BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units for the United Kingdom and Continental Shelf

The British Geological Survey's Lexicon provides formal definitions for over 10,000 named geological units, including bedrock and superficial deposits. This snapshot from September 2017 includes each unit's name, unique identifier, rank, age, lithology, boundaries, and bibliographical references. It covers the United Kingdom and its associated continental shelf, incorporating both current and obsolete names.

Use Cases

• Standardizing geological unit names in maps and databases based on the authoritative definitions.
• Linking geological formations to their parent groups and ages based on the hierarchical rank structure.
• Researching historical nomenclature and synonyms for geological units based on the included alternative names.
• Identifying the type localities and geographical extent of specific rock formations for field studies.

Strengths

• Includes a persistent unique identifier for each geological unit, aiding data linkage.
• Covers both bedrock and superficial units, as well as economically important features like coal seams.
• Provides structured entries with multiple attributes, including age, lithology, and bibliographical references.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is a snapshot from 2017; freshness should be verified for current applications.

Provenance

Source

British Geological Survey (BGS)

Collection Method

Snapshot of the live BGS Lexicon database.

Time Range

Snapshot taken on 14th September 2017.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-09 08:36:51.839011; freshness should be verified

Geography

United Kingdom and its associated continental shelf.