Virginia Geologic Regions

Coastal Plain Youngest Sedimentary rocks Mineral resources: titanium and zirconium Low relief Beaches, swamps, bays, estuaries Was created from material from Appalachian mountains which was eroded, transported and deposited to this region

Piedmont Metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks present Rolling hills This region was created from eroded material from the mountains in the Blue Ridge region

Blue Ridge Mountains, highest elevations within the state of VA Metamorphic and igneous rocks: evidence that volcanoes and mountain building occurred in Virginia’s geologic past

Valley and Ridge Sedimentary rocks Karst topography Parallel ridges and valleys, region has folded and faulted from collisions with the African continent during the Paleozoic era Mineral resource: silica for electronics, limestone used for making concrete

Appalachian Plateau Sedimentary rock (coal) Mineral resource: coal for energy High elevations, flat topography Historic faulting and erosional downcut valleys influence the current topography

Aggregates are found across much of VA which consists of crushed stone and gravel for road construction

Virginia’s Geologic History Virginia has collided (convergent plate boundary), rifted, (divergent plate boundary) and eroded over time The eastern part of the state was formed from eroded materials which once made up some of the tallest mountains (the Appalachian mountains) The coastline has moved steadily eastward as material of the Appalachian mountains was deposited