Geologists engage in making explorations and examinations of the mineral, agricultural, biological and other natural resources of the land so as to determine accurately the quality and character of its soils and their adaptation to agricultural and industrial purposes. Such explorations of land may include the occurrence and quality of phosphates, marls, gypsum and other natural fertilizers, its mineral resources and their locations, character and capacity for development, its water powers and their capacity, its forest trees and their utilities and distribution and its other plant and animal forms.
Geologists may engage in specialized study in any of the following subject areas:
Seismology
Volcanology
Paleontology
Hydrology and Environment Mining
Remote Sensing
There are various federal and state laws which affect the activities of geologists, dealing with such issues as nuclear waste, ore and gas deposits, clean air and water protection, earthquake hazard reduction, among others.
The following is an example of a state statute involving geologists:
"The State Geologist is hereby empowered and directed to cooperate with the United States Geological Survey in the execution of the topographic surveys of the State of Alabama in a manner sufficiently elaborate to prepare maps on scales which may be agreed upon for different localities exhibiting the land and water features, relief, roads, buildings and all civil boundary lines as marked on the ground at the time field surveys are executed and to establish permanent bench marks along highways and other routes of travel marked with elevations based on mean sea level."
