Article http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12303-017-0013-9 pISSN 1226-4806 eISSN 1598-7477 Geosciences Journal GJ Assessment of heavy metals concentration in phosphate rock deposits, Hazara basin, lesser Himalaya Pakistan Faridullah Faridullah 1 , Muhammad Umar 2 *, Arif Alam 3 , Muhammad Amjad Sabir 2 , and Danyal Khan 2 1 Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of information Technology Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan 2 Departmentof Earth Sciences, COMSATS Institute of information Technology Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan 3 Departmentof Development Studies, COMSATS Institute of information Technology Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan ABSTRACT: Naturally occurring phosphate rock is the only essential source for the production of fertilizers. Heavy metals and phosphate concentrations are quite higher in phosphate rock formed by sedimentary processes. This detail study was conducted to evaluate the heavy metal concentrations in part of the Hazara region, which is the only source of phosphate fertilizer in the country. Heavy metals are considered as one of the main pollutant responsible for environmental contamination of soil. This study included the concentration of phosphorite in the Hazara region in the three useful forms: total phosphorite, extractable phosphorite and water soluble forms. The phosphorous extracted from sedimentary deposits used to maintain the natural content in agricultural soil which was being depleted due to the regular practice of crop harvest. The data collected during this studies were statically analyzed which refers the significant variations in P, Zn, Cr, Mn, As, Cu, Fe, Ni, & Pb. Zn and Cr concentration in Hazara phosphates. Heavy metals for instance Pb, Cr, Zn and Cu present in higher amount than usable limits and may create environmental pollution (air, surface & groundwater and soil) and health issues of humans. Therefore it is recommended that managing remedial steps are necessary around the mining regions to avoid environmental and health issues. Key words: heavy metals pollutants, soil, contamination, fertilizer, phosphorites, Lesser Himalaya Manuscript received August 4, 2016; Manuscript accepted February 9, 2017 1. INTRODUCTION Rock phosphates got importance in order to provide raw materials used for manufacturing commercial phosphate fertilizers, detergents, animal feed supplements and in chemical industry. But long-continued application of phosphate fertilizers can redistribute and elevate toxic heavy metals for instance Cd, As and Pb in soil profiles (especially in acid soil) and consequently their transfer to the food chain and also raise concentration of these elements in irrigation drainage waters (da Conceicao and Bonotto, 2006). The Rock phosphates contain hazardous elements including heavy metals and radioactive elements, e.g., Cd, Cr, Pb, Mn, Ni, Cu, Fe, U, Th and their daughter products, which are considered to be toxic to soil, human and animal health (Kpomblekou and Tabatabai, 1994). In general, sedimentary rock phosphates contain much higher concentrations of potentially hazardous elements (Cd, Cr, Se, and U) than igneous rock phosphates (Kratz and Schnug, 2005). Researchers in Australia and the UK reported that long-term applications of phosphate fertilizers increased concentration of Cd in surface soil (Huang et al., 2004). Radionuclides may be leached out of the fertilized zone and into groundwater that drains from these fields or transferred via the food chain to humans (Abdel-Haleem et al., 2001). Furthermore mining activities of phosphate rock have been reported to cause heavy metal contamination of the soil in a localized area. Heavy metals such as Cr in mining and milling dust damage the nasal and lung cells. It includes air emissions (greenhouse gases, ammonia and particulate matter etc.), waste water (ammonia and organic nitrogen etc.) and solid waste phosphogypsum (PG) stacks & calcium carbonate etc. PG is a common form of the waste generated by dissolution of phosphate rocks (PR) in H 2 SO 4 to produce H 3 PO 4 whereas when PR is dissolved in HNO 3 producing fertilizer and waste called calcium carbonate is generated. The phosphate deposits of Hazara, lesser Himalaya are *Corresponding author: Muhammad Umar Departmentof Earth Sciences, COMSATS Institute of information Technology Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan Tel: +92 992 383591-6, Fax: +92 992 383441, E-mail: umarkhan09@yahoo.com The Association of Korean Geoscience Societies and Springer 2017