Historical foundations of chemical geology and geochemistry

Abstract

Roughly, the name chemical geology has been used for as long as chemistry has been applied in geology; the name geochemistry was introduced by Schönbein, in 1838. Whereas initially the names were often regarded as synonymous, in our century there is a tendency to make a distinction between the two on the basis of the way in which the subject is approached.

In the previous century most of the work dealt with mineral and rock analysis and the occurrence of geochemical cycles. Other fields of study, such as isotope “geology”, physico-chemical petrology and crystal chemistry reached maturity early in the twentieth century. Somewhat later sedimentary geochemistry began to expand. The rise of geochemical prospection took place mainly in the nineteen thirties. In the meantime, a considerable progress was also achieved in the field of analytical geochemistry, particularly through the development of various new techniques.