Data identifying landscape areas (shown as polygons) attributed with geological names and rock type descriptions. The scale of the data is 1:10 000 scale providing bedrock geology. Onshore coverage is partial with approximately 30% of England, Scotland and Wales available in this version 2 data release. BGS intend to continue developing coverage at this scale; current focus is to include all large priority urban areas, along with road and rail transport corridors. Bedrock geology describes the main mass of solid rocks forming the earth's crust. Bedrock is present everywhere, whether exposed at surface in outcrops or concealed beneath superficial deposits or water bodies. The bedrock geology of Great Britain is very diverse and includes three broad classes based on their mode of origin: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. The data includes attribution to identify each rock type (in varying levels of detail) as described in the BGS Rock Classification Scheme (volumes 1-3). The bedrock has formed over long periods of geological time, from the Archean eon some 7500 million years ago, to the relatively young Pliocene, 58 million years ago. The age of the rocks is identified in the data through their BGS lexicon name (published for each deposit at the time of the original survey or subsequent digital data creation). For stratified rocks i.e. arranged in sequence, this will usually be of a lithostratigraphic type. Other rock types for example intrusive igneous bodies will be of a lithodemic type. More information on the formal naming of UK rocks is available in the BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units. Geological names are based on the lithostratigraphic or lithodemic hierarchy. The lithostratigraphic scheme arranges rock bodies into units based on rock-type and geological time of formation. Where rock-types do not fit into the lithostratigraphic scheme, for example intrusive, deformed rocks subjected to heat and pressure resulting in new or changed rock types; then their classification is based on their rock-type or lithological composition. This assesses visible features such as texture, structure, mineralogy. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.

Linear features (shown as polylines) represent six classes of geological structural features e.g. faults, folds or landforms e.g. buried channels, glacial drainage channels at the ground or bedrock surface (beneath superficial deposits). Linear features are associated most closely with the bedrock theme either as an intrinsic part of it for example marine bands or affecting it in the case of faults. However landform elements are associated with both bedrock and superficial deposits. The linear features are organised into seven main categories: Alteration area indicating zones of change to the pre-existing rocks due to the application of heat and pressure that can occur round structural features such as faults and dykes. Fault where a body of bedrock has been fractured and displaced by a large scale process affecting the earth's crust. Fold where strata are bent or deformed resulting from changes or movement of the earth's surface creating heat and pressure to reshape and transform the original horizontal strata. Folds appear on all scales, in all rock types and from a variety of causes. Fossil horizons where prolific fossil assemblages occur and can be used to help establish the order in which deposits were laid down (stratigraphy). These horizons allow correlation where sediments of the same age look completely different due to variations in depositional environment. Mineral vein where concentrations of crystallised mineral occur within a rock, they are closely associated with faulting, but may occur independently. Landforms define the landscape by its surface form; these include glacial features such as drumlins, eskers and ice margins. Rock identifies key (marker) beds, recognised as showing distinct physical characteristics or fossil content. Examples include coal seams, gypsum beds and marine bands. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the locations of over 12,500 rock samples from the land area of the United Kingdom gathered as part of the Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP). The Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP), funded by the DTI, carried out baseline mineral exploration in Great Britain between 1972 and 1997. The programme has been subsumed into the new BGS Minerals Programme, also funded by the DTI. The rock samples have been analysed for a variety of major and trace elements, mainly by XRF.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) is a map based index of the National Well Record Archive. This index shows the location of water wells along with basic information such as well name, depth and date of drilling. The index is based on the collection of over 105,000 paper records of water wells, springs and water boreholes. Geological information, construction details, water quality data and hydrogeological data may also be available for some water wells. The amount of detail held on individual sites varies widely and certain fields will have an 'unknown' value where the paper records have yet to be checked for their content. The zero values for the depth represent those for which the depth has yet to be entered into the database from the paper records.

The Bedrock summary lithologies dataset is digital geological map across the bulk of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), for areas up to a water depth of 200 m, which groups the bedrock lithologies (rock types) into classes based on similar engineering geology characteristics. The map is derived from the 1:250 000 scale digital bedrock map of the UKCS (BGS Offshore Bedrock 250k), which is available separately from BGS. The map was produced in 2014 in collaboration with, and co-funded by, The Crown Estate as part of a wider commissioned project to assess seabed geological constraints on engineering infrastructure across the UKCS. The divisions on the map combine the bedrock formations into 8 classes (with several subdivisions) of similar strength and lithological variability, each with a 'Category' title that summarises their main lithological character: Class1 – Igneous; Class 2 - Tertiary Sandstone and Limestone; Class 2.5 - Tertiary Sandstone and Limestone Interbedded; Class 3 - Tertiary Mudstone; Class 4 - Mesozoic Sandstone and Limestone; Class 4.5 - Mesozoic Sandstone and Limestone Interbedded; Class 5 - Mesozoic Mudstone; Class 6 – Chalk; Class 7 – Metamorphic; Class 8 - Palaeozoic Sedimentary. The data are held by the BGS as an ESRI Shapefile.

BGS has drilled almost 600 boreholes to prove seismic interpretations of the marine Quaternary geology and bedrock from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The collection also includes additional third party data and has assisted in the creation of BGS marine geology maps. The boreholes penetrate beneath the sea bed to depths ranging from about 10 m to over 300 m, depending on the target depth or technical problems associated with drilling the borehole. The data include descriptive geological core logs and data which have been captured from these, and in some cases, natural gamma logs. A variety of analyses have been conducted on the core material, such as particle size analysis (PSA), micropalaeontological analysis, geotechnical investigations, palaeomagnetic analysis and age dating. Core material is managed as part of the BGS materials collection and is available for examination and subsampling. The data are stored as part of the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) and the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) Data Archive Centre (DAC) for geology and geophysics. Data are delivered via the BGS GeoIndex. This dataset is covered by multiple layers, split by the type of material or sampling technique, and the type of data. Borehole-type samples (including boreholes, cores and drills), grab-type samples and other sample types are separated, and there is a metadata layer (containing metadata and links to scanned borehole logs) and a geological data layer (containing depth-bounded geological observations and/or measurements) for boreholes, grabs and other sample types. For borehole-type data, a geotechnical layer containing numerical results of geotechnical tests is also provided. Where available, particle size analysis (PSA) and geochemical data are also provided as separate layers. The data are applicable to a wide range of uses including environmental, geotechnical and geological studies. Reference: Fannin, NGT. (1989) Offshore Investigations 1966-87 British Geological Survey Technical Report WB/89/02, British Geological Survey.

The BGS Seabed Sediments 250k dataset is vector data which reflects the distribution of seabed substrate types of the UK and some of its adjacent waters (the UK Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ) at 1:250,000 scale. This comprehensive dataset provides a digital compilation of the paper maps published by BGS at the same scale, as well as additional re-interpretations from regional geological studies. The seabed is commonly covered by sediments that form a veneer or thicker superficial layer of unconsolidated material above the bedrock. These sediments are classified based on their grain size, which reflects the environment in which they were deposited. This information is important to a range of stakeholders, including marine habitat mappers, marine spatial planners and offshore industries (in particular, the dredging and aggregate industries). This dataset was primarily based on seabed grab samples of the top 0.1 m, combined with cores, dredge samples and sidescan sonar acquired during mapping surveys since the early 1970s. Variations in data density are reflected in the detail of the mapping. The sediment divisions on the map are primarily based on particle size analysis (PSA) of both surface sediment samples and the uppermost sediments taken from shallow cores. Sediments are classified according to the modified Folk triangle classification (Folk, 1954, Journal of Geology, Vol. 62, pp 344–359). The modified Folk diagram and classification used by BGS differs from that created by Folk (1954) in that the boundary between 'no gravel' and 'slightly gravelly' is changed from trace (0.05%) to 1% weight of particles coarser than -1Ø (2mm), shown below. The boundaries between sediment classifications or types are delineated using sample station particle size analyses and descriptions, seafloor topography derived from shallow geophysical and, where available, multibeam bathymetry, backscatter and side-scan sonar profiles. This dataset was produced for use at 1:250 000 scale. These data should not be relied on for local or site-specific geology.

Data identifying landscape areas (shown as polygons) attributed with type of mass movement e.g. landslip. The scale of the data is 1:10 000 scale. Onshore coverage is partial with approximately 30% of England, Scotland and Wales available in the version 2 data release. BGS intend to continue developing coverage at this scale; current focus is to include all large priority urban areas, along with road and rail transport corridors. Mass movement describes areas where deposits have moved down slope under gravity to form landslips. These landslips can affect bedrock, superficial or artificial ground. Mass movement deposits are described in the BGS Rock Classification Scheme Volume 4. However the data also includes foundered strata, where ground has collapsed due to subsidence (this is not described in the Rock Classification Scheme). Caution should be exercised with this data; historically BGS has not always recorded mass movement events and due to the dynamic nature of occurrence significant changes may have occurred since the data was released. The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.

Two geochemical surveys were undertaken in the Solomon Islands between 1976 and 1983 as part of a combined geological mapping and mineral exploration project. The survey of Choiseul and the Shortland Islands was carried out between 1976 and 1979 by the Institute of Geological Sciences (now the British Geological Survey) with support from staff of the Geology Division of the Ministry of Land, Energy and Natural Resources, Solomon Islands. The project produced 12 geological maps at 1:50,000 scale as well as a series of unpublished reports. The survey of the New Georgia Group of islands was undertaken between 1979 and 1983. The project produced 7 geological maps at a scale of 1:100,000 and a regional map of the entire island group at a scale of 1:250,000. A series of multielement geochemical anomaly maps were produced at a scale of 1:100,000 to accompany each of the published geological maps. Master copies of these are held at the Geological Survey in Honiara. Full descriptions of the methods used are described in the margins of the anomaly maps. A total of 8848 stream sediment samples were collected from Choiseul and 7441 from the New Georgia Group, resulting in an average sampling density for the two areas of 2.68 samples per km2 and 1.47 samples per km2 respectively. Sampling in the Shortland Islands was confined to the larger islands, 187 were collected from the Fauro Island group, 148 from Alu and 69 from Mono. The samples were dry sieved and the fraction passing -80 mesh B.S. (177 microns) was analysed. A hot concentrated nitric acid digestion was used prior to analysis by atomic absorbtion spectrophotometry (AAS) for Co, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Ag, and Mn. Samples from the vicinity of the Siruka Ultramafic Complex were determined for Cr by AAS after digestion by a bisulphate fusion technique. Raw data can be obtained from the Geology Division, Ministry of Mines and Energy, PO Box G37, Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Data identifying landscape areas (shown as polygons) attributed with geological names and rock type descriptions. The scale of the data is 1:10 000 scale. Onshore coverage is partial with approximately 30% of England, Scotland and Wales available in the version 2 data release. BGS intend to continue developing coverage at this scale; current focus is to include all large priority urban areas, along with road and rail transport corridors. Superficial deposits are the youngest geological deposits formed during the most recent period of geological time, the Quaternary, which extends back about 2.58 million years from the present. They lie on top of older deposits or rocks referred to as bedrock. Superficial deposits were laid down by various natural processes such as action by ice, water, wind and weathering. As such, the deposits are denoted by their BGS lexicon name, which classifies them on the basis of mode of origin (lithogenesis) with names such as, 'glacial deposits', 'river terrace deposits' or 'blown sand'; or on the basis of their composition such as 'peat'. Most of these superficial deposits are unconsolidated sediments such as gravel, sand, silt and clay. The digital data includes attribution to identify each deposit type (in varying levels of detail) as described in the BGS Rock Classification Scheme (volume 4). The data are available in vector format (containing the geometry of each feature linked to a database record describing their attributes) as ESRI shapefiles and are available under BGS data licence.