Tematio Paul, Kombou Nina Aurelie, Kengni Lucas, Nguetnkam Jean Pierre, and Kamgang-Kabeyene V̮̩̉̉ronique
In West Cameroon, the Kekem weathering mantle exhibited a shallow weathered soil pedon with seven differentiated soil phases. The secondary minerals consist of akaganéite, sepiolite, berthierine and smectite. Phlogopite, feldspar and pyroxene, which are not completely weathered, remain present in specific soil phases. Silica (37.2 - 43.9%), aluminum (16.8 - 23.7%) and iron (9.9 - 15.9%) are the most abundant major elements. Calcium and sodium are almost completely leached, whereas potassium (4.2%) and magnesium contents (6.9%) increase with depth. The most abundant trace elements are Ba (3309.0 ppm), Cr (1133.0 ppm), V (638.0 ppm), Sr (428.1 ppm), Zr (238.0 ppm), Ni (227.9 ppm), Co (174.4 ppm), Zn (139.0 ppm) and Rb (102.7 ppm). Chromium with enrichment factor, EF: 9.1 - 48.1, Cu (EF: 3.0 - 4.9), Hf (EF: 1.9 - 3.5), V (EF: 1.4 - 4.0), Nb (EF: 0.9 - 3.0), Ta (EF: 0.8 - 3.7), Th (EF: 0.9 - 2.3), U (EF: 0.9 - 2.8) and W (EF: 0.6 - 1.8) are enriched in soil phases. The light rare earth elements (LREE) are the most abundant REE in soils, with ΣLREE ranging from 69.5 to 293.4 ppm. The REE in various soil phases are strongly fractionated from La to Dy, with important Eu anomaly.
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