Geologit

Geologit is a hypothetical open standard and software framework intended to manage, share, and version-control geological data across research institutions, industry, and government agencies. It aims to enable interoperability among borehole logs, stratigraphic sections, rock-formation models, geochemical datasets, and geospatial representations, while preserving data provenance and scientific lineage.

The Geologit data model centers on entities such as Observation, Sample, FieldNote, RockUnit, and Region, each carrying rich metadata (citation, coordinate reference system, quality flags, methods). It emphasizes provenance through immutable records and a Git-like version history that supports branching for alternative interpretations and collaborative reconciliation. Data exchange uses a JSON-LD or XML schema with a lightweight API for querying and updating datasets.

Implementation and use: proposed reference implementations include client and server components, map-enabled visualization, and offline field tools. Potential applications include academic research, mineral exploration, environmental assessment, and cultural heritage documentation. The approach is designed to complement existing GIS and geoscience databases rather than replace them.

History and status: Geologit emerged in scholarly and industry discussions in the mid-2010s as a conceptual framework for reproducible geoscience data management. As of now, it remains a proposal with ongoing discussion about standards, governance, and adoption, with varying opinions about complexity, governance, and data privacy.