Global Basalt Geochemistry Database from Archaean to Present

Supplementary data from a 2026 study in Communications Earth & Environment provides a global compilation of whole-rock basalt geochemistry. The dataset tracks secular changes in CIPW normative mineralogy from the Archaean to the present day, supporting analysis of tectonic setting and mantle source evolution. It includes experimental melt compositions, LDA analysis outputs, and fractional crystallisation model results.

Use Cases

• Tracking secular trends in basalt normative mineralogy (e.g., quartz vs. nepheline normative) across geological time.
• Testing petrogenetic models for Archaean basalts using clinopyroxene/orthopyroxene normative ratios.
• Investigating links between the onset of deep subduction and mantle hybridisation via alkali basalt prevalence.
• Identifying periods of reduced mafic magmatic activity, such as the Palaeoproterozoic tectono-magmatic lulls.
• Calibrating or comparing geochemical models with provided experimental melt and MAGEMin fractional crystallisation data.

Strengths

• Provides a global, deep-time scope covering basalt compositions from the Archaean to the present.
• Includes multiple supplementary data types: a compiled geochemical database, experimental melts, LDA outputs, and model results.
• Released under a permissive CC-BY-4.0 license, facilitating reuse and attribution.
• Cross-platform presence on figshare indicates established academic use and importance.

Limitations

• Column names and exact row count are not specified in the provided metadata, limiting precise assessment of structure.
• Relies on inferred data types; the primary 'Supplementary Data 1' is likely tabular, but other files (PDF, model outputs) have mixed formats.
• The dataset is supplementary to a specific 2026 manuscript, so its standalone context may require reference to the associated paper.

Provenance

Source

Shubhadeep Roy, B. S. Kamber, P. C. Hayman, D. T. Murphy (2026), Communications Earth & Environment.

Collection Method

Compiled whole-rock geochemical database, likely synthesized from published literature and experimental data.

Time Range

Archaean to present day.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-03-22.

Geography

Global.