This database is a set of 2828 suspended and bed sediment compositional measurements from 1683 locations around the globe. It is named Global River Sediments (GloRiSe), and includes major, minor and trace elements, along with mineralogical and petrographic data, and provides time-series for some sites. Each observation is complemented by metadata describing geographic location, sampling date and time, sample treatment and measurement details, which allows for grouping and selection of observations, as well as for interoperability with external data sources and improves interpretability. Information on references, unit conversion and references make the database comprehensible. Notably, the close to globe-spanning extent of this compilation allows to derive data-driven, spatially resolved global-scale conclusions about the role of rivers and processes related to them within the Earth-system. Practically, this data may be used for e.g. (spatial) statistical modelling and model testing, to complement local or regional datasets, to explore and compare time-series at different locations, to screen potential for field studies, to assess anthropogenic pollution or to characterize the material continuously transported to the global ocean and fresh-water reservoirs. Version 1.1 includes corrections and improvements in response to the review process (https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2021-19).

Compilation of published data.