1. PHYSIOGRAPHIC PROVINCES
VIRGINIA GEOLOGY
PHYSIOGRAPHIC PROVINCES
MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE CENTER

6. Courtesy of Virginia Division of Mineral Resources

8. A mile-wide asteroid struck near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay 35 million years ago.
Courtesy of NASA

9. THE COASTAL PLAIN
A region of sedimentary strata consisting of sands, muds, and gravels
Tidal waters occupy not only the Chesapeake Bay, but also lower portions of the James, York, Rappahannock and Potomac rivers
Extends inland for more than 100 miles and is monotonously flat

14. Courtesy of Virginia Division of Mineral Resources

24. THE PIEDMONT
Largest province extending from the Fall Line westward to the Blue Ridge Mountains
comprised of a complex of metamorphic and igneous rocks, overlain in a few places by Triassic-age sedimentary beds
Important rocks and minerals include pegmatites, slate, kyanite, gold and pyrite

27. Courtesy of Virginia Division of Mineral Resources

32. The Blue Ridge Mountain
A long narrow, northeast-southwest trending mountain chain
consists of old Precambrian-age sedimentary and volcanic rocks
Old Rag Granite is the oldest rock unit dated in Virginia at 1.2 billion years
The two highest mountains in the state, Mt Rogers (elevation 5,719 ft.) and White Top (elevation 5,520 ft.) are both in the southern Blue Ridge

35. Courtesy of Virginia Division of Mineral Resources

39. The Valley and Ridge
Composed of folded and faulted 550 to 300 million-year-old sedimentary rocks
Most ridges are held up by resistant sandstone, and most valleys are underlain by less resistant shale, limestone, and dolostone
Karst features, such as caves and sinkholes are common throughout this province

41. Courtesy of Virginia Division of Mineral Resources

43. Courtesy of Virginia Division of Mineral Resources

44. The Appalachian Plateau
Contains deep narrow valleys and steep, rugged mountain sides caused by downcutting by streams
Consists of 320 to 280 million-year-old sandstone and shale with coalbeds
Most of the rock layers are relatively flat-lying
Coal is Virginia’s most important mineral resource