Context : Studies of the r -process enhanced stars are important for understanding the nature and origin of the r -process better .

Aims : We present a detailed abundance analysis of a very metal-poor giant star discovered in the HERES project , HE 2252–4225 , which exhibits overabundances of the r -process elements with [ r /Fe ] = +0.80 .

Methods : We determined the stellar atmosphere parameters , T _ { \mbox { \scriptsize eff } } = 4710 K , log g = 1.65 , and [ Fe/H ] = -2.63 , and chemical abundances by analysing the high-quality VLT/UVES spectra .
The surface gravity was calculated from the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium ( NLTE ) ionisation balance between Fe i and Fe ii .

Results : Accurate abundances for a total of 38 elements , including 22 neutron-capture elements beyond Sr and up to Th , were determined in HE 2252 - 4225 .
For every chemical species , the dispersion in the single line measurements around the mean does not exceed 0.12 dex .
This object is deficient in carbon , as expected for a giant star with T _ { \mbox { \scriptsize eff } } < 4800 K. The stellar Na–Zn abundances are well fitted by the yields of a single supernova of 14.4 M _ { \odot } .
For the neutron-capture elements in the Sr–Ru , Ba–Yb , and Os–Ir regions , the abundance pattern of HE 2252 - 4225 is in excellent agreement with the average abundance pattern of the strongly r -process enhanced stars CS 22892-052 , CS 31082-001 , HE 1219-0312 , and HE 1523-091 .
This suggests a common origin of the first , second , and third r -process peak elements in HE 2252 - 4225 in the classical r -process .
We tested the solar r -process pattern based on the most recent s -process calculations of Bisterzo , Travaglio , Gallino , Wiescher , and Käppeler and found that elements in the range from Ba to Ir match it very well .
No firm conclusion can be drawn about the relationship between the first neutron-capture peak elements , Sr to Ru , in HE 2252 - 4225 and the solar r -process , owing to the uncertainty in the solar r -process .
The investigated star has an anomalously high Th/Eu abundance ratio , so that radioactive dating results in a stellar age of \tau = 1.5 \pm 1.5 Gyr that is not expected for a very metal-poor halo star .

Conclusions :