China Geochemical Probe:Making "Geochemical Earth"

China Geochemical Probe (CGP), as part of the China Earth Crust Probe (SinoProbe), is an Earth science project to provide geochemical baselines, distribution and evolution of all elements, and finally to establish a holistic digital "Geochemical Earth" in China. The goals of the project are (1) to develop 4 geochemical methodologies: analytical methods for all-elements, deep-penetrating geochemical methods, the earth crust geochemical model and global geochemical data visualizing software, (2) to establish China nationwide geochemical baselines for rocks and soils, (3) to make the crust geochemical models by pilot study on 3 geochemical transects to display element distribution in upper, middle and lower crust, (4) to explore evolution of elements in different tectonic plate of China with geologic times from Archeozoic to Quaternary, (5) to identify areas of interest for mineral resources and environments. Total 15000 typical rock and 6000 soil samples were collected in the China Geochemical Baselines Networks covering the whole mainland and 6000 samples were collected along the 3 transects, 78 elements have been determined. The project includes the following five programs: China Geochemical Baselines, China Continental Earth Crust Geochemical Reference Model, Deep-penetrating Geochemistry through Cover and Basin, Geochemical Earth Software, and Geochemical Evolution with Geologic Times along Transects.