outcrop
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outcrop
part of a rock formation or mineral vein that appears at the surface of the earth
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Outcrop
exposed bedrock at the earth’s surface. Outcrops are generally found along riverbanks, along the slopes of ravines, and on the crests of ridges. Natural outcrops are formed by the action of natural agents, for example running water, glaciers, and wind. Artificial outcrops are either specially created or result from mine work entailing excavations and the construction of ditches, wells, prospect holes, shaft mines, and adits. The study of outcrops makes it possible to elucidate the geological structure of a locality and is widely used in geological surveying.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
outcrop
[′au̇t‚kräp] (geology)
Exposed stratum or body of ore at the surface of the earth. Also known as cropout.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
outcrop
That portion of a rock formation or stratum that breaks the surface of the ground.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.