The phosphorite deposits located in Algeria are found within the Eastern Saharan Atlas, particularly in the Tebessa area. A notable feature of these deposits is the Djebel Onk phosphorite complex, which is situated in the southern section of the Tebessa region. Additionally, the Bled El Hadba deposit is part of the extensive Djebel Onk phosphorite complex in northeastern Algeria. This deposit has been the focus of numerous geological investigations aimed at analyzing P2O5 concentrations for commercial viability. Recent discussions among various authors have highlighted the enrichment of rare earth elements (REE) in Algerian phosphorites, which are regarded as some of the most abundant Paleocene-Eocene phosphorites globally. The upper Thanetian phosphorite layer measures approximately 30 meters in thickness and is categorized into three distinct sub-layers—lower, main, and upper—according to their P2O5 concentrations, with the main sub-layer identified as the most affluent. Nevertheless, there has been a scarcity of comprehensive geochemical studies conducted on this deposit to date. This study involved the analysis of major, trace, and rare earth elements (REE) in phosphate particles, including pellets, coprolites, and glauconites, utilizing ‘in situ’ (LA-ICP MS). Whole-rock samples were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques. The findings indicate that the primary sub-layer exhibits the highest concentrations of whole-rock P2O5, ranging from 19.65 to 21.32 wt%, in contrast to the lower sub-layer (10.47–16.87 wt%) and the upper sub-layer (9.43–13.87 wt%). Among the phosphate particles, glauconites possess the lowest P2O5 levels across all three sub-layers (17.45–19.35 wt%), while pellets (21.14–24.33 wt%) and coprolites (21.75–24.12 wt%) show higher values. Additionally, glauconites contain significantly greater amounts of Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, and Fe2O3(t). The ΣREE concentrations in glauconites (764–2050 ppm) surpass those found in pellets (221–910 ppm) and coprolites (214–909 ppm). Notably, within glauconite particles, the ΣREE, along with Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, and Fe2O3(t), increases from the core to the rim, while P2O5 levels decline, indicating that glauconitization occurs after phosphatization. Furthermore, the glauconitization process intensifies from the lower to the upper sub-layer, as evidenced by positive correlations between Al2O3 and both MgO and SiO2, alongside negative correlations between Al2O3 and P2O5. The anomalies of Ce, Eu, and Y, in conjunction with La/Nd ratios and Nd concentrations, suggest that phosphatization occurred under oxic conditions due to warm water upwelling, whereas glauconitization initiated under more reduced (suboxic) conditions, particularly during early diagenesis, characterized by peak REE uptake from porewater and slow sedimentation rates. Although the P2O5 concentrations in the Bled El Hadba phosphate particles are comparatively low, their ΣREE contents represent the highest levels found among all phosphorites in Algeria and North Africa. Consequently, it is advisable to conduct more comprehensive analyses of rare earth elements to thoroughly assess its economic viability concerning critical raw materials.