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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.
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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