Esri Mapping Center - Ask a Cartographer

Color palette for Geologic maps

August 15 2007 | 10 comments
Categories: Symbology

I spend lots of time creating Geologic Maps for various oil and gas prospects. I was wondering
if there is a color palette that I could download that is compliant with Geologic Mapping standards, or will I have to build my own?

Mapping Center Answer:

There is already a “Geology 24K.style” which contains both a color palette and color ramps designed for USGS surface geology maps (based on the 95-525 standard).

From the tools menu, choose Styles (next to last) and then Style Manager. Then click on the Styles button (upper left) and choose Geology 24K.style.

The color ramps were intended to expedite the assignment of age-appropriate colors to surface geology units. The way to do that is use unique values symbology, and then create headings that you’ll use to assign the color ramps. The headings will be age the classifications that are the same as the color ramp names in the geology 24K.style.

[The procedure that followed was cleaned up and became a blog entry on the Mapping Center Blog called Organizing layers with too many unique values.]

Superceded? > "Geology 24K.style” (based on the 95 posted by Chris Drachenberg on Aug 21 2008 4:41PM

In the last few years, a new standard "Digital Cartographic Standard for Geologic Map Symbolization" came out with standard colour palettes and symbols.
http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/geo-symbol/

Please list where we can obtain updated style files and cartographic representations that reflect the new standards. Thanks!

We are working on this posted by Aileen Buckley on Aug 21 2008 5:45PM

Actually we are working on this now, but it is not yet available. Mostly likely we will post a blog entry when it is ready for use.

Approximate Date for Updated Geology Symbology posted by Melanie Maguire on Oct 17 2008 5:16PM

Do you have an approximate date when the updated geology symbology will be released? Thanks.

Progress posted by Charlie Frye on Oct 20 2008 11:03AM

Our goal is to have an internal first cut by the end of November. That means the earliest it will see the light of day, in terms of being generally available is in January, with February being more likely.

New Geo Cartographic standards posted by Catherin Chisholm on Jan 11 2010 6:05PM

Have the ESRI resources for the updated USGS cartographic map patterns been released yet? (USGS open-file report 99-430)

Update on updated ESRI Geologic Cartographic Resou posted by Janel Day on Jan 12 2010 9:11AM

The updated ESRI resources for geologic map symbolization is currently under review. The updates will be available on the Map Templates Gallery.

USGS cartographic patterns posted by Joan Black on Nov 1 2010 8:39PM

So, it's been a couple of years since Chris Drachenberg asked about the implementation of the USGS "Digital Cartographic Standard for Geologic Map Symbolization". Has Esri made any progress? The current ESRI polygon fills don't work for complicated geology maps.

Still working on this posted by Aileen Buckley on Nov 3 2010 12:12PM

We are getting closer and will certainly inform folks when it is ready but we are not able to give you a specific data at this time.

Any word yet on updated USGS cartographic symbols? posted by Joan Black on Jul 15 2011 9:30PM

So, is there any word yet on integrating the updated USGS cartographic symbols? And will it be possible to assign the polygon fills to shapefiles just using the symbology tab as with the Geology24k? The whole 11 step geodatabase approach is way too complicated. I just want to deal with a simple map with raster graphics and a few shapfiles that aren't integrated into a geodatabase.

Not yet posted by Aileen Buckley on Jan 23 2012 6:11PM

We have not yet hired someone new to work on this since the person who was supporting this left. When we do, we can address your issues.

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