Determination of Some Heavy Metals in Basaltic Rocks at Red Sea Hills, Eastern Sudan using Wet and ash Digestion Methods

الملخص

Rocks are an important source of a variety of metals, particularly heavy metals and may
serve as an enriched source for these metals. Igneous rocks, basalt and granite, are widely
distributed in Red Sea Hills. The present study aimed to measure the concentration of six heavy
metals: Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Cadmium, Lead and Silver in basaltic rocks from Gebeit Mine
(Gebeit Ma'aden) and MhamdQol, northern Red Sea Hills. Collected rocks samples were
treated using wet and dry digestion by mineral acids- HNO3, H2SO4, HCl, HClO4 and HF. The
analyses were performed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Average
concentration (mg/kg) of heavy metals obtained by AAS by wet digestion method was found as
follows: iron (38.61), cobalt (6.44), copper (17.17), cadmium (1.33), lead (1.34) and silver
(1.8), where the average concentration (mg/kg) by ash digestion method was found: iron
(121.03), cobalt (9.32), copper (21.13), cadmium (2.04), lead (2.67) and silver (4.07). The
study demonstrated that, heavy metals concentrations obtained by ash digestion method were
highest in basaltic rocks samples. The results obtained from the study encourages to study of
commercial production of these metals in Red Sea Hills.