Bowland Shale dataset: field and sample photographs, sample descriptions, microphotographs

Data produced between 2014 and 2017 by a NERC-funded PhD student at the University of Leicester and the British Geological Survey. The dataset includes 100 analyses and a range of photographs from the outcrop Hind Clough and boreholes MHD4 and Cominco S9, covering x-ray fluorescence, RockEval pyrolysis, x-ray diffraction, and LECO elemental analysis.

Use Cases

• Correlating mineralogical composition with geochemical properties based on x-ray diffraction and x-ray fluorescence data.
• Assessing hydrocarbon potential and organic matter maturity based on RockEval pyrolysis measurements.
• Classifying and describing shale samples based on hand specimen descriptions and microphotographs.
• Integrating new analyses with legacy drill-core samples for regional geological interpretation.

Strengths

• Includes 100 specific geochemical and mineralogical analyses.
• Combines multiple data types: photographs, thin section scans, microphotographs, and analytical results.
• Data interpreted together with 20 previously acquired drill-core samples.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS), University of Leicester

Collection Method

Field sampling and laboratory analysis (x-ray fluorescence, RockEval pyrolysis, x-ray diffraction, LECO elemental analysis, microscopy).

Time Range

2014-2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-09 08:36:53.111697; freshness should be verified.

Geography

United Kingdom (specific locations: Hind Clough, MHD4, Cominco S9)