Tellus Rural Soil Geochemistry Survey of the United Kingdom

British Geological Survey Tellus Soils data provides geochemical analysis of rural soils across the United Kingdom. Samples were collected at approximately one site per 2 square kilometers from two depths (20 cm and 50 cm) to analyze vertical variations. The dataset includes XRF measurements for over 50 elements including Ag, Al2O3, As, and Zn, plus pH and Loss on Ignition.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial distribution of heavy metals like Pb, Cd, and As from XRF data to assess soil contamination.
• Model vertical geochemical variation by comparing element concentrations from the 20 cm and 50 cm sample depths.
• Investigate correlations between major oxides (SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3) and trace elements using the comprehensive analyte list.
• Map regional geochemical baselines for elements such as U, Th, and rare earths (La, Ce, Nd) following G-BASE standards.

Strengths

• Systematic sampling design with approximately one site per 2 square kilometers across rural UK.
• Includes analysis for over 50 geochemical parameters per sample, from major oxides to trace elements.
• Samples collected from two standard depths (20 cm and 50 cm) enabling study of vertical variation.
• Data collection follows the established G-BASE standard methodology from the British Geological Survey.

Limitations

• Sample density of one per 2 km2 may not capture very localized geochemical anomalies.
• Data format is listed as HTML, which may require parsing or conversion for analytical use compared to structured tabular formats.
• Specific row count, file size, and temporal coverage of the sampling are not provided in the input.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Field sampling at two depths (20 cm, 50 cm) followed by XRF and Fire Assay ICP-MS laboratory analysis.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Rural areas of the United Kingdom