BGS Mineral Assessment Reports

This dataset shows the geographic extents of Mineral Assessment Reports covering sand and gravel resources and selected other industrial minerals across the United Kingdom. The index polygons represent the areas surveyed, typically between 100 and 200 square kilometres, for which individual reports and accompanying 1:25 000 scale maps were produced. The sand and gravel resources of the UK were surveyed on a regional basis by the Industrial Minerals Assessment Unit (IMAU) between 1968 and 1990. Each survey area was investigated through drilling and sampling of sand and gravel deposits, borehole logging, and particle-size analysis to determine the proportion of gravel, sand and fines. The accompanying maps categorise resources as exposed, present beneath overburden, or potentially not workable. In addition to sand and gravel, other industrial mineral resources were assessed during the same period, including celestite, limestone and dolomite, conglomerate, and hard rock resources. Selecting individual polygons provides details of the corresponding report, including title, report number, author(s), subtitle and publication date. The Mineral Assessment Report series was commissioned by the Department of the Environment and undertaken by the British Geological Survey.