A previous paper by this author (1984) described the evolution of XRF analysis in the British Geological Survey. More recent developments are described here, with particular reference to wide-area networking. Since the Survey was founded in 1835 it has been to a large extent concerned with the amassing of data. In most cases the information is permanently retained, in contrast to some other applications where the data are stored only temporarily. The result of this permanent storage is that a very large database has been created and continues to grow at an increasing rate, partly as the result of extension of the terms of reference to include the continental shelf. Another reason is that geochemical, geophysical and geotechnical information is now included, and automated methods of measurement and data capture now exist.