GEOROC and Beyond: Digital Infrastructure for FAIR and Comparable Geochemical Big Data

A critical challenge in large-scale geochemistry is the harmonization of global, regional and local datasets, which often vary in analytical protocols, reporting standards, and metadata completeness. Establishing geochemical data and metadata standards as well as best practices and jointly used controlled vocabularies is essential to make such heterogeneous datasets comparable, allowing integration across country boundaries, spatial and temporal scales. The inclusion of detailed metadata (e.g., analytical methods, sample details) and the consistent use of reference materials are crucial for ensuring data quality, reproducibility, and meaningful comparison across studies. Without such measures, the potential of large geochemical datasets in Big Data and AI use-cases would remain limited. The GEOROC and GeoReM databases are two of the most impactful data resources in the global geochemistry community. They are leading, open-access sources of geochemical and isotopic data that provide access to curated compilations of igneous and metamorphic rocks and mineral compositions as well as reference materials encompassing over 41 million individual data values. The data services support hundreds of new research publications each year across geoscience and related disciplines. To ensure that GEOROC and GeoReM remain sustainable and state-of-the-art resources, the Digital Geochemical Data Infrastructure (DIGIS) initiative is developing a modernized IT architecture and data infrastructure for the geochemical data on samples and reference materials. These efforts will enable improved data submission, discovery, and access while aligning with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. In this context, DIGIS could act as both a reference framework and a partner for regional geological surveys, including those of the Nordic countries. Establishing shared geochemical metadata standards, vocabularies and workflows for data exchange would create a two-way benefit for the global geochemical research community and the Nordic survey community. By combining global and regional efforts in data collection, curation, and digital infrastructure, the community can move towards a truly interoperable ecosystem of geochemical Big Data beyond boundaries.