Sources of soil contamination with zinc. In the
earth’s crust, zinc is referred to chalcophile elements
[15]. In the reductive environment that prevailed dur
ing the earth’s crust solidification, zinc was segregated
in the sulfide phase with its most important ores being
The mineral composition of the Fe and Mncarri
ers of zinc was also studied by microEXAFS spectros
copy. Three iron spectra were recorded: two in the area
of ferruginated grains, and one in the Fecontaining
clay matrix. All the spectra comply with the feroxyhyte
δFeOOH spectrum. The manganese spectrum in the
Mn spherules fits hexagonal birnessite [46, 53].