Geochemistry of Rocks of the Oceans and Continents (GEOROC) database
Established in 1999 by the Max-Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC), the GEOROC platform is one of the largest geochemical databases worldwide. GEOROC currently holds analyses of >700,000 samples from 11 different geological settings and provides free access to >45 million individual values of major and trace element concentrations, radiogenic and non-radiogenic isotope ratios as well as analytical ages for whole rocks, glasses, minerals and inclusions. Metadata include, among others, geographic location with latitude and longitude, rock class and rock type, alteration grade, analytical method, laboratory, reference materials and references. Datasets in GEOROC are cross-linked with GeoReM, an database for geological and environmental reference materials, and is a key contributor and integral part of the EarthChem initiative. To date, GEOROC has been acknowledged in more than 3,000 peer-reviewed publications, many of which appeared in high-ranking journals.
Please note: GEOROC and its webpage will continue running in its current form for the foreseeable future. More information and access to the database here:
Geological and Environmental Reference Materials (GeoReM) database
GeoReM is a FAIR, comprehensive, freely accessible online database providing published and recommended compositional data for geological and environmental reference materials. In 2025, ownership and curation were transferred from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) to the International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG). Technical infrastructure and maintenance are supported by the DIGIS-GEOROC group at the University of Göttingen, with a new webpage and API jointly being developed using technologies similar to the GEOROC database.
GeoReM acts as a central data hub for geochemical data on international reference materials, covering natural geological materials (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary rocks, minerals, glasses), environmental samples (soils, waters, dust), biological samples (plants, tissue), and isotopic reference materials. It includes major and trace elements (e.g., rare earth and platinum group elements), radiogenic and stable isotopes, and some organic compounds. The database provides individual analytical results linked to full bibliographic references, enabling evaluation of data quality, inter-laboratory variability, and traceability to original sources. GeoReM is accessible through https://georem.earth without subscription and allows searches by material name, element, isotope system, material type, or analytical method. Data can be viewed online and exported for further analysis. Compiled from thousands of peer-reviewed publications, it supports calibration, validation, and inter-comparison of analytical results across laboratories.Widely used across disciplines, GeoReM serves geochemists, petrologists, environmental scientists, biochemists, analytical chemists, geochronologists, and related professionals, as well as students and early-career researchers. Within the broader geochemical data infrastructure, it functions as a key reference framework and is closely linked to major initiatives such as GEOROC, EarthChem/PetDB, and EarthBank.
History of the GeoReM database
The construction of the GeoReM database under the direction of Klaus Peter Jochum began in 2004 in the former Geochemistry Department of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. The first version was put online for public use in early 2006. GeoReM was based on the structure and surface of the GEOROC database, and was developed as an independent database with a focus on geochemical reference materials. When Klaus Peter Jochum retired, the working group was dissolved. The MPIC no longer has the capacity to continue GeoReM, especially for software development. Since structure and surface are very closely related to GEOROC, GeoReM is now hosted in Göttingen as part of the DIGIS project. The owner of GeoReM is the International Association of Geoanalysts, which sees itself as an international forum for geoanalytical sciences and, as a provider of reference materials and an organisation for carrying out interlaboratory tests and certifying reference materials, has the relevant expertise. IAG oversees the continued curation of the GeoReM database. More information and access to the GeoReM database here:
