The G-BASE field database

Abstract

Since the 1960s British Geological Survey (BGS) geochemists have routinely recorded site and sample information on field cards. The Geochemical Baseline Survey of the Environment (G-BASE) Project completes a field card for every site sampled and, from the 1980s onwards, field data have been entered into a field database as the samples were collected. In the 1990s a corporate Geochemistry Database was set up using ORACLE to encompass all geochemical data gathered throughout BGS for the UK landmass, including sample and site information. This required a standardisation of coding on field cards both within geochemical activities and in relation to the use of BGS codes, for example the description of rocks and minerals. In order to load all the data from the G-BASE field cards it is necessary to coordinate the process from completing the card on location; inputting data into the field database, and to the concluding process of loading the field data to the BGS corporate Geochemistry Database. In the past there have been some incompatibilities between the field and corporate database so not all the field data were being captured into the Geochemistry Database. This report describes new and revised protocols to be used throughout the process of G-BASE field data gathering and to populating the Geochemistry Database. It details the codes that are to be used and the translations that are necessary to transfer from the G-BASE format to Geochemistry Database format. The history of the use of field forms and field databases in G-BASE is described. This manual establishes a reference point in the field data gathering process from which future changes can be documented. The report appendices list some of the more useful domain tables from the Geochemistry Database and give worked examples of how field information can be used to retrieve analytical results from the database