Establishment and development of mantle geochemistry

Mantle geochemistry, a field that emerged in the mid-1970s, utilizes geochemical approaches to investigate the chemical composition and structure as well as the evolution and dynamics of Earth’s mantle. Since its establishment, this field has become a key part of solid Earth Science and Planetary Science, demonstrating great vitality. The development of its theoretical framework began with the observation of mantle heterogeneity revealed by the radiogenic isotopic compositions of ocean island basalts (OIBs) and mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs), which in turn gave rise to the classic “crustal recycling” model. Based on this, a suite of globally representative mantle end-member components, namely DMM (Depleted MORB Mantle), EMI (Enriched Mantle I), EMII (Enriched Mantle II), HIMU (High μ, μ=238U/204Pb) and PREMA (prevalent mantle), was identified, thereby establishing a comprehensive framework to characterize the geochemical structure and geodynamic system of the mantle. Over the past five decades, mantle geochemistry has advanced with new analytical techniques and theoretical development, greatly broadening its scope. It is now a key field within the Earth System Sciences, crucial for developing models of deep material cycling and surface environmental responses. Aiming to review the development of mantle geochemistry, this paper analyzes eight seminal studies focused on radiogenic isotopes, revisiting the establishment and evolution of mantle geochemistry, exploring the scientific vision of pioneers and highlighting the key topics that define this discipline.