Raw data of Geochemical Compositions of Surface Sediments in Northern China

This dataset is related with a research aiming at systematic documentation of concentrations and distribution of naturally occurring elements in surface sediments of China. This is a typical study of applied geochemistry. The data consists of chemical compositions of 67 elements, 11 oxides, H2O+, total carbon and organic carbon in surface sediments (collected at a depth of ~25cm) from Junggar Basin, Tarim Basin, eastern Tibetan Plateau, Qaidam Basin, South Alxa Plateau, North Alxa Plateau, Hetao Graben and northeastern sandy deserts, and in the last glacial loess and present interglacial sediments on the Chinese Loess Plateau. All the samples were collected at a continental-scale (1 site per 3000 km2). All the sites were designed far away from roads, farmland and residences to avoid any possible anthropogenic influence. After being air-dried and homogenized, each sample was sieved to less than 75 μm using a stainless steel screen. We adopted a multi-method analytical scheme, by which 67 elements, 11 oxides and 3 parameters including Au, Ag, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, F, Ga, Ge, Hf, Hg, I, In, Li, Mn, Mo, N, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Zn, Zr, Ce, Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Nd, Pr, Sm, Tb, Tm, Y, Yb, Ir, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, FeO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, MnO, P2O5, TiO2, H2O+, total carbon and organic carbon were chemically determined. The data set has been used to identify the sources of the dust on the Chinese Loess Plateau.