Public service first, start the engine of geology
---from geological prospecting development forum
“Public service first, Commerce following up, Foundation link, Monoblock exploration, Fast breakthrough” ——these were the core content of new mechanism of geological prospecting, putting forward by the Ministry of Land and Resources of China in 2010.Guided by the market mechanism, the new mechanism focused on building the diversified investment platform, giving full play to the principal role of geological prospecting units and mining enterprises and instructing them to engage in geological prospecting market.
To implement the new mechanism of geological prospecting, “public service” is the first step. We must focus on basic geological survey to support the strategic actions of prospecting breakthrough.
China Geological Survey (CGS) is responsible for the deployment, organization and implementation of the nation’s basic and public geological investigation and strategic mineral prospecting. In recent years, what new progresses had China Geological Survey made in the basic geological investigation? How to implement next? What were the achievements in the field of strategic mineral prospecting? In 2014, what assignments will be deployed in the survey and assessment of geology and mineral resources? To find the answers, a great many reporters and delegates attended the Forum of “Progress of China Mining reserves` evaluation——The Progress and Achievements in Geological Survey” at CHINA MINING 2013.
In the past year, China Geological Survey gave full play to the basic and leading role, strengthened the basic geological work, promoted the commercial geological survey, and made many breakthroughs in geological prospecting. They guaranteed and supported the strategic actions of prospecting breakthrough as the first important assignment, starting the engine of geological prospecting.
The great improvement in basic geological survey
The work of basic geological survey is mainly deployed in key metallogenic zones, important economic zones, major projects areas, primary geological problems areas and so on.
In 2013, according to the data, we completed the 1:50000 regional geology and mineral resources survey of 210,000 square kilometers, totally 2,830,000 square kilometers in the whole country, which covered 29.5% land area in China, completing the 1:250000 regional gravity survey of 240000 square kilometers ,totally 5480000 square kilometers in the whole country, covered 57.1% land area .
"In addition we have also developed 1:50000 regional gravity survey and many integrated geophysical work such as induced polarization sounding in Qimantage area, Qinghai Province and other Monoblock exploration areas, completing the 1: 50000 regional gravity survey within 20,000 square kilometers in Anshan -Benxi iron ore mine, Liaoning Province and other Monoblock exploration areas .”Xiao Guiyi, the deputy director of the China Geological Survey said.
According to his introduction, in 2013, China completed a variety of aero geophysical survey of 510,000 line kilometers, firstly carried out land and airborne gravity survey as well as helicopter time-domain airborne electromagnetic survey. We completed 1:250000 regional geochemical survey of 130000 square kilometers in East Tianshan, the greater hinggan mountains, Kang-ti-ssuShan, Bangong-co-nujiang and other key metallogenic zones, totally 6,330,000 square kilometers, accounting for 66% land area. In the greater hinggan mountains, East Tianshan and Bangong-co-nujiang, we developed 1:50000 geochemical survey demonstration of about 9,352 square kilometers.
"In the deployment, we focused on key metallogenic zones, priority arranged Monoblock exploration areas. The main task is to find out the regional geological characteristics and metallogenic geological background, delineate favorable prospecting zones and find the mineralization clues to indicate the direction for prospecting. ”Xiao Guiyi said.
Reporters also learned that in "twelfth five-year" period, the goal of the basic geological work is to achieve 1:250000 aeromagnetic, gravity, regional mineral exploration as well as the revision of regional geology and mineral resources survey in the key metallogenic zones within the whole country and to complete 1:50000 regional geology and mineral resources survey, aeromagnetic survey and remote sensing survey in Key prospecting target area. And in this year, we will basically complete 1:50000 basic geological surveys in the Monoblock exploration areas.
Increasingly support geological ore-prospecting work
In recent years, China Geological Survey had enhanced in 1:50000 regional geology and mineral resources survey in metallogenic zones, completing the survey of 50000 square kilometers in nearly three years which increased the work degree in major metallogenic zones by 17%, achieving original results in such aspects as strata, rock, tectonic and so on, submitting a batch of high quality datum. To serve the prospecting, we also strengthened the regional metallogenic geological background investigation, ore-forming geological conditions analysis, new mineralized spot and prospecting clues found and painting the important ore-forming elements.
“In 2013, we found more than 590 new mineralized spots; found out the regional geological characteristics and new discoveries of geophysical prospecting background in 4,162 areas; verified 218 geophysical anomalies and 56 geochemical anomalies; delineated 309 comprehensive geochemical anomalies.” XiaoGuiYi introduced.
In the aspect of regional geology and mineral resources survey, they found 32 mineralized spots in bangong co-nujiang suture zone of Tibet and many other mineralized spots in the complex - mountain areas such as Ritu-Fuye, Duobuza, which proved the west-middle section of bangong co-nujiang suture zone was a continuous magmatic arc metallogenic zone with huge potential; found 63 mineralized spots in marginal metallogenic belt of Qaidam Basin, including 24 copper polymetallic mineralized spots.
In the aspect of geophysical prospecting, they completed the 1:50000 integrated geophysical survey, marking out the four prospecting target areas; and combined with 1:10000 gravity and polarization sounding survey in these areas, deducing the two key mining areas, in which they had found the good ore body after the engineering validation.
At the same time, China Geological Survey had conducted many basic and comprehensive geological research work in the metallogenic zones, having the new understanding of the basic regional geologic issues, pointing out the direction for prospecting.
In 2013, according to a new survey data, the bureau re-established 21 important regional Geological-tectonic frameworks in the major metallogenic zones, prepared a list of the lithostratigraphic space-time structure and magmatic rocks space-time structure, established the stratigraphic system and magma evolution sequence. In the metallogenic zones they completed the revision of the 21 geological maps, geophysical and geochemical series maps, remote sensing maps and so on, all of which realized the continuously and timely updating of the basic geological data.
According to the introduction, in "twelfth five-year" period, the bureau planned to complete the geology revisions and series datum compilations in 32 provincial regions, carrying out the compilations of the main organic belts and the national geology, completing the geological relics survey and the investigation of geological relics protection plan.
The three-dimensional (3D) geological survey pilot went smoothly
Geology survey changed from two dimensions to three dimensions, representing China Geological Survey’s work had been changed from single and traditional to comprehensive and modern, which was of great significance.
Since 2012, China Geological Survey had hierarchically deployed different types of 3D geological survey pilot projects, which had made many substantive achievements recently.
"The focus of the deployment in 3D pilot is divided into five aspects, including the earth`s crust structure areas, basins, important metallogenic zones, important economic zones and environment fragile areas." XiaoGuiYi introduced.
By drawing up the plan of three-dimensional pilot, China Geological Survey summed up the overall workflow of 3D geological survey and found out the preliminary ideas of 3D geological modeling.
According to his introduction, 3D geological modeling approach is a geological concept model based on the known basic geological survey, constructing the initial geological model firstly; forming the final geological structure model after it has been verified by drilling. At the same time, the initial geophysical model is built by the existing data. Geophysical model combined with geological structure model constructed the three-dimensional information, so as to establish 3D geological information service system.
At present, the pilot projects had made many progress: in Xiangshan volcanic basin, they preliminarily had built the 3D geological concept model according to 1:50000 mapping and geophysical data; in the hills region of Karamay,3D geological model of the integrated area in Baijiantan basin mountain had been preliminary built according to the 1:250000 surface mapping data and geophysical profile data…...
"3D geological modeling is an iterative process." XiaoGuiYi finally added, "we are promoting the reformation of the basic geological survey from traditional to modern, from single to comprehensive, from 2D to 3D in the new stage.”
New progress in international science and technology cooperation
China Geological Survey has always attached great importance to international cooperation in the field of geological science and technology since it was built. They focus on resources and environment, improving major problem solving capacity and the innovative ability of science and technology as the core, carrying out various kinds of international exchanges and cooperation methodically and regionally.
According to the introduction of Lian Changyun, Deputy Director, The Ministry of External Affairs of Science and Technology, China Geological Survey Bureau, the key areas in international cooperation were the regional geological mapping, series of geological datum compilations, investigation and study of geological conditions and metallogenic regularity, geological investigation and resource evaluation methods, geochemical mapping, groundwater exploration, geological disaster governance, investigation of Marine and coastal zone research, geography information technology, the moon`s geology and so on. So far, the Bureau had signed the project cooperation agreements with nearly 50 countries.
According to his introduction, in CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2013, China Geological Survey would also sign the cooperation agreements with the related department of many other countries such as Australia, Canada, Brazil, Sudan, and Serbia.
At the same time, China Geological Survey also has made new progress in international cooperation projects. According to the preliminary statistics, the bureau had completed and developed nearly 100 international cooperation projects, among them, there were about 50 developing projects. Through the joint efforts of the Chinese and foreign experts, we had made a few progress in the aspects of data acquisition, cooperation investigation and social service, etc.
So far, The agency has collected all kinds of mineral materials abroad more than 10000 copies，self- compiled and cooperatively compiled more than 100 basic geology and mineral resources maps, more than 200 regional metallogenic regularity maps, about 300 geochemical maps and 500 remote sensing maps.
Lian Changyun also introduced that the bureau had hosted the seminar of Foreign aid geological mining 10 times, training more than 400 officials from 77 countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America since 2004. This year, they undertaked technical training course 3 times, enrolled 64 students from more than a dozen countries.
He also said that in the next step, the key work of the international cooperation was to develop the technology of mineral resources survey and evaluation, promote the method of covering area and depth areas prospecting, mineral resources utilization technology, regional metallogenic theory and the international cooperation investigation of metallogenic model. They would strengthen geological disaster monitoring, early warning and management research and clearance of geological disaster risk management, emergency system and international cooperation in the field of ecological management.
Steady progress in the survey and assessment of geological and mineral resources
Since 2010, China Geological Survey was responsible for organizing and implementing the survey and assessment of geology and mineral resources and has achieved a series of new progress, new achievements and new breakthroughs.
On the basis of the systematic summary and analysis of the major national requirements, the Ministry of Land and Resources of China decided to continue to conduct the survey and assessment of geology and mineral resources from 2013 to 2020.
According to the introduction of Wu Guangying, Deputy Director, China Geological Survey Bureau Chief Engineer Department, there were nine big tasks in the project of survey and assessment of geology and mineral resources, which were the basic geological investigation in key metallogenic zones, survey and assessment of energy and resources, investigation and evaluation of important mineral resources, investigation and evaluation of deep and periphery mineral resources in old mines, geological investigation in important economic zones and urban agglomerations, monitoring and early warning of geological hazard, technology support and international cooperation of geology survey, Marine geological survey, and information construction and service.
"The goal is to increase the degree of basic geological survey, improve work support capacity and scientific and technological innovation capacity, promote the geological prospecting breakthrough and ensure the safety of geological environment." He said.
In CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2013, he mainly introduced the overall deployment in regard to the survey and assessment of geology and mineral resources.
According to the China Geological Survey, in 2014, they will make the key metallogenic zones as the units, divide the monoblock exploration areas, the prospecting prospect areas and metallogenic zone into three levels, make overall deployments of regional geophysical survey, regional geochemical survey, regional remote sensing geology survey and the mineral prospection investigation. They will also make the large basins such as Tarim, Tibetan (qiangtang) as the units, mainly conduct the basic geological survey and comprehensive evaluation of oil and gas resources; in addition, they will carry out shale gas survey and evaluation, optimization and technical research of shale gas, etc.,
Expansion in the scope of basic geological information service
One of the main duties and responsibilities of China Geological Survey was to provide basis geological information for national economic and social development as well as provide public services to the society.
In order to better play the role of the basic geological information and further expand the service scope, China Geological Survey organized to make a series of public version geological maps and publish to the society.
The public version of the geological map series contain 1: 500000, 1: 200000, 1:250000 geological maps, 1:250000 geological formations and structure maps, 1:200000 hydrological geological maps, and the corresponding spatial database, etc.
It was reported that these geological maps retained all important basic geological information; data accuracy was as same as the original scale; the user could easily obtain graphics vector data and attribute information of geological elements. Users could browse the web site after logging in www.cgs.gov.cn or http://www.ngac.cn, and also could use their identity cards to claim for the directly printed grid maps and the spatial database containing the vector data.
In addition, in order to better provide the service for geological survey in monoblock exploration areas throughout the country, China Geological Survey focused on making some special service products of monoblock exploration areas, including geological data directory, geological bibliography, full-text database and important geological drilling directory.
“Next, we will continue to strengthen socialized service work by using the geological survey achievements, accelerate the process of public the geological survey achievements on Internet, and gradually made public version of geophysical and geochemical data, as well as public version of environmental geological maps and ecological geological maps, etc.,” Chen Hui, Deputy Director of Chief Engineer`s Office, China Geological Survey said. (Zhang Li) (Translated by TLRHVC)
About CHINA MINING
Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year. As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.
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