Major and selected trace element chemistry of ancient gypsic soils in Atacama Desert, northern Chile

Elemental chemistry data for Upper Miocene to Pleistocene calcium sulfate soils in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile are provided. Some examples occur as relict soils and others are paleosols. At some locations full vertical profiles were sampled, while at other locations samples were collected a only one or two depths within the ancient soil profile. These data accompany 87Sr/86Sr data for the same samples, whose purpose is to determine the proportion of salts derived from marine aerosols. A total of 98 samples are reported for sites spanning ~330 km strike-parallel distance and elevations between 450 and 1850 m.a.s.l., within the Coastal Escarpment, Coastal Cordillera and Central Depression of northern Chile (18.7-21.8°S). The elemental chemistry data are expressed in millimoles of soluble X element per gram of soil (mmol/g).