Contact us
About BGS
Contact BGS Enquiries
If you can’t find what you are looking for, BGS Enquiries are the main point of contact and will be happy to help with your request. We will spend up to 30 minutes free of charge on an enquiry and for any request that will take longer than 30 minutes to answer, we will prepare a quote to cover the cost of providing a more detailed scientific response.
All personal data provided to BGS in connection with your enquiry will be processed in accordance with current UK data protection legislation. Further information on how we use personal data, and how you can exercise your rights as a data subject, can be found in our Privacy Notice.
Enquiries
British Geological Survey
Keyworth
Nottingham
NG12 5GG
UK
Email: enquiries@bgs.ac.uk
If you would like to speak to a specific BGS Member of Staff or discuss a particular subject, please can you submit a request, completing our request a call form as we can then direct your request to the relevant person to contact you.
Quick links
We have a wide range of datasets and want to increase access to these by publishing as many as possible under OpenGeoscience.
OpenGeoscience is a free service where you can view maps, download data, scans, photos and other information. The services available under OpenGeoscience include:
- view geology data through the Geology of Britain map viewer and as web map service (WMS)
- search and download photos from the GeoScenic geological photo archive
- view our published paper maps and sections from 1832 to 2014 and publications from 1835 to the present
We have a wide selection of maps, reports and other products available.
More information:
Find out more about licensing BGS data and data resellers.
We welcome feedback, good or bad, from customers and stakeholders on the quality of the products and services that we offer. Tell us what you think.
The BGS, as part of UKRI, is committed to meeting its obligations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) 2004, both of which came into operation in January 2005.
Find out more about contacting enquiries with FOI and EIR requests.
Frequently asked questions
The National Geoscience Data Centre (NGDC) collects and preserves geoscientific data and information, making them available for the long-term to a wide range of users and communities.
- What is a geological map?
- Who uses a geology map?
- What is the geology under my house?
- What are the different colours on the map for?
- Where can I purchase paper maps?
- Where can I get digital data?
- I don’t have a GIS. Can I still view the data?
- Why does the geology sometimes not ‘match’ across sheet boundaries in the 1:50 000-scale digital data?
- Why does the BGS Geology 50k data not contain fault ticks or dip/strike data?
- Why are there mapping discrepancies between the 1:10 000 and 1:50 000 layers?
- Why are there differences between the hard-copy maps and the geological data shown on the online viewers? Which one should I use?
- Why are there different rock descriptions used on the digital and paper maps?
- Which online viewer is best for me to use?
- Why is the coverage of the 10k and 25k data not complete?
- How often do you update the geological maps?
- I think the geology map might be wrong. What can I do?
Further information about contacting BGS
Offices and locations
Find out more about our offices and facilities located across the UK.
BGS Geology Shops
BGS operate three Geology Shops which sell a range of minerals, fossils, jewellery, educational items and field equipment.
BGS Intellectual Property Rights
Our intention is to balance the safe retention and control of national geoscience databases and geological information, with the need to release information openly.
BGS Press Office
The BGS Press Office handles all aspects of press, public engagement and external affairs at the BGS.
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Offices and locations
Find out more about our offices and facilities located across the UK.