Photographs and images

BGS Information Hub

As part of our continued commitment to putting more information out for open access, the BGS has released a number of its digital image collections on OpenGeoscience. These include the GeoScenic photograph archive, photographs of hydrocarbon well cores and petrological thin section images.

Terms of use

The borehole core photographs and thin section images are delivered under the Open Government Licence, subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced BGS materials: “Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI [year]“.

GeoScenic images are delivered free for non-commercial use; use this material for private study, research and educational activities. See individual websites for specific terms and conditions.

Browse our photo collections

borephotoicon

Borehole core sample photographs

All BGS core samples are being photographed as high-resolution colour images, commencing with the UKCS (hydrocarbon) well cores.

View database
geoscenicicon

GeoScenic geological photographs

View and download images from the National Archive of Geological Photographs.

Browse gallery
Petrological thin section of essexite

Petrological thin section images

Microscope slides are being imaged (plane and cross-polarised light) and progressively linked to the rock collections database.

Access BRITROCKS

You may also be interested in

Quarter-inch geological map of England and Wales

Data collections

Scans, photos and publications that are stored and managed by the BGS

Show more
BGS Maps Portal

Scanned records

Open access to a number of our digital scan collections, including borehole log scans and published maps.

Show more

Was this page helpful?

  • How can we make this section better?*

  • Please select a reason*

  • How can we make this section better?*