Geochemical Mapping in Croatia State of the Art

The geochemical atlas of Croatia is a result of the geochemical mapping program performed within the project “The basic geochmical map of the Republic of Croatia”. The investigation is aimed at the determination of content and distribution of Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, As, Ag, Au, U, Th, Sr, V, Ca, P, La, Cr, Mg, Ba, Ti, W, Al, Na, K, Zr, Be, Y, Nb, Sc and Hg in the topsoil cover. During the past years geochemical mapping at a density of 1 sample per 25 km2 has been performed on approximately 2/5 of the Croatian territory. This paper is the presentation of the methodology applied and of the results of these preliminary investigations. The results imply that the soils developed on carbonate bedrock have higher mean values of almost all elements excluding K, Na, Mg and Ba which are lower in carbonate terrains. In comparison with the non-carbonate terrains, for the carbonate terrains the following elements have higher mean concentrationsof Al, As, Co, Cu, Fe, La, Mn, Pb, Ni, Mn, Th, V, Cr, Zn, Zr and Nb, and similar contents of Sr, P and Ti. The geochemical atlas which contains single element maps (presented on CD-ROM) portraying the variability and distribution of the geochemical background of each element. These concentration ranges and the spatial distribution of the elements allow the correct evaluation of natural anomalies and anthropogene influences on the environment, as shown on examples of As, Cu and Pb.