Geological Maps
GEOLOGICAL MAPS
Geological Maps are special purpose maps that show the geological properties of land – rock types, rock age, bedding planes, shale, coal, and other naturally occurring phenomena.
Geo Maps can be used for many different purposes, including assessing ground-water quality and contamination risks; predicting an earthquake, volcano, and landslide hazards; characterizing energy and mineral resources and their extraction costs; rock formation and types present; land management and land-use planning.
Information obtained from geological maps has been used for both private and public decision-making processes. It helps in the siting of highways and provides information about the structural deposition of rock types in the proposed area to determine what kind of construction risks can’t be taken.
FEATURES OF GEOLOGICAL MAPS
Features can include types of rocks, faults, minerals, and groundwater. From studying a geologic map the user can better understand possible dangers like the potential for floods or earthquakes and help locate important deposits of energy resources, such as water, oil, natural gas, and minerals.
For example, an extensive geo map of Nigeria will show where several types of natural resources and minerals can be found. Geoinfotech’s Geostore contains several examples of geological maps including cities such as Lokoja, Jos, Enugu, etc.
5 USES OF GEOLOGICAL MAPS
- Geologists measure features where outcrop or surficial materials are exposed, then infer geologic contacts based on these measurements. A variety of lines, symbols, and text convey information in the form of a geologic map.
- Measurements taken at the surface are used to predict the location of geologic units and structures at depth and these predictions are shown on cross-sections.
- A geo map is a major tool for communicating geological information to other geologists and the public.
- Geological maps are useful to paleontologists because they indicate the age of the rock bodies in which fossils and other discoverable historic items are found.
- Colors are used to showcase and differentiate the different features from each other.
Geo maps provide information for a better understanding of Earth. By studying geologic maps, users can identify potential natural hazard areas for floods, earthquakes, landslides, etc. These maps can also provide data on important deposits of energy resources such as oil, natural gas, and coal
