A substance, in the solid state, comprised of one or more elements of the periodic chart which are arranged in a regular, repetitive structure. Often overburden refers to the material moved by surface mining. A set of data, often represented in map form, compiled from sequential sampling and analysis at successive depths of the ground. Profiling can also refer to measurements taken across the surface of the landscape or horizontally underground. Because all rock and soil characteristics change with depth and distance, profiling often involves a three-dimensional approach.
Sediment can refer to particles ranging in size from microscopic to several meters in diameter.
The branch of geology that studies how stratified, or layered, rock is formed, its composition, sequence and correlation. Stratified sediments are deposited by wind or water and exhibit layering features which reflect the depositional conditions of the sediment. Local variations in stratigraphy will influence contaminant and groundwater movement underground. As a sediment term, clay particles are defined as those less than 0.002 mm in size. Those rock or mineral particles that range in size from 75 mm to 300 mm.