Abundances of chemical elements in granitoids of different geological ages and their characteristics in China

Actual granitoid analytical data of 767 composited samples are presented here. The data source is 6080 samples collected mainly from 750 large- to middle-sized granitoid bodies across China. Data from the composited samples, which includes that of 70 elements, is analyzed according to geological age — Archeozoic (Ar), Proterozoic (Pt), Eopaleozoic (Pz1), Neopaleozoic (Pz2), Mesozoic (Mz), and Cenozoic (Cz) — and three major compositional varieties, e.g. alkali-feldspar granite, syenogranite and adamellite. Petrochemical parameters, trace-element content and rare-earth element (REE) distributions of the different rock types and geological ages are characterized, and change tendencies through Archean to Cenozoic time are recorded. The comprehensive analytical data presented here has not been previously published. This significant data set can be used as fundamental information in studies of basic China geology, magma petrogenesis, ore exploration and geochemistry.