The Samburu - Marsabit Geological Mapping and Mineral Exploration Project was a joint Kenyan and British technical co-operation project, carried out by staff of the Mines and Geological Department, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya and staff from the British Geological Survey. The first phase of the project commenced in 1980, and covered the area between 36degrees and 38degrees E and from the equator to 2degrees N. The second phase, carried out between 1984 and 1986 covered the area between 36degrees and 38degrees E and from 2degrees N to the Ethiopian border. Sampling was carried out concurrently with geological mapping and was largely constrained by the requirements of that exercise. Little or no sampling was done in areas previously mapped by other bodies. Sampling was mainly confined to areas underlain by basement rocks of the Mozambique Belt and was very sparse over most of the Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic cover. Chemical analyses for the stream sediments were: Ag, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn. Raw data is available from the Mines and Geological Survey Department, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Nairobi, Kenya. Sampling densities varied considerably across the Phase 1 project area, but generally a stream sediment sample density of one per 4 to 8 km2 and a panned concentrate density of one per 13 to 16 km2 was achieved. In the Phase 2 area, which was mainly very arid, a few samples were collected from dry stream beds, as part of a helicopter survey of the area, to provide some idea of the geochemistry of the major lithological units. Stream sediments were collected by combining grab samples from 5 to 10 points within a 10m radius of the selected site. If necessary the samples were dried before being sieved and the fine (-80 mesh B.S.) fraction retained for analysis. Heavy mineral concentrates were obtained by taking 2 to 5kg of material from the sample site and panning at the base camp, where water was available, or at the Mines and Geological Department headquarters at Nairobi.

A superficial thickness model covering England Scotland and Wales. The model is derived by direct modelling (natural neighbour interpolation) of BGS Borehole records and BGS Digmap. For the purposes of modelling, superficial deposits include sediments deposited during the Quaternary, subsequent Holocene rivers and coastal systems and also modern anthropogenic material. i.e. deposits that are less than 2.6 million years old. Grids are overprinted with a minimum value so that areas where no bore data is present, but superficial deposits are known to occur are given a minimum 1.5m thickness. The superficial thickness model has been created as baseline datasets for the BGS Information Products programme. The model provides only a simple, mathematical interpretation of reality with some phantom points that improve the model mainly in valley areas where lack of data was given different results as those expected by a geological interpretation of the area. The complexity of Superficial deposits in Great Britain is such that it is only possible to model indicative values of thickness and elevation. The models should never be used as a substitute for thorough site investigation.

This database stores down-hole stratigraphic data to complement the seismic surface picks stored in the Seismic Locations And Sections Database (LOCSEC). Because these surfaces are chosen for their visibility on seismic data, they may not be directly equivalent to established BGS lithostratigraphic and/or choronstratigraphic divisions. However, the local coding system is based on and can relate to the BGS stratigraphic LEXICON. Stratigraphic picks are stored in terms of depth and seismic one-way travel time. Local borehole summary information (location, elevation, etc.) is used because both onshore and offshore boreholes are stored in this database. These data can be related to the BGS onshore borehole database by borehole registration, and to the offshore well database by DTI well-id. Additional tables (under development) provide information on hydrocarbon tests and their results. Almost all data are within the UK Onshore area; although there are some UK near-shore and offshore (North Sea, Irish Sea).

A series of tiled models of superficial thickness covering the UK. The models are derived by direct modelling (natural neighbour interpolation) of BGS Borehole records and BGS Digmap. For the purposes of modelling, superficial deposits include sediments deposited during the Quaternary, subsequent Holocene rivers and coastal systems and also modern anthropogenic material. i.e. deposits that are less than 2.6 million years old. Grids are overprinted with a minimum value so that areas where no bore data is present, but drift is known to occur are given a minimum 1.5m thickness. The superficial thickness models have been created as baseline datasets for the BGS Geohazard programme. They represent the first attempt by BGS to create nationwide models of such data and the models provide only a simple, mathematical interpretation of reality. The complexity of Superficial deposits in Great Britain is such that it is only possible to model indicative values of thickness and elevation. The models should never be used as a substitute for thorough site investigation.

The BGS Geological Indicators of Flooding (GIF) dataset is a digital map based on the BGS Digital Geological Map of Great Britain at the 1:50,000 scale (DiGMapGB-50, BGS, 2009). Current coverage includes England, Wales and Scotland. It characterises Superficial Deposits on DiGMapGB-50 in terms of their likely susceptibility to flooding, either from coastal inundation or fluvial (inland) water flow. These Superficial Deposits are considered 'recent' in geological terms, most having been formed within the last few tens of thousands of years. Typically they have been laid down by processes of erosion and deposition and they have produced subtle topographical features, resulting in low-lying landforms we call floodplains. The mapping of these landforms, in conjunction with characterisation of deposits that underlie them allows us to determine the extent of the coastal and inland flooding that created them.

This dataset is a characterisation of the soil and rocks and the potential bulking factor (likely excavated volume increases) at Formation (local to regional) level for Great Britain. The data is categorised into Class, characteristics of similar soils and rocks and Bulking Factor, range or ranges of % bulking. The excavation of rocks or soils is usually accompanied by a change in volume. This change in volume is referred to as ‘bulking’ and the measure of the change is the ‘bulking factor’. The bulking factor is used to estimate the likely excavated volumes that will need to be moved, stored on site, or removed from site. It is envisaged that the 'Engineering Properties: Bulking of soils and rocks' dataset will be of use to companies involved in the estimation of the volume of excavated material for civil engineering operations. These operations may include, but are not limited to, resource estimation, transportation, storage, disposal and the use of excavated materials as engineered fill. It forms part of the DiGMap Plus dataset series of GIS layers which describe the engineering properties of materials from the base of pedological soil down to c. 3m depth (ie the uppermost c.2m of geology). These deposits display a variable degree of weathering, but still exhibit core engineering characteristics relating to their lithologies.

Shrink-swell is recognised as the most significant geohazard across Great Britain. This dataset identifies areas of shrink-swell hazard with increased potential due to changing climatic conditions based on forecasts derived from the UKCP09 research project. The dataset has been created at two levels of detail for different climatic scenarios and dates up to 2080. The Basic dataset is an overview at 2Km grid resolution whilst the more detailed Premium dataset is generated at a 50m resolution. The Open versions are simplified versions of the premium versions and are shared via GeoIndex. The premium versions are paid for products. UKCP09 - UK Climate Projections 2009 project

This dataset is a characterisation of discontinuity types found within rocks and soils in Great Britain. Discontinuities are breaks, fractures or planes of weakness in the rock mass. The dataset includes type, frequency and orientation of discontinuities within rock and soil materials at formation (local to regional) scale. The discontinuities are classified in 3 categories: stratification (bedding planes), foliation (mineral banding) and rock mass description. The dataset aims to facilitate the preliminary research for planning and design of buildings, infrastructure and resource extraction. It forms part of the DiGMap Plus dataset series of GIS layers which describes the engineering properties of materials from the base of pedological soil down to c. 3m depth (ie the uppermost c.2m of geology). These deposits display a variable degree of weathering, but still exhibit core engineering characteristics relating to their lithologies.

This dataset is the Derived Postcode Database issued as part of the GeoSure Insurance V7 incorporating postcode data from OS Code-Point Open version 2016.1. The GeoSure Insurance Product (including the Derived Postcode Database) represents the end of an interpretation process, starting with the BGS Digital Geological Map of Great Britain at the 1:50,000 scale (DiGMapGB-50). This digital map is the definitive record of the types of rocks underlying Great Britain (excluding the Isle of Man), as represented by various layers, starting with Bedrock and moving up to overlying Superficial layers. In 2003, the BGS also published a series of GIS digital maps identifying areas of potential natural ground movement hazard in Great Britain, called GeoSure. There are six separate hazards considered - shrink-swell clays, slope instability, dissolution of soluble ground, running sand, compressible and collapsible deposits. These maps were derived by combining the rock-type information from DiGMapGB-50 with a series of other influencing factors which may cause the geological hazards (e.g. steep slopes, groundwater). In 2005, the BGS used the GeoSure maps to make an interpretation of subsidence insurance risk for Great Britain property insurance industry, released as the new GeoSure Insurance Product. This represents the combined effects of the 6 GeoSure hazards on (low-rise) buildings in a postcode database - the Derived Postcode Database, which can be accompanied by GIS maps showing the most significant hazard areas. The combined hazard is represented numerically in the Derived Postcode Database as the Total Hazard Score, with a breakdown into the component hazards. The GeoSure Derived Postcode Database (DPD) is a stand-alone database, which can be provided separately to the full GeoSure Insurance Product V7. The methodology behind the DPD involves balancing the 6 GeoSure natural ground stability hazards against each other. The GeoSure maps themselves have a fivefold coding (A to E), and the balancing exercise involves comparing each level across the six hazards e.g. comparing a level C shrink-swell clay area with a level C running sand area. The comparison is done by a process involving expert analysis and statistical interpretations to estimate the potential damage to a property (specifically low-rise buildings only). Each level of each of the hazards is given a 'hazard score' which can then be added together to derive a Total Hazard Score at a particular location (e.g. within a given postcode).

A collection of hydrogeological maps created by the British Geological Survey between 1967 and 1994. The maps in the collection cover aspects of groundwater availability, exploitation and quality and were published at various scales from 1:25 000 to 1:625 000 A hydrogeological map is a specialized type of map that illustrates the distribution and characteristics of hydrogeological features in a particular area. Hydrogeological maps of the UK provide information on major aquifers, including geological and lithological information, surface drainage systems and water quality issues. The 23 maps show information on surface water features, the three dimensional geometry of aquifers, groundwater levels, abstractions and quality including saline intrusion in varying amounts of detail. They range in scale from 1:625 000, for the national map of the hydrogeology of England and Wales, down to 1:25 000 for some of the smaller regional maps. These maps are important tools for understanding and managing groundwater resources, as well as for addressing water-related environmental issues. These maps are hard-copy paper records stored in the National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC), and are delivered as digital scans through the BGS website.