Between 1977 and 1983, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) took approx. 80,000 water samples and 70,000 sediment samples from streams and rivers in several sampling campaigns on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany at that time and examined them geochemically. In addition to the geochemical prospection of areas with potentially deposits, the aim of the investigations was also to record indications of anthropogenic environmental pollution. The results of these investigations were published in the Geochemical Atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany (Fauth et al., 1985). The data collected within the framework of the Geochemical Atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1985 is a geochemical survey of the former territory of the Federal Republic of Germany which is unique in its high sampling density. All later geochemical investigations were carried out with a much lower sampling density. This valuable and irretrievable data is now being made generally available via the BGR geoportals. In addition to the digital provision of the original data material, the texts from Fauth et al. (1985) and distribution maps produced according to the method used in 1985, the data were reprocessed using modern methods. The downloads show the distribution of the measured element concentrations and parameters in stream waters and stream sediments in five different coloured point and colour shaded contour maps for each element or parameter. In addition, the brief explanations on the respective element or parameter from Fauth et al. (1985) are included.

The International Map of the Iron Ore Deposits of Europe 1 : 2.500.000 completed in 1977 is published by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) About 70 geoscientists from Europe, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Middle East collaborated with the Editorial Staff in the compilation of the map and the Editorial Notes. More than 800 iron ore deposits are represented on the map which covers 42 countries in 16 map sheets. All deposits of importance, either actually being mined or recently abandoned, are included. Deposits of only genetic or historic interest are also shown. Detailed information on the Map of Iron Ore Deposits of Europe - to its structure, arrangement and background data - can be found in the Explanatory Notes to the Map

In the former GDR, investigations were carried out between 1980 and 1990 to estimate the raw material potential in the pre-Upper Permian bedrock units (Flechtingen-Rosslau Hills, Harz Mountains, Saxon Granulite Mountains, Thuringian Forest, Thuringian-Vogtlandian Slate Mountains, Ore Mountains, Elbe Valley Region/Lusatia), which lie at the earth's surface or are slightly covered by the Cenozoic. Part of these investigations was a geochemical prospection in the area of the above mentioned bedrock units. Approximately 18,000 water and 17,500 stream sediment samples were taken and geochemically analysed over an area of almost 15,000 km². The results of these investigations were documented in sub-reports on the individual bedrock units as well as in the "Final Report on the Comparative Evaluation of the Raw Material Potential in the Bedrock Units of the GDR" (Röllig et al., 1990; in German). These data from the bedrock units in the southern part of the former GDR are unique in their high sampling density (> 1 sample/km²) and provide a comprehensive geochemical survey of these areas. All later geochemical investigations (Geochemical Atlas 2000 as well as within the framework of GEMAS and FOREGS) were carried out with a much lower sampling density. These valuable and irretrievable data are now made generally available via the BGR geoportal. In addition to the digital provision of the original data material, area-wide distribution maps are made available for the first time, which were generated using modern computer-assisted methods. The downloads show the distribution of Copper contents in stream sediments in four different coloured point and colour shaded contour maps.

Between 1975 and 1986, geochemical investigations were carried out by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) on the territory of the then Federal Republic of Germany and by the Central Geological Institute (ZGI) of the former GDR in the area of the pre-Upper Permian bedrock units in the southern part of the former GDR, which lie on the earth's surface or are slightly covered by the Cenozoic. Approximately 98,000 water and 87,500 stream sediment samples were taken and geochemically analysed. The results of these investigations were published in the "Geochemical Atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany" (Fauth et al., 1985) and in the "Final Report on the Comparative Evaluation of the Raw Material Potential in the Bedrock Units of the GDR" (Röllig et al., 1990; in German). The geochemical data collected as part of these investigations, which cover a large part of the area of today's Federal Republic of Germany, are unique in their high sampling density. All subsequent geochemical investigations were carried out with a much lower sample density. These valuable and irretrievable data have been generally accessible via the BGR geoportal since their digital processing and provision in 2022 (Geochemical Atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany) and 2023 (Geochemical Prospection in the bedrock units in the southern part of the former GDR). However, a direct comparison of the maps produced for the two sub-areas is not possible due to the differences in the analytical methods used in the investigations (investigated element spectrum, analytical quality, determination limits, ...). Nevertheless, for some of the investigated elements and parameters it is possible to summarise the results of these geochemical investigations, which are unique in their high occupancy density, with appropriate adjustments (determination limits, representable content ranges, classification of the map legends, ...). Such summarised representations are now being made available for the first time via the BGR geoportal. The downloads show the distribution of the measured element contents and parameters for each element or parameter in four different colored point and isosurface maps.

GEMAS (Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil in Europe) is a cooperative project between the Geochemistry Expert Group of EuroGeoSurveys and Eurometeaux. In total, more than 60 international organisations and institutions worldwide were involved in the implementation of the project. During 2008 and 2009, a total of 2219 samples of agricultural (arable land soils, 0 – 20 cm, Ap samples) and 2127 samples of grazing land (pasture land soils, 0 – 10 cm, Gr samples) soil were collected at a density of 1 site/2 500 km² each from 33 European countries, covering an area of 5,600,000 km². All samples were analysed for 52 chemical elements after an aqua regia extraction, 41 by XRF (total), TC and TOC. In addition, the agricultural soil samples were analysed for 57 elements in a mobile metal ion (MMI®) extraction and Pb isotopes. All analytical results were subject to tight external quality control procedures. The GEMAS project thus provides for the first time fully harmonised data for element concentrations and bioavailability of the elements at the continental (European) scale. The downloadable files present the areal distribution of the element contents determined by different analytical methods in the shape of colour shaded contour maps with a classification in 7 and 72 levels each.

GEMAS (Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil in Europe) is a cooperative project between the Geochemistry Expert Group of EuroGeoSurveys and Eurometeaux. In total, more than 60 international organisations and institutions worldwide were involved in the implementation of the project. During 2008 and 2009, a total of 2219 samples of agricultural (arable land soils, 0 – 20 cm, Ap samples) and 2127 samples of grazing land (pasture land soils, 0 – 10 cm, Gr samples) soil were collected at a density of 1 site/2 500 km² each from 33 European countries, covering an area of 5,600,000 km². In addition to the chemical element contents, soil properties and soil parameters such as pH, particle size distribution, effective cation exchange capacity (CEC), MIR spectra and magnetic susceptibility were investigated in the samples and some coefficients were calculated. The downloadable files present the areal distribution of the determined Kd values (soil-solution partitioning values) for Nickel (Ni) in the shape of colour shaded contour maps.

GEMAS (Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil in Europe) is a cooperative project between the Geochemistry Expert Group of EuroGeoSurveys and Eurometeaux. In total, more than 60 international organisations and institutions worldwide were involved in the implementation of the project. During 2008 and 2009, a total of 2219 samples of agricultural (arable land soils, 0 – 20 cm, Ap samples) and 2127 samples of grazing land (pasture land soils, 0 – 10 cm, Gr samples) soil were collected at a density of 1 site/2 500 km² each from 33 European countries, covering an area of 5,600,000 km². All samples were analysed for 52 chemical elements after an aqua regia extraction, 41 by XRF (total), TC and TOC. In addition, the agricultural soil samples were analysed for 57 elements in a mobile metal ion (MMI®) extraction and Pb isotopes. All analytical results were subject to tight external quality control procedures. The GEMAS project thus provides for the first time fully harmonised data for element concentrations and bioavailability of the elements at the continental (European) scale. The downloadable files present the areal distribution of the element contents determined by different analytical methods in the shape of colour shaded contour maps with a classification in 7 and 72 levels each.

New, nationwide background values for 16 heavy metals and trace elements were published by the LABO in 2017. They are based on profile descriptions and measurements of aqua regia extracts, which were combined and homogenized by the BGR. Measurements with high quantification limits were excluded from further evaluation according to certain criteria in order to avoid their influence on the derivation of background values. To prevent the background values from being disproportionately influenced by regions with high sample densities, spatial thinning was partially performed. The values of several horizons of a site were combined to one value by depth-weighted averages. For evaluation, the available measured values were assigned to different groups of soil parent materials. In addition, a distinction was made whether the samples were taken in the topsoil, in the subsoil or in the underground. In the case of topsoil, the different land use (arable land, grassland, forest) was also taken into account for the evaluation. Unconsolidated rocks were evaluated separately for northern and southern Germany due to their different composition. By dividing the data into sub-collectives, reliable case numbers were not achieved in all cases. Consequently, only background values with case numbers ?20 are presented. The exact derivation procedure can be found in the report of the LABO-Bund/Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bodenschutz (2017): 'Hintergrundwerte für anorganische und organische Stoffe in Böden', 4th revised and supplemented edition.

GEMAS (Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil in Europe) is a cooperative project between the Geochemistry Expert Group of EuroGeoSurveys and Eurometeaux. In total, more than 60 international organisations and institutions worldwide were involved in the implementation of the project. During 2008 and 2009, a total of 2219 samples of agricultural (arable land soils, 0 – 20 cm, Ap samples) and 2127 samples of grazing land (pasture land soils, 0 – 10 cm, Gr samples) soil were collected at a density of 1 site/2 500 km² each from 33 European countries, covering an area of 5,600,000 km². All samples were analysed for 52 chemical elements after an aqua regia extraction, 41 by XRF (total), TC and TOC. In addition, the agricultural soil samples were analysed for 57 elements in a mobile metal ion (MMI®) extraction and Pb isotopes. All analytical results were subject to tight external quality control procedures. The GEMAS project thus provides for the first time fully harmonised data for element concentrations and bioavailability of the elements at the continental (European) scale. The downloadable files present the areal distribution of the element contents determined by different analytical methods in the shape of colour shaded contour maps with a classification in 7 and 72 levels each.

This dataset has been compiled within the BGR project "D-AERO-Auswertung" based on several survey area located along the German North Sea coast. The BGR helicopter (Sikorsky S-76B) is used for airborne geophysical surveying of the Earth’s subsurface. The standard equipment comprises the methods electromagnetics, magnetics and radiometrics. The passive radiometric (HRD) system is installed into the helicopter and consists of a gamma-ray spectrometer with five Sodiumiodid detectors to measure the gamma radiation. The results are as maps displaying total count, exposure rate as well as (equivalent) concentrations of Potassium, Thorium and Uranium at ground level.