Interpretation of geochemical data by the use of multivariate data analysis

Different strategies of multivariate data analysis are used to interpret a data base from geological samples. Cluster and correspondence analysis are applied to classify properly 34 chemical elements from 10 representative rock samples (volcanic series from Borovitsa, Rhodopa mountains, Bulgaria). Principal components analysis is also used as display method to visualize the relation between the variables and objects of interest. The multivariate data analysis applied makes it possible to interpret the origin and orogenesis of the samples.