1. Virginia Geologic Regions

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

8. 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