The GEMAS project (Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and Grazing land Soil) provided high quality harmonised, freely and interoperable geochemical data for ploughed agricultural soil and for non-cultivated grass land (non-cultivated for at least 10 years). The GEMAS project documented, for the first time, the concentration of almost 60 chemical elements, and the parameters determining their availability and binding in agricultural and grazing soils at the scale of a continent (Europe – 5.6 million km² were sampled across 33 European countries).
More than 4000 samples of agricultural soil (0–20 cm) and grazing land soil (0–10 cm) were collected in 2008 at an average sample density of 1 site per 2500 km2, following strictly the field manual.
The GEMAS project started in 2008 and delivered a book of results in December 2013. The data set is freely available to the general public.
the GEMAS project, involved 33 European countries, and was a cooperation project between EuroGeoSurveys through its Geochemical Expert Group, and Eurometaux, the European Association of Metals.