## 4 Conclusions  
In this study, we investigated atmospheric deposition of PTEs from typical IAREEMs in Ganzhou city, China. The study reveals the distribution and human health risks associated with PTEs from atmospheric deposition in IAREEM areas. The results show that As concentrations in atmospheric deposition ranged from 3.18 to 251.87 mg kg\({}^{-1}\), and As atmospheric fluxes varied from 0.11 to 39.4 mg m\({}^{-2}\) y\({}^{-1}\). The concentration and fluxes of atmospheric deposition of PTEs in Ganzhou and its surrounding areas followed the order \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Mineral Name** & **Chemical Formula** & **wt\%** \\ \hline Kaolinite/Illite & Al\({}_{4}\)[Si\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{10}\)](OH)\({}_{8}\)/KAl\({}_{2}\)[(SiAl)\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{10}\)]-(OH)\({}_{2}\cdot\)nH\({}_{2}\)O & 46.0072 \\ Quartz & SiO\({}_{2}\) & 45.8911 \\ K-feldspar & K[AlSi\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{8}\)] & 5.0466 \\ Muscovite & Al\({}_{2}\)K\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{6}\)Si & 2.4201 \\ Limonite & Fe\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{3}\cdot\)nH\({}_{2}\)O & 0.4462 \\ Albite & NaAlSi\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{8}\) & 0.0559 \\ Montmorillonite & Al\({}_{2}\)Si\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{5}\)-(OH)\({}_{4}\) & 0.0221 \\ Zircon & ZrSiO\({}_{4}\) & 0.0196 \\ Chernovite-(Y) & Y[AsO\({}_{4}\)] & 0.0159 \\ Ilmenite & FeTiO\({}_{3}\) & 0.0092 \\ Xenotime-(Y) & YPO\({}_{4}\) & 0.0030 \\ Chlorite & (Mg\({}_{2}\)Fe,Al)\({}_{6}\)(Si,Al)\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{10}\)(OH)\({}_{8}\) & 0.0026 \\ Euxenite-group mineral & (Y,Ca)(Nb,Ta,Ti,Fe)\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{6}\) & 0.0023 \\ Calcite & CaCO\({}_{3}\) & 0.0022 \\ Fergusonite-group mineral & YNbO\({}_{4}\) & 0.0013 \\ Coronadite & Pb(Mn\({}^{4+}\),Mn\({}^{2+}\))\({}_{8}\)O\({}_{16}\) & 0.0013 \\ Dolomite & CaMg(CO\({}_{3}\))\({}_{2}\) & 0.0013 \\ Thorite & Th[SiO\({}_{4}\)] & 0.0006 \\ Monazite & CePO\({}_{4}\) & 0.0003 \\ Total & & 99.9486 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 7: Minerals in the regolith. Figure 8: (**a**) Backscattered electron images of HREE minerals in the regolith. Yellow arrows indicate theernovite-(Y). (**b**) Chemical composite of chemovite-(Y) of four points in Figure 8a (yellow arrow). The bar chart represents the mean. Whiskers outside the bar chart are the maximum and minimum values within 1.5 times the interquartile range. of Pb > Cu > Cr > Ni > As > Mo > Cd. Human health risk assessments for ingestion and inhalation routes indicate that ingestion is the primary exposure route posing health risks. There are no significant non-carcinogenic or unacceptable carcinogenic risks to adults from atmospheric deposition of PTEs in IAREEM areas. However, children are more vulnerable to PTEs than adults, suffering from potential non-carcinogenic and greater carcinogenic risks at mines containing heavy rare earth elements in Longnan county. Pb and As are the primary contributors to non-carcinogenic risks, and As is the main contributor to carcinogenic risks because of its low oral reference dose and high oral slope factor. Because As-rich materials (e.g., arsenic-adsorbing clay zones and chernovite-(Y)) are exposed in fully weathered layers, and the formed suspended particulate matter is transported into the atmosphere at heavy rare earth mineral sites in Longnan county, As poses both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks to children. PTEs are primarily transmitted to surrounding areas through fine particulate matter. Vegetation recovery plays a crucial role in controlling the migration of suspended particulate matter and inhibiting the outward movement of PTEs from mines through atmospheric transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out ecological restoration and restore vegetation in mining areas, for inhibiting the migration of pollutants in mining areas, and reducing the risk to children, especially those exposed to As. Our results provide a deep understanding of the pollution in and around mining areas under the influence of atmospheric deposition, and provide support for pollution prevention. J.W. : conceptualization, methodology, data curation, writing--original draft; S.L.