Oda, C. S. Papp, G. D. Shipley, Hezekiah 

Smith, A. L. Sutton, Jr., J. A. Thomas, Barbara 

Tobin, J. E. Troxel, J. H. Turner, and G. H. VanSickle.

We were assisted in computer processing of data 

by the following persons of the U.S. Geological Survey: W. A. Buehrer, Alien Popiel, M. R. Roberts, 

W. C. Schomburg, G. I. Seiner, R. C. Terrazas, and 

George Van Trump, Jr.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The literature on the chemical analysis of soils 

and other surficial materials in the United States is 

extensive and deals largely with specific agricultural 

problems of regional interest. Many of the papers 

were written by soil scientists and chemists associated with State agricultural experiment stations 

and colleges of agriculture, and most reports considered only elements that were known to be nutritive or toxic to plants or animals.

Chemists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

prepared most early reports of element abundance in 

soils for large areas of the United States. (See 

Robinson, 1914; Robinson and others, 1917.) The 

1938 yearbook of agriculture was devoted to reports 

on soils of the United States; in this book McMurtrey 

and Robinson (1938) discussed the importance and 

abundance of trace elements in soils. Amounts of the 

major elements in soil samples from a few soil profiles distributed throughout the United States were 

compiled by the soil scientist C. F. Marbut (1935) to 

illustrate characteristics of soil units.

The use of soil analysis in geochemical prospecting 

began in this country in the 1940's, and many reports 

were published on the element amounts in soils from 

areas where mineral deposits were known or suspected to occur. Most of these reports included only 

a few elements in soils from small areas. This early

geochemical work was discussed by Webb (1953) 

and by Hawkes (1957). In succeeding years, as soil 

analyses became an accepted method of prospecting 

and as analytical methods were improved, many 

elements in soils were analyzed; still, the areas 

studied were commonly small.

An estimate of the amounts of elements in average, or "normal," soils is useful in appraising the 

amounts of elements in a soil sample as related to 

agricultural, mineral prospecting, or health and 

disease investigations. Swaine (1955) gave an extensive bibliography of trace-element reports on soils 

of the world, and he also summarized reports of the 

average amounts of elements as given by several investigators. The most comprehensive list of average 

amounts of rare and dispersed elements in soils is 

that of Vinogradov (1959), who reported the analytical results of extensive studies of soils in the Soviet 

Union, as well as analyses of soils from other countries. He did not state the basis upon which he established the average values; however, these values are 

presumably the arithmetic means of element amounts 

in samples from throughout the world. Hawkes and 

Webb (1962) gave average amounts of certain elements in soils as useful guides in mineral exploration. In their discussions of the principles of geochemistry, Goldschmidt (1954) and Rankama and 

Sahama (1955) reported the amounts of various 

elements present in soils and in other surficial 

materials.

A recent report on the chemical characteristics of 

soils was edited by Bear (1964). In this book, the 

chapter on chemical composition of soils by Jackson 

(1964) and the chapter on trace elements in soils by 

Mitchell (1964) give the ranges in values or the 

average amounts of some soil elements.

The average amounts of elements in soils and other 

surficial materials of the United States, as determined in the present study, are given in table 1, with 

the average values or ranges in values that were 

reported by Vinogradov (1959), Hawkes and Webb 

(1962), Jackson (1964), and Mitchell (1964). The 

averages from the present study in table 1 are the 

arithmetic means. Although the averages were computed by the methods described by Miesch (1967), 

the values obtained are directly comparable with the 

arithmetic means derived by common computational 

procedures.

COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF 

GEOCHEMICAL DATA

SAMPLING PLAN

The sampling plan was designed with the emphasis on practicality in keeping with the expenditures
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D3

TABLE 1. Average contents, and range in contents, reported for elements in soils and other surficial materials

Hawkes and Webb (1962) 

Present report (elements useful in geo- Vinogradov Jackson (1964) Mitchell (1964) 

chemical prospecting) (1959) 

(presumably,

Average Range Average

Al 66,000 700-> 100,000

B 34 <20-300 10

Ba 554 15-5,000 500

Be 1 <l-7 6

Ca 24,000 <150-320,000

Ce 86 < 150-300

Co 10 <3-70 8

Cr 53 1-1,500 200

Cu 25 <1-300 20

Fe _ 25,000 100->100,000

Ga 19 <5-70

K 23,000 50-70,000

La 41 <30-200 40

Mg 9,200 50-100,000

Mo <3-7 2

Mn _ _ 560 < 1-7,000 850

Na 12,000 <500-100,000

Nb 13 <10-100

Nd 45 <70-300

Ni - 20 <5-700 40

P 420 20-6,000

Pb 20 <10-700 10

Sc 10 <5-50

Sr . 240 <5-3,000

Ti 3,000 300-15,000 4,600

V . 76 <7-500 100

Y 29 < 10-200

Yb 4 <1-50

Zn _ _ 54 <25-2,000 50

Zr ___ 240 <10-2,000

of time and funds available and its variance from 

an ideal plan has been recognized from the beginning. Because the collection of most samples was, by 

necessity, incidental to other duties of the samplers, 

the instructions for sampling were simplified as 

much as possible, so that sampling methods would be 

consistent within the wide range in kinds of sites to

from 

worldwide Range in content 

Range sampling) "Typical" average, of Scottish 

or range in values surface soils

71,300 10,000-60,000

10 30

100-3,000 500 - 400-3,000

6 <5-5

13,700 7,000

50

i-40 8 <2-80

5-1,000 200 5-3,000

2 100 20 <10-100

14,000-40,000 38,000 7,000-42,000

30 15-70

13,600 400-28,000

40 <30-200

6,300 <6,000

0.2-5 2 1-10 <l-5 

200-3,000 850 .. 200-5,000

6,300

5-500 40 10-800

800 500

2-200 10 <20-80

7 <3-15

300 - 60-700

1,000-10,000 4,600 1,200-6,000

20 500 100 20-250

50 25-100

10-300 50

_ _ _ 300 _ 200-> 1,000

be sampled. The samples, other than those from 

certain project areas, were collected by U.S. Geological Survey personnel along their routes of travel 

to areas of other types of field studies. 

The locations of the routes that were sampled depended on both the network of roads that existed and 

the destinations of the samplers. Sampling intensity
D4 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

was kept at a minimum by selecting only one sample 

site every 50 miles along the routes. The specific 

sample sites were selected, insofar as possible, to 

represent surficial materials that were very little 

altered from their natural condition and that supported native or cultivated plants suitable for sampling. In practice, this site selection necessitated 

sampling away from roadcuts and fills. In some 

areas, only cultivated fields were available for sampling.

Contamination of the sample sites by vehicular 

emissions was seemingly insignificant, even though 

many sites were within 100 yards or less of the 

roads. However, we had no adequate way of measuring any contamination that may have occurred. 

(See Cannon and Bowles, 1962.) Many of the sampled routes had only light vehicular traffic, and some 

were new interstate highways. Routes through congested areas generally were not sampled; therefore, 

no gross contamination of the samples was expected.

The study areas that were sampled were as follows: Wisconsin and parts of contiguous States, 

southeastern Missouri, Georgia, and Kentucky, sampled by Shacklette; Kentucky, sampled by J. J. Connor and R. R. Tidball; Nevada, New Mexico, and 

Maryland, sampled by H. L. Cannon; and various locations in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, 

Utah, and Wyoming, sampled by F. A. Branson and 

R. F. Miller. Sampling techniques used in these 

areas varied according to the primary objectives of 

the studies being conducted, but, generally, these 

techniques were closely similar to the methods used 

in sampling along the roads.

In general, the sampling within study areas was 

more intensive than that along the travel routes. To 

make the sampling intensity of the two sampling 

programs more nearly equal, only the samples from 

selected sites in the study areas were used for this 

report. The selected sites were approximately 50 

miles apart. Where two or more samples were collected from one site, they were assigned numbers, 

and one of these samples was randomly chosen for 

evaluation in this study.

SAMPLING MEDIA

The material sampled at most sites could be termed 

"soil" because it was a mixture of comminuted rock 

and organic matter, it supported ordinary land 

plants, and it doubtless contained a rich microbiota. 

Some of the sampled deposits, however, were not 

soils as defined above, but were other kinds of regoliths. These regoliths included desert sands, sand

dunes, some loess deposits, and beach and alluvial 

deposits that contained little or no visible organic 

matter. In some places the distinctions between 

soils and other regoliths are vague because the material of the deposits is transitional between the two. 

Samples were collected from a few deposits consisting of mostly organic materials that would ordinarily 

be classified as peats, rather than soils.

To unify sampling techniques, the samplers were 

asked to collect the samples at a depth of approximately 8 inches below the surface of the deposits. 

This depth was chosen as our estimate of a depth 

below the plow zone that would include parts of the 

zone of illuviation in most well-developed zonal soils, 

and as a convenient depth for sampling other surficial materials. Where the thickness of the material 

was less than 8 inches, as in shallow soils over bedrock or in lithosols over large rock fragments, samples were taken of the material that lay just above 

the rock deposits. About half a pint of this material 

was collected, put in a paper envelope, and shipped 

to the U.S. Geological Survey laboratories in Denver.

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS PROCEDURES

The soil samples were oven dried in the laboratory 

and then sifted through a 200-mesh sieve. Finally, 

the sifted, minus-200-mesh fraction of the sample 

was used for analysis. Some of the samples having 

a high clay content formed a hard mass when dried 

and had to be pulverized in a ceramic mill before 

being sieved.

Contents of zinc and phosphorus were determined 

by the colorimetric methods described by Ward, 

Lakin, Canney, and others (1963). Analyses tor 

amounts of calcium were made by the EDTA titration method, and analyses for potassium by flame 

photometry.

Quantities of the other elements were determined 

by semiquantitative spectrographic analysis (Myers 

and others, 1961). The values obtained by spectrography were reported in geometric brackets having the boundaries 1.2, 0.83, 0.56, 0.38, 0.26, 0.18, 

0.12, and so forth, percent; the brackets are identified by their respective geometric midpoints, 1.0, 

0.7, 0.5, 0.3, 0.2, 0.15, and so forth. Thus, a reported 

value of 0.3 percent, for example, identifies the 

bracket from 0.26 to 0.38 percent as the analyst's 

best estimate of the concentration present. The precision of a reported value is approximately plus or 

minus one bracket at the 68-percent level of confidence, and plus or minus two brackets at the 95- 

percent level.
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D5

The limits of detection of the analytical methods 

that were used are given in table 2.

The values given in table 2 are the approximate 

lower limits of determination. Some combinations of 

elements in a sample, however, affect these limits. 

For example, concentrations somewhat lower than 

these values may be detected in unusually favorable 

materials, whereas these limits of detection may not 

be attained in unfavorable materials.

METHODS OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The values obtained by analysis for each element 

in each sample, and the location of the corresponding 

sample site, expressed as degrees and minutes of 

latitude and longitude, were entered on automaticdata-processing cards. The analytical values were 

transformed to logarithms through a computer program which also determined the minimum and maximum values, as well as the basic statistics. In addition, the program reported all occurrences of missing 

data, indicated the concentrations that were beyond 

the limits of detection of the analytical methods, and 

printed both a histogram of the analytical values and 

an accompanying table of frequencies and cumulative 

frequencies for each class designation on the histogram.

By examining the table of frequencies, we were 

able to divide the range of reported values for most 

elements into five classes, so that approximately 20 

percent of the values fell into each class. (See figs. 

2-31.) However, the limited ranges in values for 

some elements prohibited use of more than two or 

three classes to represent the total distribution. 

Class-interval code numbers for each element were 

then assigned to each analytical value: values in

TABLE 2. Analytical limits of detection

[Data reported in parts per million. Analyses made by semiquantitative 

spectrographic method, except as indicated]

Element

Lower limit of

detection

(ppm)

Aluminum (Al) ___ 10 

Barium (Ba) _____ 2 

Beryllium (Be) ____ 1 

Boron (B) _______ 20 

Calcium (Ca) ____ x 150

Cerium (Ce) _____ 150

Chromium (Cr) 

Cobalt (Co) . 

Copper (Cu) . 

Gallium (Ga)

Iron (Fe) _______ 10

Lanthanum (La) _ 30

Lead (Pb) ______ 10

Magnesium (Mg) __ 50

Manganese (Mn) __ 1

Element

Lower limit of

detection

(ppm)

Molybdenum (Mo) __ 3

Neodymium (Nd) _ 70

Nickel (Ni) ______ 5

Niobium (Nb) ___ 10

Phosphorus (P) ___ *2

Potassium (K) ____ 8 50

Scandium (Sc) ____ 5

Sodium (Na) _____ 500

Strontium (Sr) ____ 5

Titanium (Ti) ____ 2

Vanadium (V) ____ 7

Ytterbium (Yb) ___ 1

Yttrium (Y) _____ 10

Zinc (Zn) ______ 2 25

Zirconium (Zr) ____ 10

1 Analyzed by EDTA titration method.

2 Analyzed by colorimetric method.

3 Analyzed by flame photometry.

the lowest class were assigned the code number 1; 

values in the highest class were assigned the code 

number 5.

These class-code numbers, together with the latitude and longitude of the site where the sample was 

collected, were then directed from the computer to 

the automatic plotter, which located each sample site 

on base maps of the United States by printing the 

class code for each element at each sample site. These 

class-code numbers on the base maps were then replaced with symbols, as shown in figures 2-31.

The geometric means and geometric deviations 

given in figures 2-31 and in table 3 are antilogs of 

the arithmetic means and standard deviations, respectively, of the logarithms of the analytical values. 

Where some of the concentrations for an element 

were determined to be less than the sensitivity of the 

analytical method (table 2), the mean and standard 

deviations of the logarithms were estimated by 

means of a censored-distribution technique devised 

by Cohen (1959). The geometric mean is a measure 

of central tendency of the frequency distribution 

and, as such, is an estimate of the typical or most 

common concentration for the element. The range 

from the geometric mean multiplied by the geometric 

deviation to the geometric mean divided by the geometric deviation generally includes about two-thirds 

of the analytical values. Approximately 95 percent 

of the values occur in the range from the geometric 

mean multiplied by the square of the geometric deviation to the geometric mean divided by the square of 

the geometric deviation. For example, the geometric 

mean aluminum content of surficial materials of the 

United States is 4.5 percent and the geometric deviation is 2.41 (fig. 2; table 3). It is estimated that 

approximately two-thirds of the samples have aluminum contents in the range 4.5-f-2.41 (1.87 percent) 

to 4.5x2.41 (10.84 percent), and about 95 percent 

have aluminum contents in the range 4.5-r-(2.41) 2 

(0.78 percent) to 4.5x(2.41) 2 (26.1 percent).

Further discussions of the treatment of censored 

frequency distributions of geochemical data and of 

the use of geometric means and geometric deviations 

were given by Shacklette, Sauer, and Miesch (1970).

The arithmetic means of the analytical data given 

in table 1 were derived from the estimated geometric 

means and geometric deviations by using a technique 

described by Miesch (1967), which is based on 

methods devised by Cohen (1959) and Sichel (1952). 

The arithmetic means in table 1, unlike the geometric 

means shown in figures 2-31 and in table 3, are estimates of geochemical abundance (Miesch, 1967) and 

are directly comparable to arithmetic means com-
D6 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

monly employed in presentations of geochemical 

averages in the literature. Arithmetic means are 

always larger than corresponding geometric means 

(Miesch, 1967, p. Bl) and are estimates of the 

fractional part of a single specimen that consists of 

the element of concern rather than of the typical 

concentration of the element in a suite of samples.

RESULTS

The results of this study are presented on maps 

of the conterminous United States which give, for 

each element, the locations of the sample sites, and 

the concentration of the element at the site. Several 

elements were detected in only a few samples. The 

lower detection limits, in parts per million, of the 

semiquantitative spectrographic method for these 

elements are as follows: Antimony, 150; bismuth, 

10; lithium, 50; silver, 0.5; and tin, 10. The localities 

of these samples and the contents of these elements 

in the samples are given in figure 1.

The concentrations of 30 elements were sufficiently 

large to be detected in samples from many sites. The 

results of analyses of these samples are given in 

figures 2-31; the concentrations of elements are 

indicated by symbols, as classified in the accompanying frequency histograms. Although we intended to 

analyze these 30 elements in all samples, through 

error, certain elements were omitted in the analyses 

of a few samples.

Some elements were looked for in all samples but 

were not found. These elements, analyzed by the 

semiquantitative spectrographic method, and their 

lower detection limits, in parts per million, are as 

follows: Arsenic, 1,000; cadmium, 20; germanium, 

10; gold, 20; hafnium, 100; indium, 10; platinum, 

30; palladium, 1; rhenium, 30; tantalum, 200; 

tellurium, 2,000; thallium, 50; thorium, 200; and 

uranium, 500. If lanthanum or cerium was found 

in a sample, the following elements, with their 

stated lower detection limits, were looked for in the 

same sample but were not found: Dysprosium, 50; 

erbium, 50; gadolinium, 50; holmium, 20; lutetium, 

30; terbium, 300; and thulium, 20.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The data presented in this report may reveal 

evidence of regional variations in abundances of 

elements; single values or small clusters of values 

on the maps may have little significance when considered alone. Apparent differences in values shown 

between certain sample routes, such as those across 

the Great Plains and the Central States, suggest the 

possibility of systematic errors in sampling or in 

laboratory analysis. Some gross patterns, nevertheless, are evident in compositional variation of regoliths, as shown in figures 2-31.

The lower abundances of some elements (notably 

calcium, magnesium, strontium, potassium, sodium, 

aluminum, and barium) and the greater abundances 

of titanium and zirconium in regoliths of the Eastern 

United States indicate a regional pattern of the 

largest scale. The abundances of these elements 

differ markedly on either side of a line extending 

from western Minnesota southward through eastcentral Texas. This line is generally about the 97th 

meridian and corresponds to the boundary proposed 

by Marbut (1935, p. 14), which divides soils of the 

United States into two major groups the pedalfers 

which lie to the east, and the pedocals to the west. 

Marbut (1928) attributed the major differences in 

chemical and physical qualities of these two major 

groups to the effects of climate. A line approximating 

the 97th meridian also separates the Orders, Suborders, and Great Groups of moist to wet soils in the 

Eastern United States from the same categories of 

dry soils which lie to the west, as mapped by the 

[U.S.] Soil Conservation Service (1969). Geometric 

mean compositions of regoliths west and east of the 

97th meridian are given in table 3.

Superimposed upon this large-scale compositional 

variation pattern are several features of intermediate scale. Most notable of these are (1) the low 

concentrations of many elements in soils of the 

Atlantic Coastal Plain, and (2) the general exception to this low concentration in the part of the 

Coastal Plain crossed by the Mississippi River.

Several small-scale features of compositional variation have been noted; among them, the low concentrations of many elements in regoliths of lower 

Michigan, northern Nebraska, and the part of 

Texas adjacent to the southeast corner of New 

Mexico are prominent. In contrast, large amounts of 

some elements tend to occur in regoliths of Maine, 

parts of the Rocky Mountains, and the Basin and 

Range province.

The concentrations of certain elements, especially 

boron, cerium, neodymium, niobium, ytterbium, and 

yttrium, do not exhibit well-defined patterns of distribution; and the regional concentrations of some 

other elements cannot be evaluated, because they are 

not present in detectable amounts in most of the 

samples. The degree of confidence in regional patterns of element abundance is expected to be in 

direct proportion to the number of samples included 

in the region. As the patterns become smaller, the 

probability increases that the observed character-
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D7

TABLE 3.- -Geometric mean compositions, and geometric deviations, of samples of soils 

and other surficial materials in the conterminous United States

[Geometric means reported in parts per million. Too few molybdenum values 

were available to make a statistical evaluation]

Element

The conterminous

United States

N«863

Western United States 

(west of 97th meridian)

Eastern United States

(east of 97th meridian)

N«371

Geometric 

mean

Geometric 

deviation

Geometric 

mean

Geometric 

deviation

Geometric 

mean

Geometric 

deviation

Al _____________.. 45,000

B _____________ 26

Ba _____________ 430

Be _____________ 0.6

Ca _____________ 8,800

Ce _____________ 75

Co __ _________ 7

Cr _____________ 37

Cu _____________ 18

Fe _____________ 18,000

Ga ___________________ 14

K ______________ 12,000

La ____________ 34

Mg _____________ 4,700

Mn _____________ 340

Na _____ ______ 4,000

Nb _____________ 12

Nd ________- ____ 39

Ni _____________ 14

P _____________ 250

Pb _____________ 16

Sc _.___________ 8

Sr _____________ 120

Ti ______________ 2,500

V ______________ 56

Y _______ ______ 24

Yb _____________ 3

Zn __ __________ 44

Zr _____________ 200

2.41

2.05

2.06

2.49

3.92

1.67

2.21

2.32

2.28

2.30

2.11

2.71

1.85

3.19

2.70

4.11

1.66

1.72

2.26

2.74

1.96

1.79

3.39

1.87

2.16

1.77

1.81

1.86

1.90

54,000

22

560

0.6

18,000

74

8

38

21

20,000

18

17,000

35

7,800

389

10,200

11

36

16

320

18

9

210

2,100

66

25

3

51

170

2.02

2.09

1.80

2.47

2.93

1.64

2.01

2.16

2.00

1.90

1.71

1.60

1.81

2.21

1.94

1.98

1.74

1.81

2.03

2.33

1.93

1.74

2.12

1.82

1.91

1.66

1.67

1.78

1.78

33,000

32

300

0.6

3,200

78

7

36

14

15,000

10

7,400

33

2,300

285

2,600

13

44

13

180

14

7

51

3,000

46

23

3

36

250

2.70

1.92

2.19

2.53

2.87

1.70

2.55

2.52

2.54

2.76

2.53

3.56

1.90

3.39

3.65

4.11

1.54

1.61

2.60

3.03

1.96

1.85

3.56

1.84

2.41

1.93

2.03

1.89

1.95

istics which form the patterns are the result of 

chance.

Some small- and intermediate-scale features of 

element-abundance patterns are known to reflect 

geological characteristics of the areas that the soils 

overlie. A few soil samples with high phosphorous 

content, for example, are associated with phosphate 

deposits in Florida, and a single sample with high 

copper content from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is known to be of soil that occurs over a copper 

deposit. Samples from most of the regoliths overlying 

basic volcanic rocks of Washington and Oregon contained higher than average concentrations of iron 

and of a few other elements.

These data do not provide consistent evidence of 

north-south trends in elemental compositions that 

might be expected to relate to differences in temperature regimes under which the surficial materials 

developed. There is, moreover, no evidence of significant differences in element abundances between 

glaciated and nonglaciated areas (the general area

of continental glaciation includes the northern tier of 

States from Montana to Maine and south in places 

to about lat 40° N.).

The world averages of abundance for some elements in soils, as given by Vinogradov (1959) and 

by others (table 1), do not correspond to the averages 

of abudance for those elements in soils of the United 

States, according to the data presented in this report. 

The world averages are too low for the amounts of 

boron, calcium, cerium, lead, magnesium, potassium, 

and sodium in United States soils, and too high for 

beryllium, chromium, gallium, manganese, nickel, 

phosphorus, titanium, vanadium, and yttrium. This 

report presents, for the first time, averages of the 

abundance of niobium, neodymium, and yttrium in 

soils.

REFERENCES CITED

Bear, F. E., ed., 1964, Chemistry of the soil [2d ed.] : New

York, Reinhold Publishing Corp., 515 p. 

Cannon, H. L., and Bowles, J. M., 1962, Contamination of
D8 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

vegetation by tetraethyl lead: Science, v. 137, no. 3532, 

p. 765-766.

Cohen, A. C., Jr., 1959, Simplified estimators for the normal 

distribution when samples are singly censored or truncated: Technometrics, v. 1, no. 3, p. 217-237.

Goldschmidt, V. M., 1954, Geochemistry: Oxford, Clarendon 

Press, 730 p.

Hawkes, H. E., 1957, Principles of geochemical prospecting: 

U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1000-F, p. 225-355.

Hawkes, H. E., and Webb, J. S., 1962, Geochemistry in mineral 

exploration: New York, N.Y., and Evanston, 111., Harper 

& Row, Publishers, 415 p.

Jackson, M. L., 1964, Chemical composition of soils, in Bear, 

F. E., ed., Chemistry of the soil [2d ed.]: New York, 

Reinhold Publishing Corp., p. 71-141.

McMurtrey, J. E., Jr., and Robinson, W. 0., 1938, Neglected 

soil constituents that affect plant and animal development, p. 807-829, in Soils and men Yearbook of Agriculture 1938: Washington, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, 

1232 p.

Marbut, C. F., 1928, Classification, nomenclature, and mapping of soils in the United States The American point 

of view: Soil Sci., v. 25, p. 61-70.

 1935, Soils of the United States, pt. 3 of Atlas of 

American agriculture: Washington, U.S. Govt. Printing 

Office, 98 p.

Miesch, A. T., 1967, Methods of computation for estimating 

geochemical abundance: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 

574-B, 15 p.

Mitchell, R. L., 1964, Trace elements in soils, in Bear, F. E., 

ed., Chemistry of the soil [2d ed.] : New York, Reinhold 

Publishing Corp., p. 320-368.

Myers, A. T., Havens, R. G., and Dunton, P. J., 1961, A spectrochemical method for the semiquantitative analysis of

rocks, minerals, and ores: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 1084- 

I, p. 207-229.

Rankama, K., and Sahama, T. G., 1955, Geochemistry: Chicago, Chicago Univ. Press, 912 p.

Robinson, W. O., 1914, The inorganic composition of some 

important American soils: U.S. Dept. Agriculture Bull. 

122, 27 p.

Robinson, W. O., Steinkoenig, L. A., and Fry, W. H., 1917, 

Variation in the chemical composition of soils: U.S. 

Dept. Agriculture Bull. 551, 16 p.

Shacklette, H. T., Sauer, H. L, and Miesch, A. T., 1970, Geochemical environments and cardiovascular mortality rates 

in Georgia: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 574-C, 39 p.

Sichel, H. S., 1952, New methods in the statistical evaluation 

of mine sampling data: Inst. Mining and Metallurgy 

Trans., v. 61, p. 261-288.

Swaine, D. J., 1955, The trace-element content of soils; England, Commonwealth Agr. Bur., Commonwealth Bur. Soil 

Sci. Tech. Commun. 48, 157 p.

[U.S.] Soil Conservation Service, 1969, Distribution of principal kinds of soils Orders, Suborders, and Great 

Groups: U.S. Geol. Survey National Atlas, Sheet 86.

Vinogradov, A. P., 1959, The geochemistry of rare and dispersed chemical elements in soils [2d ed., revised and 

enlarged]: New York, Consultants Bur. Enterprises, 

209 p.

Ward, F. N., Lakin, H. W., Canney, F. C., and others, 1963, 

Analytical methods used in geochemical exploration by 

the U.S. Geological Survey: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 

1152, 100 p.

Webb, J. S., 1953, A review of American progress in geochemical prospecting and recommendations for future 

British work in this field: Inst. Mining and Metallurgy 

Trans., v. 62, pt. 7, p. 321-348.
FIGURES 1-31
D10 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44 £

42 C

40 s

36'

34'

32'

30 c

28'

I / 

f I

"**> * \

/

I I D

128° 126° 1?4° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° ,112° 110" 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° 96 C -j 1 1 1 j | 1 7 J 

7"r-~

v,

/

<u

M ° » T A N

T "" y

' I

f \

jN 0 K T H DAK 0 T A!

l- -^ ^~-* ?0j ij»^ r

A HO O

' >

' ^

4§-C3;. / R- v

j S 0 U T H QU ^n AA K 0 T A

~~T--~_^ / -1

/ S«n5). ;

'T

 \

*Ag(5r~i'

I 

i

o M r N G

^

O .Sni

(--. f

^3

. _. __ ~cn_

* '^ C

> ^ 

H \

NEBRASKA %

t

Z «Sn(15)

5-- O T. f».n . 

*'. Sn(15) |

' L ° L~q.R ^ AADO

K A N S A S

T±

I

**N

I 

 --L-J"

G £

\

z

^ r~ -j T,

s' I O|K L A H 0 M A

x,o ' ( ~ ° «' %Z,

I -^-vt. .

J (/) ^t^,. 

! «Lif70) .LH70)

TEXAS

26 s

24'

V /" x.

^ f

\

^

V.

22'

118° 116" 114" 112° 110° 108 106° 104° 102" 100 C

96'

FIGURE 1. Location of sample sites in the conterminous United States where elements not commonly
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES Dll

"1 I i i i S I T 96° 94° 92° 90° 88° 86" 84° 82' 78° 76° 74' 70" ~T ~i r 66" 64° 48 £

46 c

44'

42 s

40'

38 e

36'

34 s

32 (

30'

28 c

26'

24'

22 s

T r

[ARKANSAS/ 

fLi(70) *

96" 94° 92' 90" 88° 86° 84" 82' 80' 78° 76' 74'

detected in surficial deposits were found, and the amounts of the elements,4n parts per million, present.
D12 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

46'

44'

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30'

28'

26'

24'

22'

114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102" 100

/ _ c\ 

a ee» * a 9/

O |»9 » «*.

« »9|»99 a(,9e

\ . <>/

ALUMINUM, IN PERCENT

Geometric mean, 4.5

Geometric deviation, 2.41

Number of samples and analyses, 791

J____L 118° 116 114° 112 ! 110° 108° 106° 104° 10?° 100° 96 c
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D13

96° 94° 92° 90 l 86° 84° 82° 80° 78" 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64° 48°

46 *

44°

42'

40'

38°

36°

34 e

32'

30 C

28 '

26'

24°

22'

\ \ T \ \ \

96 ' 94 = 92' 90* 86 ! 84 £ 82' 80 ' 78° 76 C 74'

FIGURE 2. Aluminum content of surficial materials.
D14 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48

128° 126° 

 

124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104" 102" 100° 98" 9b 1 7

\. - « 9/ SYMBOL AND PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SAMPLES

BARIJM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 430

Geometric deviation, 2.06

Number of samples and analyses, 863

96 (
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D15

96" 94' 92" 90 c 84° 82' 78 C 76° 74' 72'

~T 70 = ~T 68' 66 £

T

64'

46 c

44'

42 C

40°

38'-

34 £

32'

30 C

28'

26'

24°

22'

94 = 92" 90 s 86' 82' /8 C 76' 74'

FIGURE 3. Barium content of surficial materials.
D16 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44'

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32 e

30°

28'

26 <

24°

22'

128' 126° 124° 122° 120" 118° 116" 114° 112° 110° 108° 106" 104° 102° 100° 98° 96 C

o j o o e e s « o e

,- °J)Oo 00 oO

C^-Tr-T^ a.J> o 

V. ° 0°o°o °°° °°° \ to °

( o o

\ /-"--v0 o o o

X / V o ooo

\

s

BERYLLIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 0.6 ppm 

Geometric deviation, 2.49 

Number of samples and analyses, 847

V.

118' 116' 114' 1.12' 110 C 108' 106' 104' 102' 100 =

98' 96 c
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D17

96" 94° 92° 90° 88" 86° 84° 82° 80° 78° 76° 74" 72° 70° 68° 66° 64' ^ { { ^ ^ ^ r

46 C

44'

42 =

40°

38'

36 C

34 C

32°

30°

28'

26'

24 c

22"

96 e 94° 92 e 90° 84° 82 C 80 £ 78 = 76 C 74'

FIGURE 4. Beryllium content of surficial materials.
D18 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44°

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30 !

28*

26<

24'

22'

128° 126° 124° 122° 120

~7 7~T 7 r~

BORON, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 26

Geometric deviation, 2.05

Number of samples and analyses, 863

118 C

_I_ 116" 114° _i_ 112" 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° 96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D19

90' 80'

T

74" 72''

46 c

44 ' 

42'

40'

38-

36 s

34 C

32 !

30 c

28'

26 s

24 s

22'

96° 94° 92° 90" 84° 82 80° 78 C 76 C 74 J

FIGURE 5. Boron content of surficial materials.
D20 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44'

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30'

28'

26'

24'

22'

128° 126° 124° 122" 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98" 96 7 7 7~ 1 1 7

 » : * * L.

a L _____ *

' \ . -M

-T .. . r /. ** ' 

\ « » 

\ . 

CALCIUM, IN PERCENT

Geometric mean, 0.88

Geometric deviation, 3.92

Number of samples and analyses, 855

I I I I I I I \

118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104 e

I I

102° 100 C

98 e 96 c
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF STOFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED' STATES D21

~l I I s i 1 i 96" 94° 92° 90° 88° 86° 84" 82° 80° 78" 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64-° \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ * r

46'

44 *

42'

40 C

38 s

36'

34 c

32'

30°

28'

26°

24'

22'

96' 94 = 92' 90" 88' 86' 84' 82' 80° 78 c 76 c 74°

FIGURE 6. Calcium content of surficial materials.
D22 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

128° 126"1 124° 122" 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102' 100° 98° 96 C

46 c

44'

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30'

28'

26'

24<

22'

CERIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 75

Geometric deviation, 1.67

Number of samples and analyses, 753

J_______L116" 108° 106° 104° 10? c 100 =

98' 96 e
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D23

34° 82° 80T r c 74" 12" 56 c 64' 48°

46 C

44 C

42 C

4G C

38 =

34'

30 c

28'

26'

24 £

22 e

96 c 90 ' 86 = 82° 80 c 78 C 76 c 74'

FIGURE 7. Cerium content of surficial materials.
D24 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108" 106° 104° 102° 100° 98

I 9" . * O i 

* 0\

I ^~______________ -v^-i , J

® o o^^ o a

46

44

42

40

38

36

34

32

30

28

26

24

22 C

CHROMIUM. IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 37

Geometric deviation, 2.32

Number of samples and analyses, 863

118' I I

116' 114' 110' 108" 106° 104° 102° 100= 98' 96'
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D25

96° 94' 92° 90° 88° 86 e 82° 80° 78 C

72' 

~T

68 e ~r 66° 64' 48'

46 C

44'

42'

40 c

38°

36 s

34'

32'

30'

28'

26 s

24"

22'

96° 94' 92' 90" 86 c 82 s 80° 78 s 76 C 74 C

FIGURE 8. Chromium content of surncial materials.
D26 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48 "r46 '

44"

42'

49'

38°

24'

110° 108" 106" 10^° 102° 100° 98' 96

Geometric mean, 7

Geometric deviation, 2.21

Number of samples and analyses, 855
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D27

78" 76'

 ». I

' ft 1

* * * *

\ 11* * * t 9 a (" " k "

~ " t J ^ 3 '3

' "%^

46

44'

38 !

FIGURE 9. Cobalt content of surficial materials.
D28 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44'

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32 e

30 s

28"

26'

24'

22 c

128° 7 i126" 

 

124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106" 104" 102" 100° 98" 96

I ** « e 03

eo 9 ei>eo

COPPER, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 18

Geometric deviation, 2.28

Number of samples and analyses, 855

118 C 116 C _J____L_

114° 112= 1]0 C 108 C 106° 104' 100 e 98 C 96 ' 
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D29

96° 94° 92° 90° 88° 86° 84° 82° 80° 78° 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64° 48'

46°

44«

42'

40 c

38°

36°

34°

32'

30°

28"

26 c

24 s

22'

\\\ \\\ \ \

96' 94 c 92 £ 90° 86 s 84° 82' 80° 78 = 76< 74'

FIGURE 10. Copper content of surficial materials.
D30 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

46'

44"

42'

40'

1

GALLIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 14 

Geometric deviation, 2 11 

Number of samples and analyses, 8

106" 104 !

98 '
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D31

84" 82' 78" 76° 74" 72' 66 C 64 s 

~T

46'

44'

4?'

40°

38'

34 c

30 °

28 e

24'

94 ! 88 s 78 = 74 C

FIGURE 11. Gallium content of surficial materials.
D32 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48"

46'

44°

42 '

40"

38'

36'

34"

32°

30°

28°

26°

24°

22'

128° 126° 124° 122° 120* 118° 116 s 114" 112° 11O° 106" 106° 104* 102° 1QQ" 98 s 96'

// ^ ///////I

 \

 / \

'

o * * a 9! 999^39 *

^f.^ s °1-

IRON. IN PERCENT

Geometric mean, 1.8

Geometric deviation, 2.30

Number of samples and analyses, 861

/////// I I I I I

118" 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° 96 C
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D33

96° 94° 92° 90° 88° 86° 84" 82° 80° 78° 76° 74" 72° 70" 68° 66° 64* 48'

46'

44'

42 s

40"

38 s

36'

34'

32'

30°

28 c

26'

24'

22'

96' 94 = 92 s 90' 86' 84° 82' 80° 78 = 76' 74 e

FIGURE 12. Iron content of surficial materials.
D34 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

\ f * G

\ ' *'

Geometric mean 34

Geometric deviation 1 85

Number of samples and analyses, 837
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D35

72° 70" 68°

46 C

44'

40 :

36'

34'

24-

 'T 90° 88" 66'

FIGURE 13. Lanthanum content of surficial materials.
D36 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114" 112° 110° 108° 106" 104° 102° 100° 98° 96° i i r~ i i i i i

9 9 A * .

,\'« ;

 .. »v* . * L. 

Geometric mean. 16

Geometric deviation, 1.96

Number of samples and analyses, 863

26

24

22

118' 116' 114' 112' 120 108° 106° 104° 102 C

100 C 96'
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D37

96° 94" 92° 90° &8° 86° 84° 82° 80° 78° 76" 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64 £ 48 =

46'

44"

42'

40'

38'

36°

34 e

32 '

30'

28"

26 '

24'

22 [

I \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

.A-'V\

96 = 94 = 92' 90 c 86° 84' 82° 80° 78 C 76 c 74'

FIGURE 14. Lead content of surficial materials.
D38 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48 "p:

46°

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 11?° 110° 108° 106° 104* 102° 100° 98° 96

f. .. w^sT~- 

 . 

 «-/ 9 i 

 & & » |3. O «^,

< * « / 

V l» 3 , / «0 * *

3 \ . » °3 J« »o

* w ' C*

Geometric mean, 0 47

Geometric deviation, 3 19

Number of samples and analyses, 850
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D39

64 !

\ r

\ \

96" 94 c 3ft

48 C

44'

4?'

40 c

34 C

26 ' 

76'

FIGURE 15. Magnesium content of surficial materials.
D40 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46"

44°

40 c

38"

36°

34'

32

30'

28 '

26 c

24'

22'

128° 126° 124° 122- 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° 96

 T-r-

« / /

 * / £^

/ '. .>

- 

 e «l «*« «««

.. _ ° "".

. _ r

MANGANESE, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean. 340

Geometric deviation. 2.70

Number of samples and analyses. 861

118° 116" 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° 96 C
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D41

96° 94° 92° 90' 84° 82° 80° 78° 76' 74' ~T 72" 

~T

70" ~T 66 '

~T 64 

\

46'

44'

42 e

40 c

38°

36 s

34 C

32'

30 J

28'

26'

24 '

22'

96 c 94' 92 = 90° 88 C 80 = 78° 76° 74'

FIGURE 16. Manganese content of surficial materials.
D42 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D43

88° 8t-" 84" B2' 30' 64 c

T ~ \ T

44'

4'f>

38'-

34 !

30'

28'

24°

22'

96' 94 ' 84 ' 82' /8 C 76" 74'

FIGURE 17. Molybdenum content of surficial materials.
D44 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44'

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30'

28'

26'

24 '

128" 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106" 104° 102° 100° 98° 96 C

7 T

o \

f. <; ^J

o 1

o y,° oo

O Oi

I

q

oj

L__ I

-(>, *>r

o o

/ "~~- -___ JL___ 

Or O /0 0 ° °»0 ° O *

-IB o

» «

*«

o * « *cl«oe eoo0 

i *a ^ f

P O o o O O O

L

o o

0 I

00°

o o o

i-t

e ^x^^^^

NEODYMIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 39

Geometric deviation, 1.72

Number of samples and analyses, 616

118' 116 C 114° 112 =

110° 108 e 106" 104= 102° 100' 98 e 96 c
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D45

96° 94° 92° 90° 88° 86° 84° 82° 80° 78° 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64 C 48'

46°

44'

42 s

40 c

38 s

36"

34°

32'

30 C

28 s

26'

24'

22'

96' 94' 92 C 90" 86 ' 84' 82' 80 e 78 C 76' 74'

FIGURE 18. Neodymium content of surficial materials.
D46 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

- . . ~-~< / * >

* " / ( * 9 

* > w * 

\ ,rj "

\/ - * *;.

X * , i \ I . 9 , .

;e S - » \ r *

Geometric mean. 14

Geometric deviation, 2 26

Number of samples and analyses, 862

96"
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D47

"i 84° 82° 80" 78° 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66' \ i \ \ * \ \ * r

64°

46 C

44'

42 c

40 s

38 =

36 s

34 £

32<

30'

28'

26 =

24 s

22'

94 = 90 c 74'

FIGURE 19. Nickel content of surncial materials.
D48 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48°

46'

44'

42'

40'

38'

36 !

34"

32'

30'

28'

26'

24"

22'

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108 106" 104° 102° 100° 98° 96

/ / l i i 7 jj|

f » 9 « » » «

* * 7~n» ~ '

. * f5" :

SYMBOL AND PERCENTAGE 

OF TOTAL SAMPLES

NIOBIJM. IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 12

Geometric deviation, 1.66

Number of samples and analyses, 813

118' 116' 114' 112' 110' 108' 106° 104' 102° 100 C

96'
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D49

96° 94° 92° 90° 88° 86° 84° 82° 80° 78" 76° 74° 72" 70° 68° 66" 64' 48'

46 C

44°

42'

40°

38 =

36 s

34'

32'

30 c

28°

26'

24'

22'

1 I 1 \ \ \\ \ \ \ \ \

A-'7\

^vi.9-eJ ° * I» ° \ : / 

96° 94 = 92' 90' 88° 86 c 84 = 82' 80° 78' 76' 74*

FIGURE 20. Niobium content of surficial materials.
D50 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

128° 126" 124° 1?2° 120° 118" 116° 114" 11?° 110" 108" 106° 104° 102" 100° 98" 96 

J »'J /9» ' *»,3

i -, ^

* ' > - '-

22

113' 116" 114
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D51

96° 94° 92° 90' 86° 84° 82° 80" 78" 76 s1 74° 72° 70° 68° 66" 64 e \ \ _j ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ r

46'

44 *

42 s

40'

38 £

36 c

34 C

32 c

30 c

28'

26°

24 *

22'

96 c 94 = 92 C 90° 86 = 84' 82' 80° 78 c 76' 74'

FIGURE 21. Phosphorus content of surficial materials.
D52 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48°

46 c

44°

42 =

40°

38°

36 c

34'

32'

30'

28 !

26'

24'

22'

~7 TT 7 F~ 126" 124° 122° 120°

9

~i 118° 7 i 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104 s 102" 100° 98° 96° T i i i i i i i r

'Tr-

<* ^ to 5~-;

6e » i

*/ }

' «s 

/ *

* ^

9

 » 

9 to

« ,

 

~7

a _ .

-J

\

' /*

9 a / ~-N « « » i -

 A* *£ ' : \- Tf r-~°

. .': * -* e .h

/ '. *. "f * -I. ^

~^~--*_ a / to A tt

/ c«* 

T

« ^ 

« 9^ «

« e

 * r i"

. I ' « I*

9 | * « ° * «{» 

e j *--___ « 1 ---_ %r ~~ *-}

I

.!. r~-i

s*>

v e

* *^

o ° / ^r'^^* / * * . I _____ « T

 / 7 ^ H "^ 7

0 ' e / A « e S 

o/ * . / «/ «««« j««« *

.«/. /a «.«.% ~ 7 ^ * < . " / / « i ~~ --- x_._

>» * \*9 * * « e ^* fc e ». * « Q "j* * « 9 * . a

 .%.*. e/ 6 " / ".. '. L-. ? .x^ . / B »f *. 

A \ . ' 0 *" '«.**. '

\ Xv\" -i^-:^J : ' - % s :t........

^s;. - s '>;' ' ' /:':%"-' «: 77S"^T~7o~

^ A > . , e / ° i.: \ \ ' ^« ^ * ° «' « 9 « 3 * « ;

i / . O ' . * (3 (l »* c j,»9 0 *°

^ -r' s . . ./ J * . * e : ° °« « i 1 -w° tfv---*

SYMBOL AND PERCENTAGE OF ^l-S

118'

POTASSIUM IN PERCENT

Geometric mean, 1.2 

Geometric deviation, 2.71 

Number of samples and analyses

_J__ / 116°

861

114° 112° 110° 108" 106° 104° 102° 100" 98° 96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D53

96° 94° 92 s 90 C 86° 84° 82° 80° 78' "T 76' 74 = 

~T

72 C 

"T

70° "T 66 c 

~T

64°

48'

46 s

44'

42*

40 e

38 =

36 s

34'

32'

30 c

28*

26'

24'

22'

i r

e <\ ° JL-0 ! * « 9

bo 00^,00

96° 94' 92' 90° 84° 82' 78' 76' 74'

FIGURE 22. Potassium content of surficial materials.
D54 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46'

44'

42'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30'

28'

26'

24'

128" 126" 124° 122° 7 7 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106" 104" 102" 100° 98" 96 1

SCANDIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean. 8

Geometric deviation 1 79

Number o samples and analyses 848

J_______L /

118° 116* 11?" 110" 108" 106° 104° 100° 98° 96"
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D55

96° 94' 92' 90 c 78° 76° 74° 72 e ^ r

70" 68° 66" 64 s

46'

42 £

40°

38"'

36 =

34 £

32 C

30 c

26 =

24 =

22'

86" 84° 82° 80° 78° 76° 74'

FIGURE 23. Scandium content of surficial materials.
D56 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46°

44 c

42 c

40 s

38'

36°

34°

32 C

30<

28 s

26°

24 e

22'

128" 126° 124° 122" 120° 118" 116°_114_° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° / ] i -

 

 

 

*/ i

' »s

/ «

/

t>

KxS 

I

9 

' 3 °. ^

 * « 

) ° s «

.^ (P V A,

^'

« 

« e

o J.

» « 3

«

'7

I eQ- «* w e e e > e - ®

T^

3 e \ 9

I »

L,. 

« 9 * 

/

"I

9 ^° O O |a

« r

* I* »l

^ I

 i 3 « fc

3 / I 9

9 ' ° ° *

-^ / o * L

^-- ^ Q.JL . ° . 3/ 

/ « 7 « * i

f

9 * O O

7~ -*~_

 a

9 e 9

9

3 9

e -9- -o 3

9 9 O (

 * s .f

9 « »'

. » 3 al

® ** e I

 * . « I

T5"t- .«_ >

e 

«

e 6 

» »

»

9"

f . . 

-'I 

9 ' 3 

( 09

e *

o c °

Of 9 ,

j « o o A J* a

« «

» 

 

« «o

' J "V T

° ^

A^ .V

>Is~V~5"" 1*~~e --

\* Nv 

o o

3 ° 9 3 9 O O O 

O 0 C 3 c O 3 

O

9 O

^ / 

^v /

.^. 9 9 o

\

SODIUM. IN PERCENT

Geometric mean, 0.40

Geometric deviation, 4.11

Number of samples and analyses, 788

118' 116° 114' 110 s 108' 106° 104= 102 s 100 C 96 c
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D57

96° 94° 92' 90' 86° 84° 82° 80" 78" 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64' { ^ r

J_______L

46 C

44'

42 C

40 C

38 c

36 c

34 c

32'

30 c

28'

26 C

24 5

22'

96° 94° 92° 90° 88° 86° 84° 82' 80 c 78 c 76 E 74°

FIGURE 24. Sodium content of surficial materials.
D58 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48°

46'

44'

42 =

40"

38 £

36 s

34 C

32 e

30°

28'

26°

24 c

22°

,,«<» T^«. » i

' \ « «/« ,

> '." / . r \V*. * W I / _ 

 " 7i^l

Ne »_ / " 9^9< x . ? J V. A. »«. _ ^-? t. . 

SYMBOL AND PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SAMPLES

200T

100-

. .. \ .

( 9 

9 »

\

STRONTIUM. IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 120

Geometric deviation, 3.39

Number of samples and analyses. 862

1____t____|____/____/____|____|____[____|____I____L

18° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98 C

96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D59

84° 82° 78° 76' 74'

~T 72° 70' 66 c ~T

64'

48 s

46 c

44'

42*

40°

38 £

36<

34 '

32 c

30 c

28'

26 C

24'

22"

96 c 94° 92" 86* 84° 82' 78 = 76' 74'

FIGURE 25. Strontium content of surficial materials.
D60 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104" 102" 100° 98° 96

7 7 7~11 1 1

0 . f e

3 o e « « « 

9 ° o «

Geometric mean, 0.25

Geometric deviation. 1.87

Number of samples and analyses, 861

24

22

118 e 116° 114° 11? £

110° 108 106° 104° 10?° 100° 96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D61

96° 94° 92° 90' 86° 84° 82° 80° 78" 76° 74" 72" 70° 68° 66" 64' 1 T 1 \ T ^ r

1 .,V _ 

1 i'-ri.

,. 

r

» »

~?~. ..'. . .

/» « VJ . * ' « ,» » * '

? ^,-^r" ae i. ..^-"^" AC...:^." - 0 /

J_____L

46'

44'

42 c

40°

38'

36'

34°

32'

30 c

28'

26'

24'

22'

96° 94° 92 s 88" 86° 84-° 82' 78° 76' 74'

FIGURE 26. Titanium content of surficial materials.
D62 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48° 128° 126° 124° 122" 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106" 104° 102° 100° 98" 96 7 7 7- 7

Geometric mean, 56

Geometric deviation, 2 16

Number of samples and analyses. 863

118' 116' 114' 112' 110 c 108 106" 104- 100' 98 £ 96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D63

96° 94* 92" 90° 84° 82° 80° 78' 76 = 

1"

74' 72' 

 T

70° 68 = ~T 66' ~T 48'

42 =

40 c

38'

36°

34'

32'

30 c

28 c

26'

24'

22*

96° 94° 92" 90° 88° 86' 84 C

78 C 76 r

FIGURE 27. Vanadium content of surficial materials.
D64 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46 c

44 =

42"

40 c

38 C

36 c

34°

32 C

30°

28°

26'

24'

22'

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102° 100° 98° 96°

I I I I I

r - _^ _j

e * L

« «!«« «

90 e « « « 9 

o 0 9 ® 3 e

e

YTTERBIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 3.0

Geometric deviation, 1.81

Number of samples and analyses. 795

118 C 116 =

114" 112"- 110° 108° 106 C 104 C 102 s 100° 98° 96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D65

96° 94° 92° 90' ~1 I 86° 84° 82° 80" 78" 76 d

\ \ \ T 74° 72° 70° 68° 66" 64'

 ^ r

46'

44 c

42 C

40 c

38 =

36 C

34'

32'

30'

28'

26'

24 C

22'

96 c 94° 92' 90 ' 86' 84° 82' 80 c 78 = 76' 74'

FIGURE 28. Ytterbium content of surficial materials.
D66 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48'

46"

128° 126° 124° 122° 120° 118" 116° 114° 112" 110° 108° 106" 104° 102" 100" 98° 96' "7 1 - - - - - - - 

42 c

40 c

38°

36 !

34'

32 C

30 s

28 5

26'

24 e

22'

 _ « 9 i » ~~» -~ _ o

 * * "T '

»o»«,,»a 

oa»««

YTTRIUM, IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean, 24

Geometric deviation, 1.7

Number of samples and analyses, 863

I I I I I I I - ---- _l___J____L____l____i18° 116° 114° 112° 110" 108" 106° 104° 102° 100" 98° 96*
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SUEFICIAL MATEEIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D67

1 I I T 96° 94° 92° 90° 86° 84" 82° 80" 78° 76° 74' "1 \ I \ I \ T 72 70°

T

~i r 68° 66 !

64'

46<

44'

42 c

40°

3S C

36'

34'

32'

30'

28'

26°

24'

22 C

96 c 94 C 92 = 88° 86' 84° 82' 80' 78 £ 76 C 74'

FIGURE 29. Yttrium content of surficial materials.
D68 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48 !

128° 126° 124° 122' 120° 118° 116° 114° 11?" 110° 108° 106" 104° 102" 100° 98° 96°

44 <

42'

40'

38'

36'

34'

32'

30 !

28°

26'

24'

22'

Geometric mean. 0.0044 

Geometric deviation 1.86 

Number of samples and analyses. 863

118 e 116° 114° 112" 110° 108° 106° 104° 10?° 100° 98° 96°
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D69

96° 94° 92° 90 e 82° 80° 78° 76° 74° 72° 70° 68° 66° 64' 48'

46'

44"

42 C

40'

38 £

36 c

34'

32'

30"

28'

26 e

24 s

22'

\ \ 1 \

94 '- 92' 90" 86 5 82' 80 = 78' 76'

FIGURE 30. Zinc content of surficial materials.
D70 STATISTICAL STUDIES IN FIELD GEOCHEMISTRY

48 c

46°

44 '

42*

40"

38'

36 C

34 C

32'

30°

28 <

26 '

24'

22'

128° 126° 124" 122° 120° 118° 116° 114° 112° 110° 108° 106° 104° 102' 100° 98° 96 C

ZIRCONIUM. IN PARTS PER MILLION

Geometric mean. 200

Geometric deviation. 1.90

Number of samples and analyses. 863

118' /

116 e

/

114' / 112° no c 108° 106° 104° 102' 100 c 98° 96'
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF SURFICIAL MATERIALS, CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES D71

96° 94° 92° 90' 86° 84° 82° 80° 78" 76° 74° 72" 70" 68° 66' 64' 48'

46 =

44 <

4?'

40'

38 =

36'

34'

32 s

30 c

28'

26'

24'

22'

\ \ \ \ \ \ \

/^A

I \

t * ' V

x i

 1 * !_-J 

i i J_____}_____\_____L

96° 94° 92" 90' 86° 84° 82° 80° 78° 76 C

74'

FIGURE 31. Zirconium content of surficial materials.

 & U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1971 O - 410-960