The construction of the GeoReM database under the direction of Klaus Peter Jochum began in 2004 in the former Geochemistry Department of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC), with Albrecht Hofmann as director.

The first version was put online for public use in early 2006. GeoReM offers scientists in geochemistry and related disciplines worldwide metadata and measurement data on geoanalytical reference materials, thereby supporting optimisation of the quality of analytical procedures. The database now includes data on almost 4,000 reference materials such as natural minerals, synthetic glasses, rock powder, solutions, etc. Newly developed reference materials and current measured values or certified values are regularly included.

After Professor Hofmann's retirement, the Jochum group became part of the Biogeochemistry Department of the MPIC. After the biogeochemistry department was closed, the database was transferred to the newly-founded Climate Geochemistry Department. 

The MPIC no longer has the capacity to continue GeoReM, especially for software development. Since structure and surface are very closely related to GEOROC, GeoReM will also be hosted in Göttingen in the future as part of the DIGIS project. The owner of GeoReM is the International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG).