What Are "Rocks" In The USGS?

Geological materials at the site.

DEP_ID: Site or deposit identification number within this database, used as a key linking all tables containing information about the site.
Rock Line: (ROCK_LINE) Sequence index of this rock description among those associated with this deposit
Rock Class: (ROCK_CLS) Role of rock, host or associated.
Rock Unit Name: (ROCKU) Rock unit name (formation name), such as "Tuscarora Fm".
First Order Name: (FIRST_ORD_NM) Broadest category term for lithology
Second Order Name: (SECOND_ORD_NM) Second broadest category term for lithology
Third Order Name: (THIRD_ORD_NM) Third broadest rock type category
Fourth Order Name: (FOURTH_ORD_NM) Fourth broadest rock type term
Most Specific Name: (LOW_NAME) Most specific lithologic term
Description: (ROCK_DESC) Non-controlled descriptive text for the lithology
Text: (ROCK_TEXT) Rock description from old MRDS
INSERTED_BY: Database user who inserted this record.
INSERT_DATE: Date this table record was first entered.
UPDATED_BY: Database user who last updated this record
UPDATE_DATE: Date this table record was last updated.
(table): Geological materials at the site

Mining Claim News From The Diggings™

Learn more about the Bureau of Land Management, Public Land Survey System, and mining claims.

Understanding Claim Ownership

We receive lots of emails from people who find their name or a relative’s name on our site and want to know if this means they have some right to the land listed under that name.
Understanding BLM Administrative Areas

Whether it is filing a mine or researching one, the administering BLM office is going to be the definitive source.
Understanding Location Data

Mine handled by the Bureau of Land Management are not mapped by latitude and longitude, instead, these mines harken back to the Public Land Survey System.
Understanding Townships

A “township” can refer to two different things. Both are part of the PLSS measurement system but have different uses.