Factors controlling the chemistry and mineralogy of selected soil types of the Czech Republic and Egypt

Abstract. The geochemistry and mineralogy of selected soil profiles from the Czech Republic and Egypt have been studied using Q- and R-mode factor analysis. This method is used for investigating the element/mineral associations and the distribution of heavy metals in these two very different soils, both of which have been subjected to severe environmental contamination. We consider chemical and mineralogical data from 44 soil samples from the Czech Republic and Egypt. The results of R-mode factor analysis suggest six geochemical and mineralogical factors that control heavy metal accumulation in the studied soils. Among these are the roles of clay and rock forming minerals in heavy metal accumulation, the alteration of rock forming minerals in the soil profiles, a he-matite-phosphate factor, a biotite-plagioclase factor, an orthoclase-muscovite factor, and a depth factor. A similar interpretation holds for the other data sets. Key words: Q and R-mode analysis, geochemical factor, mineralogical factor, heavy metal