This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the location of waste sites within England and Wales. The information is taken from an index listing of some 3500 waste sites in England and Wales identified by BGS as part of a survey carried out on behalf of the Department of the Environment in 1973. The index has been corrected and updated to a limited extent, but the data itself has not been changed. The data was collected in 1972 and the information reflects the knowledge at that time. It does not reflect current interpretation. Not all authorities made returns and there are not records for all of the sites listed. However, the data is an invaluable source of information about pre-1974 sites. The records themselves contain interpretations of the geology, ground and surface water risk assessments and information about the quantities and types of waste. Data visible at all map scales.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the location and name of active mineral workings in the UK and is derived from the BGS BritPits (British Pits) database. The BritPits database of onshore mineral workings in the UK is based on the records of the BGS, the Coal Authority, industry sources and the Valuation Office Agency (Minerals) and is maintained by the BGS Onshore Minerals and Energy Resources Programme. The database describes individual workings, both currently active and formerly worked, in terms of name, location (including Mineral Planning Authority), ownership, basic geology, commodity produced and end-uses. Contact details including the operator name, address, postcode and telephone and fax numbers are held where known. The location of over 6000 workings are held, with about 2000 currently being worked. The data can be produced digitally, under licence, in formats to meet customer requirements, such as locations of workings or operator addresses, and is suitable for use in GIS applications using the British National Grid. Although the GeoIndex is updated at regular intervals more information may be available than is shown at any one time.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the boundaries of the G-BASE (Geochemical Baseline Survey of the Environment) project mapping areas which are reported as geochemical atlases. The majority of atlases are for stream sediments, with data on stream waters and soils included when available. Separate stream sediment, soil and stream water atlases have been published for Wales. Wales and north of Humber-Trent are reported as hardcopy generally A3 sized publications. The Humber-Trent atlas is available as a pdf file on a CD-ROM. Atlases are available for Shetland, Orkney, South Orkney and Caithness, Sutherland, Hebrides, Great Glen, East Grampians, Argyll, Southern Scotland, Lake District, NE England, NW England and N Wales, Humber-Trent, Wales and West Midlands. Atlases are not available yet for the East Midlands, East Anglia, SE England and SW England.

The map based index includes outlines for some 8,000 opencast coal prospecting sites dating from the 1940s until the mid 1990s. The index leads to information on the records of some 1 million boreholes (additional to those shown in the Borehole Records layer) drilled during site exploration and also the accompanying plans and other data, all filed in 3,618 boxes. The sites include those that have been drilled and not worked and also those that have been exploited. The original data, hardcopy maps, were received from the Coal Authority in 2001.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the locations of panned drainage sediment samples. At most drainage sampling sites a panned heavy mineral concentrate is collected from the <2mm sediment fraction using a wooden dulang pan. For the Mineral Reconnaissance Programme these pans would be routinely analysed for mineral exploration purposes. The G-BASE project collects them at every drainage site but does not routinely submit them for chemical analyses and the samples are archived. Usually they are inspected when collected with a hand lens and the presence of mineralisation or contamination is recorded in the site information on field cards. The MRP has collected heavy mineral concentrates from some 33,000 drainage sites and analysed these for a variety of elements (predominantly by XRFS) including Ag, As, Au, Ba, Bi, Ca, Ce, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, U, V, W, Zn and Zr.

The high-resolution airborne surveys shown on the map based index (GeoIndex) are classed as those flown with low terrain clearance (typically below 200m) and flight line spacing of less than 300m. The surveys were flown with various combinations of magnetic, radiometric and EM techniques, and include; Surveys flown for the DTI mineral reconnaissance programme, Commercial surveys flown for mineral exploration and subsequently donated to the BGS and Surveys flown for the BGS for research and other purposes.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows the locations of known mines, mineral showings and localities, including sites where minerals of economic interest have been identified in panned concentrates. The information for the index is taken from the Mineral Occurrence Database. The Mineral Occurrence Database holds information on mineral occurrences in the UK including locations of known mines, deposits, prospects and mineral showings, including sites where minerals of potential economic interest have been identified in panned concentrates. Data is normally taken from published sources or from internal BGS records, such as field sheets, rock and stream sediment collection cards. Data compilation started ca. 1994 and the database currently holds about 13 000 records, but details of many more old workings and occurrences remain to be added.

This layer of the map based index (GeoIndex) shows sites where regularly monitored rest water level data are available, usually covering a long time period. The data shows seasonal fluctuations in the water table and responses to periods of high or low rainfall.

This layer of the Map based index (GeoIndex) shows where water wells exist with data available on transmissivity, storativity and discharge/drawdown. These parameters indicate the physical characteristics of the aquifer which can relate to factors such as possible storage capacities or rate of movement of water through the rock.

This layer of the Map based index (GeoIndex) shows the location of records of boreholes, shafts and wells from all forms of drilling and site investigation work. Some 850,000 records dating back over 200 years and ranging from one to several thousand metres deep. Currently some 50,000 new records are being added to the collection each year. The dataset available via the GeoIndex is a snapshot, taken at a particular date, of the Single Onshore Borehole Index. Although the GeoIndex is updated at regular intervals more information may be available than is shown.