---
title: "Searches User Guide: Geological features"
description: Details the geological datasets used in the mining section of Groundsure reports.
---
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March 31, 2025
# Searches User Guide: Geological features
### **Artificial and made ground (10k)**
Details of made, worked, infilled, disturbed and landscaped ground at 1:10,000 scale. Artificial ground can be associated with potentially contaminated material, unpredictable engineering conditions and instability. Artificial ground is a term used by the BGS for those areas where the ground surface has been significantly modified by human activity.
The artificial ground theme includes:
- Made ground — man-made deposits such as embankments and spoil heaps on the natural ground surface
- Worked ground — areas where the ground has been cut away such as quarries and road cuttings
- Infilled ground — areas where the ground has been cut away then wholly or partially backfilled
- Landscaped ground — areas where the surface has been reshaped
- Disturbed ground — areas of ill-defined shallow or near surface mineral workings where it is impractical to map made and worked ground separately.
Data source: British Geological Survey
Data update schedule: Quarterly
### Linear features - mineral veins (10k)
Linear features at the ground or bedrock surface at 1:10,000 scale of six main types; rock, fault, fold axis, mineral vein, alteration area and landform. Features are either observed or inferred, and relate primarily to bedrock. Printed paper maps may also show other ‘concealed’ linear features such as faults or coal seams on the ‘sub-Triassic’ surface, i.e. the assumed outcrop of these features (probably identified in coal mines or boreholes) projected on the unconformity below Triassic strata. These underground features are not included in the BGS Geology linear theme in order to minimise the potential confusion they could cause to users if interpreted wrongly as being in overlying bedrock strata at the surface or just beneath superficial deposits.
The linear geological features are grouped into six categories:
| **Category** | **Description** |
| --- | --- |
| **Rock** | Lines representing thin beds of notable geological materials e.g. Coal, gypsum, ironstone, marine bands or fish beds. Relevant to the Bedrock theme. |
| **Fault** | Lines representing planes of structural movement such as: normal faulting or thrusts. Relevant to the Bedrock theme. |
| **Mineral vein** | Lines representing the surface expression of mineralised fractures/veins. Relevant to the Bedrock theme. |
| **Fold axis** | Lines representing planes of structural change/symmetry such as: anticline or syncline. Relevant to the Bedrock theme. |
| **Alteration area** | Lines that represent the spatial limit of alteration e.g. metamorphic aureoles or vein swarms. Relevant to the Bedrock theme. |
| **Landform** | Lines that represent landform features e.g. dune crestline or channel margin. Relevant to all themes and topography. |
Data source: British Geological Survey
Data update schedule: Quarterly
### **Artificial and made ground (50k)**
associated with potentially contaminated material, unpredictable engineering conditions and instability. Artificial ground is a term used by BGS for those areas where the ground surface has been significantly modified by human activity.
The artificial ground theme includes:
- Made ground — man-made deposits such as embankments and spoil heaps on the natural ground surface
- Worked ground — areas where the ground has been cut away such as quarries and road cuttings
- Infilled ground — areas where the ground has been cut away then wholly or partially backfilled
- Landscaped ground — areas where the surface has been reshaped
- Disturbed ground — areas of ill-defined shallow or near surface mineral workings where it is impracticable to map made and worked ground separately.
Data source: British Geological Survey
Data update schedule: Quarterly
### Linear features - mineral veins (50k)
Linear features at the ground or bedrock surface at 1:50,000 scale of six main types; rock, fault, fold axis, mineral vein, alteration area and landform. Features are either observed or inferred, and relate primarily to bedrock. Printed paper maps may also show other ‘concealed’ linear features such as faults or coal seams on the ‘sub-Triassic’ surface, i.e. the assumed outcrop of these features (probably identified in coal mines or boreholes) projected on the unconformity below Triassic strata. These underground features are not included in the BGS Geology linear theme in order to minimise the potential confusion they could cause to users if interpreted wrongly as being in overlying bedrock strata at the surface or just beneath superficial deposits.
The linear geological features are grouped into six categories. Refer to the table above in Linear features - mineral veins (10k).
Data source: British Geological Survey
Data update schedule: Quarterly
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