Here are practical tips for each part of your outcrop documentation outline so you know what to
observe and write during fieldwork .
Outcrop Documentation Tips
1) Date
Write:
● Full date
● Time of observation
Example:
● 9 May 2026
● 10:35 AM
Tips
● Always record immediately you arrive.
● Time matters because lighting and weather can affect visibility and photographs.
2) Weather
Describe the weather condition during mapping.
Examples:
● Sunny
● Cloudy
● Rainy
● Humid
● Windy
Why it matters
● Rain can make rocks slippery and darker.
● Sunlight may make minerals easier to identify.
● Wet rocks may show foliation and structures more clearly.
Tip
Keep it short but useful:
“Sunny and dry with good exposure visibility.”
3) Location
(i) Location Number
Give each outcrop a unique number.
Examples:
● L1
● Outcrop 3
● Station 05
Tip
Use a consistent numbering system throughout the field trip.
(ii) General Description
Give a brief overview of the place.
Mention:
● Nearby landmarks
● Roadside or stream exposure
● Vegetation cover
● Size of exposure
● Accessibility
Example:
“A medium-sized granitic outcrop exposed along the roadside with sparse vegetation.”
Tip
Imagine someone wants to relocate the outcrop later — your description should help them find
it.
(iii) Coordinates
Record GPS coordinates.
You can use:
● GPS device
● Phone GPS apps
Write:
● Latitude
● Longitude
● Elevation if possible
Example:
● 7.2156°N
● 3.4321°E
Tip
Stand close to the center of the outcrop for better accuracy.
4) Nature of Exposure
This describes HOW the rock is exposed.
Examples:
● Low-level outcrop
● Hill exposure
● Quarry exposure
● Road cut
● River channel exposure
Things to observe
● Is the rock fresh or weathered?
● Is exposure continuous or scattered?
● Is it natural or man-made?
Orientation of Long Axis
This refers to the direction the outcrop stretches most.
Example:
● E–W (East–West)
● N–S (North–South)
How to determine it
Use:
● Compass
● Phone compass app
Tip
Look at the longest visible dimension of the outcrop.
If the outcrop extends mostly east to west:
Orientation of long axis = E–W
5) Lithological Description
This is one of the most important sections.
(i) Colour
Observe the fresh surface if possible.
Examples:
● Light grey
● Dark green
● Pinkish
● Black and white speckled
Tips
● Weathered surfaces can be misleading.
● Break a small fresh piece if allowed.
(ii) Grain Size
Describe mineral grain visibility.
Common terms
● Fine-grained → minerals difficult to see
● Medium-grained → minerals visible
● Coarse-grained → large visible crystals
Tip
Use hand lens if available.
Example:
“Medium- to coarse-grained texture.”
(iii) Shape (General Shape)
Describe mineral or fragment shapes.
Examples:
● Rounded
● Angular
● Elongated
● Rectangular
● Elliptical
Tip
Observe whether grains look stretched or deformed.
This is especially useful in metamorphic rocks.
(iv) Orientation of Long Axis
This refers to the direction elongated minerals or fragments point.
For example:
● Feldspar crystals aligned NE–SW
● Pebbles elongated E–W
Why important?
It may indicate:
● Flow direction
● Deformation
● Stress direction
Tip
Look for repeated alignment patterns, not just one grain.
(v) Foliation
Foliation is the planar arrangement or alignment of minerals in metamorphic rocks.
Examples:
● Slatey cleavage
● Schistosity
● Gneissic banding
What to observe
● Is the foliation strong or weak?
● What direction does it trend?
● What is the strike and dip?
Tip
Mica-rich minerals usually help identify foliation because they align easily.
Extra Field Tips
Always Carry
● Field notebook
● Compass-clinometer
● GPS/phone
● Hand lens
● Hammer
● Measuring tape
● Pencil (better than pen outdoors)
Photographing Outcrops
Take:
● Far view
● Medium view
● Close-up
Include:
● Hammer/pen/book for scale
Sketches
Even rough sketches are valuable.
Show:
● Foliation
● Fractures
● Veins
● Orientation
Writing Style
Be:
● Short
● Clear
● Objective
Avoid:
“Beautiful rock”
Use:
“Dark grey, medium-grained foliated gneiss.”
Very Important
Differentiate between:
● Rock orientation
● Foliation orientation
● Joint orientation
They are not always the same thing.
For metamorphic rocks especially, you usually measure the strike and dip of the foliation plane,
not the whole rock
6) Mineralogical Description
This section describes the minerals present in the rock.
Your note says:
“Minerals are listed in order of abundance.”
That means:
● Write the most abundant mineral first.
● Write the least abundant last.
Example:
Quartz > Feldspar > Biotite
Meaning quartz is the most abundant.
Things to Observe
(i) Mineral Colour
Examples:
● Quartz → colourless/white
● Biotite → black
● Feldspar → pink or white
(ii) Mineral Shape
Observe whether minerals are:
● Elongated
● Rounded
● Tabular
● Irregular
(iii) Mineral Size
Describe as:
● Fine
● Medium
● Coarse
(iv) Mineral Percentage (Estimate)
You can estimate visually.
Example:
● Quartz (50%)
● Feldspar (35%)
● Biotite (15%)
You do not need exact values in field mapping.
Tips
● Use a hand lens.
● Observe fresh surfaces.
● Look for shiny minerals in sunlight.
● Learn common minerals in your study area beforehand.
7) Geological Structures
These are features formed by deformation, stress, cooling, or tectonic activity.
Common Geological Structures
Folds
Bending of rocks due to compression.
Types:
● Anticline
● Syncline
Faults
Breaks with movement.
Observe:
● Direction
● Offset
● Fault plane
Joints/Fractures
Cracks with little or no movement.
Describe:
● Orientation
● Spacing
● Width
Foliation
Planar alignment in metamorphic rocks.
Veins
Minerals filling fractures.
Examples:
● Quartz veins
● Pegmatite veins
Tips
Always measure:
● Strike
● Dip
● Thickness
● Orientation
Use your compass-clinometer.
8) Name of the Rock
This is your final interpretation after observing:
● Minerals
● Texture
● Structure
● Grain size
● Colour
Examples
Igneous Rocks
● Granite
● Basalt
● Diorite
Metamorphic Rocks
● Schist
● Gneiss
● Quartzite
Sedimentary Rocks
● Sandstone
● Limestone
● Shale
Tip
Do not rush to name the rock immediately.
First examine:
1. Mineral composition
2. Texture
3. Structures
4. Grain size
Then classify.
NB: “Ensure it is well rooted”
This means:
● Make sure the outcrop is in its original position.
● Avoid describing loose transported boulders.
Why Important?
A transported rock may not represent the geology of that area.
FIELD MEASUREMENTS IN IGNEOUS &
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
1) Distance Between Outcrops & Bearings
This helps in geological mapping.
Distance Measurement
Can be measured using:
● Measuring tape
● Pacing
● GPS
Bearing
Bearing is the direction from one outcrop to another.
Measured using a compass.
Examples:
● 045°
● 120°
● NW
● SE
Tip
Always stand facing the second outcrop before taking bearing.
2) Measurement of Grain Size and Fabric
Structures
Grain Size
Measure approximate crystal size.
Examples:
● <1 mm → fine-grained
● 1–5 mm → medium-grained
● 5 mm → coarse-grained
Fabric Structures
Fabric refers to mineral arrangement or preferred orientation.
Examples:
● Foliation
● Lineation
● Mineral alignment
Tips
Use:
● Hand lens
● Ruler
● Visual estimation
3) Dimensions and Orientation of Igneous
Bodies
Igneous bodies include:
● Dykes
● Sills
● Batholiths
● Veins
Dimensions
Measure:
● Length
● Width
● Thickness
Orientation
Determine:
● Strike
● Dip
● Trend direction
Example:
Dyke trends NE–SW.
Tip
Sketch the body shape in your notebook.
4) Orientation and Thickness of Veins
Veins
Veins are mineral-filled cracks.
Common minerals:
● Quartz
● Calcite
Measure
● Thickness
● Strike
● Dip
● Continuity
Tips
Use measuring tape for thickness.
Describe:
● Straight or curved
● Continuous or discontinuous
Example:
Quartz vein, 10 cm thick, trending NW–SE.
5) Measurements and Orientation of
Fractures
Fractures include:
● Joints
● Faults
● Cracks
Things to Measure
● Strike
● Dip
● Spacing
● Width
● Length
Tips
Look for fracture patterns:
● Parallel
● Random
● Cross-cutting
These patterns may indicate tectonic stress directions.
General Field Advice
Always Record:
● Strike
● Dip
● Trend
● Thickness
● Spacing
● Grain size
Draw Sketches
A quick sketch can explain structures better than long notes.
Include:
● North arrow
● Scale
● Labels
Use Proper Geological Terms
Instead of:
“Rock has lines”
Write:
“Rock displays prominent foliation trending NE–SW.”
Important Reminder
For metamorphic rocks:
● Measure foliation planes.
For igneous intrusions like dykes:
● Measure the intrusion orientation itself.
For fractures:
● Measure the fracture plane orientation.
6) Measurement and Orientation of Strike
and Dip of Foliation Surface
This is very important in metamorphic geology.
What is Foliation?
Foliation is the planar arrangement or alignment of minerals in metamorphic rocks due to
pressure.
Examples:
● Schistosity
● Gneissic banding
● Slaty cleavage
Strike
Strike is the direction of a horizontal line on an inclined plane.
In simpler terms:
● It is the compass direction the foliation plane trends.
Examples:
● E–W
● NE–SW
● 045°
● 120°
Dip
Dip is:
● The angle at which the foliation plane slopes downward.
It includes:
1. Dip direction
2. Dip angle
Example:
Strike = 090°
Dip = 45°S
Meaning:
● The foliation trends East–West.
● It dips 45° toward the south.
How to Measure Strike and Dip
Use:
● Compass-clinometer
Step 1 — Find the Foliation Plane
Look for:
● Parallel mineral alignment
● Layering
● Bands in metamorphic rocks
Step 2 — Measure Strike
Place the compass flat on the foliation plane.
Rotate until bubble level centers.
Read compass direction.
Step 3 — Measure Dip
Turn compass perpendicular to strike.
Use clinometer to measure angle of slope.
Record:
● Dip angle
● Dip direction
Important Tip
Always measure the:
● Foliation surface
NOT the entire rock body.
This is because foliation records deformation history.
TRAVERSE
Your note says:
“Traverse is to travel across, over or through an area.”
Correct.
What is Geological Traverse?
Traverse mapping is a field method where a geologist moves along a planned route to observe
and record geological information.
Purpose of Traverse
During traverse you record:
● Rock types
● Structures
● Contacts
● Outcrop locations
● Strike and dip
● Mineral composition
This helps produce a geological map.
Types of Traverse
1) Road Traverse
You move along roads.
Advantages
● Easier access
● Good exposures in road cuts
Disadvantages
● Limited to road direction
2) Stream Traverse
You move along rivers or streams.
Advantages
● Excellent rock exposure
● Fresh exposures
Disadvantages
● Slippery
● Difficult during rainy season
Traverse Pattern
The sketch in your note is showing movement across rock layers.
Important Field Tip
When conducting traverse:
● Move across geological structures when possible.
Why?
Because moving across layers helps you encounter:
● Different rock units
● Contacts
● Structural changes
If you move parallel to layers, you may keep seeing the same rock repeatedly.
Example
If rock layers trend E–W:
● Best traverse direction = N–S
This cuts across formations effectively.
Traverse Equipment
Carry:
● Compass-clinometer
● GPS
● Field notebook
● Pencil
● Hammer
● Hand lens
● Measuring tape
During Traverse Always Record
1) Position
Coordinates or station number.
2) Rock Type
Granite, schist, quartzite, etc.
3) Structures
● Foliation
● Faults
● Joints
● Veins
4) Orientation Data
● Strike
● Dip
● Trend
5) Relationships
Observe:
● Which rock cuts another
● Contacts between units
● Weathering patterns
Good Traverse Practice
Do
✔ Take frequent notes
✔ Sketch structures
✔ Label outcrops clearly
✔ Use north arrow in sketches
✔ Take photographs with scale
Avoid
✘ Guessing measurements
✘ Recording from loose boulders only
✘ Forgetting coordinates
✘ Measuring weathered surfaces only
Quick Memory Trick
Strike
Think:
“Compass direction.”
Dip
Think:
“How steep and which way downward.”
Example of Full Structural Recording
Outcrop 4 consists of medium-grained gneiss showing strong foliation trending NE–SW with dip
of 35°SE. Quartz vein cuts across foliation. Outcrop exposed along stream channel.