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The BGS Rock Classification Scheme

The BGS Rock Classification Scheme (RCS) is a comprehensive classification scheme for all types of rocks and unconsolidated sediments worldwide. It is intended to be used for classification of single rock samples and can be used without any knowledge of field relationships. It has been designed for use by people with a wide range of geological knowledge; from experienced professional geologists to technicians and drillers. It also allows names to be assigned according to the level of information about the sample. The system if hierarchical, ranging from very simple names such as igneous rock to highly detailed names such as mugearite, that can only be applied after chemical analysis. Rock names can consist of a root name e.g. granite and several qualifiers that impart more information e.g. grey-biotite-bearing granite. The classification scheme has been implemented as a hierarchical dictionary of codes for all rock types. The classification scheme is described in BGS Research Reports 99-02, 99-03, 99-06. The BGS Rock Classification Scheme was devised between 1993 and 1996 in response to a need from the Digital Map Production System project.

Simple

Date (Creation)
1993
Identifier
http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13480319
Distributor
  British Geological Survey - Enquiries
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South , EDINBURGH , LOTHIAN , EH14 4AP , United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
Point of contact
  British Geological Survey - Enquiries
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South , EDINBURGH , LOTHIAN , EH14 4AP , United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
Distributor
  British Geological Survey - Enquiries
Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth , NOTTINGHAM , NOTTINGHAMSHIRE , NG12 5GG , United Kingdom
0115 936 3143
0115 936 3276
Originator
  British Geological Survey - Enquiries
Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth , NOTTINGHAM , NOTTINGHAMSHIRE , NG12 5GG , United Kingdom
0115 936 3143
0115 936 3276
Maintenance and update frequency
irregular Irregular
GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
  • Geology
BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences
  • Geology
  • Nomenclature
  • UK Location (INSPIRE)
dataCentre
  • UK Location (INSPIRE)
Keywords
  • NERC_DDC
Access constraints
otherRestrictions Other restrictions
Other constraints
Freely available via the Internet. Use by permission from BGS
Use constraints
otherRestrictions Other restrictions
Other constraints
The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.
Other constraints
Either: (i) the dataset is made freely available, e.g. via the Internet, for a restricted category of use (e.g. educational use only); or (ii) the dataset has not been formally approved by BGS for access and use by external clients under licence, but its use may be permitted under alternative formal arrangements; or (iii) the dataset contains 3rd party data or information obtained by BGS under terms and conditions that must be consulted in order to determine the permitted usage of the dataset. Refer to the BGS staff member responsible for the creation of the dataset if further advice is required. He / she should be familiar with the composition of the dataset, particularly with regard to 3rd party IPR contained in it, and any resultant use restrictions. This staff member should revert to the IPR Section (ipr@bgs.ac.uk ) for advice, should the position not be clear.
Denominator
10000
Metadata language
EnglishEnglish
Topic category
  • Geoscientific information
Supplemental Information
Regularly up-dated to match demand. The data are essentially complete but will have on-going correction, minor revisions and up dates. There is a high degree of logical consistency

Reference System Information

No information provided.
Distribution format
  • WEB PAGES (INTERNET). - Limited query system available ()

  • TEXT - Printed as BGS reports ()

Distributor
  British Geological Survey - Enquiries
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South , EDINBURGH , LOTHIAN , EH14 4AP , United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
Distributor
  British Geological Survey - Enquiries
Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth , NOTTINGHAM , NOTTINGHAMSHIRE , NG12 5GG , United Kingdom
0115 936 3143
0115 936 3276
OnLine resource
BGS Rock Classification Scheme

The BGS Rock Classification Scheme (RCS) provides a comprehensive system for classifying and naming geological materials to act as a corporate standard in support of our digital geological maps, data dictionaries and numerous other geological applications. It’s a practical, logical and robust system for classifying and naming geological materials as they appear at the scale of a single exposure, hand specimen or thin section.

Hierarchy level
nonGeographicDataset Non geographic dataset
Other
non geographic dataset

Conformance result

Date (Publication)
2011
Explanation
See the referenced specification
Pass
No

Conformance result

Date (Publication)
2010-12-08
Explanation
See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF
Pass
No
Statement
Includes data derived from and replaces previous previous databases such as the PetMin Code.
File identifier
9df8df51-6399-37a8-e044-0003ba9b0d98 XML
Metadata language
EnglishEnglish
Hierarchy level
nonGeographicDataset Non geographic dataset
Hierarchy level name
non geographic dataset
Date stamp
2025-07-09
Metadata standard name
UK GEMINI
Metadata standard version
2.3
Point of contact
  British Geological Survey
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South , EDINBURGH , LOTHIAN , EH14 4AP , United Kingdom
+44 131 667 1000
Dataset URI
http://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/dataHolding/13480319
 
 

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