BGS DiGMapGB - 50
Further information on DiGMapGB - 50 is available to registered users within the Digimap service.
The DiGMapGB - 50 data is 1:50,000 scale digital geological mapping derived mainly from the 1:50,000 series geological maps from the British Geological Survey. The data is available in the Geology maps service as the 8 x 8 km view with Ordnance Survey's 1:50,000 raster data as the backdrop and also in 4 x 4 km view with Ordnance Survey's 1:50,000 raster data mapping. It is also available to download in ESRI Shapefile and MapInfo MID /MIF formats. The data covers all of Scotland and England, and most of Wales; the remaining tiles for Wales will be added in the future. The regular tiles are 29 x 19 km or 19 x 29 km in Scotland, some larger tiles exist where the data only exists for part of the tile (e.g. along a strip of coast) or where one tile covers a whole group of Islands (e.g. The Orkney Islands).
The data comprises of polygons (or areas) and lines. Each polygon is attributed with information based on the name (often lithostratigraphical) of the unit and its lithology or composition. These polygons are arranged in up to four themes as available: bedrock geology ('solid'); superficial deposits ('drift' or Quaternary); mass movement (mostly landslide); and artificial (or man-made ground). The lines include thin beds (such as coal seams and fossil bands) faults, mineral veins and some landforms.
The data contains:
Polygon Features
The digital geological maps typically show up to four polygon themes as described below.
| Theme | Comment | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Bedrock (or 'solid') geology | Mostly consolidated natural rocks | Pre-Quaternary age, older than about 1.8 million years |
| Superficial (or 'drift') deposits | Unconsolidated natural in situ superficial or surficial deposits | Quaternary age, younger than about 1.8 million years |
| Artificial ground | Man-made deposits, mineral workings, re-modelled or altered ground | Recent |
| Mass movement deposits | Primarily landslide or foundered ground, moved down slope under gravity | |
Linear Features
All linear features are digitised and geologically attributed like the polygons. Their availability depends if the features were recorded when the area was mapped. For the 1:50,000 data they are organised into a number of categories:
- rock unit e.g. coal seam, gypsum or ironstone bed; observed or inferred
- fossil horizon e.g. marine band
- faults e.g. normal, thrust, reverse; observed or inferred
- fold axis e.g. anticline, syncline
- mineral vein; observed or inferred
- landform e.g. buried channel margin, glacial drainage channel margin
- Rock Segment
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EDINA is the Jisc-designated national data centre at the University of Edinburgh.
