Geokemi

Geokemi, commonly referred to in English as geochemistry, is the scientific discipline that studies the chemical composition of the Earth and the chemical processes that control the distribution of elements among rocks, minerals, soils, waters, and the atmosphere. It integrates chemistry with geology to understand how elements are sourced, transported, and stored, and how surface and subsurface processes influence planetary chemistry. The field covers bulk chemistry, isotope systems, and trace-element behavior, as well as biogeochemical interactions that involve organisms and climate.

Researchers use field sampling and laboratory analyses to determine element concentrations and isotope ratios. Instrumental techniques include inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and mass spectrometry for isotope analysis. Geochemical data are interpreted with thermodynamic models, geochemical modeling software, and phase diagrams, and often combined with hydrological and mineralogical data.

Applications include mineral exploration and ore genesis studies, environmental geochemistry and pollution tracing, water-resource management, soil fertility and land-use planning, and climate research through isotopic proxies. Geochemistry also informs planetary science through the analysis of meteorites, lunar and planetary samples.

Historically, geochemistry emerged from early chemical studies and crystallography, with key advances attributed to theorists and the work of V. M. Goldschmidt in the early 20th century. Today it is a multidisciplinary field spanning geology, chemistry, environmental science, hydrology, and planetary science, often linked to geophysics and data science.