In this work, the geochemistry of the rare earth elements (REE) was studied in eleven outcrop samples and six, depth-interval samples of a core from the Marcellus Shale. The REE are classically applied analytes for investigating depositional environments and inferring geochemical processes, making them of interest as potential, naturally occurring indicators of fluid sources as well as indicators of geochemical processes in solid waste disposal. However, little is known of the REE occurrence in the Marcellus Shale or its produced waters, and this study represents one of the first, thorough characterizations of the REE in the Marcellus Shale. In these samples, the abundance of REE and the fractionation of REE profiles were correlated with different mineral components of the shale. Namely, samples with a larger clay component were inferred to have higher absolute concentrations of REE but have less distinctive patterns. Conversely, samples with larger carbonate fractions exhibited a greater degree of fractionation, albeit with lower total abundance. Further study is necessary to determine release mechanisms, as well as REE fate-and-transport, however these results have implications for future brine and solid waste management applications.

中文翻译：

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马塞勒斯页岩露头和岩心样品的稀土元素地球化学。

在这项工作中，在来自Marcellus页岩的11个露头样品和6个深度间隔样品中研究了稀土元素（REE）的地球化学。REE是用于沉积环境调查和推断地球化学过程的经典应用分析物，使其成为潜在的，自然发生的流体源指示剂以及固体废物处置中地球化学过程的指示剂。但是，人们对Marcellus页岩或其产水中REE的发生知之甚少，这项研究代表了Marcellus页岩中REE的第一个全面表征。在这些样品中，REE的丰度和REE剖面的分级与页岩的不同矿物成分相关。即 推断具有较大粘土成分的样品具有较高的REE绝对浓度，但具有较少的独特模式。相反，具有较大碳酸盐馏分的样品显示出较高的馏分度，尽管总丰度较低。为了确定释放机制以及REE的命运和运输，还需要进行进一步的研究，但是这些结果对未来的盐水和固体废物管理应用具有影响。