Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2020, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (2): 99-105.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2020.3.10

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Meditations on the future development of ore deposit science in China

CHEN Huayong()   

  1. Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
  • Received:2020-03-02 Online:2020-03-25 Published:2020-03-25

Abstract:

In the 21st century, and especially over the last ten years, societal and technological developments have imposed serious challenges and new demands upon the study of economic geology. These mainly include the frontiers of economic geology, national strategic arrangements, and important social demands. Challenges to the development of economic geology are dominated by a lack of innovation with respect to ore deposit models, limited interdisciplinary integration, and weaknesses in applied basic research. National strategic arrangements mainly consist of the ‘one belt, one road’, maritime power policy, and critical metals, while important social demands primarily include deep exploration, intelligent and efficient exploration, and green (eco-friendly) exploration. To meet these challenges and demands, as well as to contribute to the construction of a great, modern, socialist country, and greatly rejuvenate China within the next 30 years, we propose that the study of economic geology in China should be concentrated on the following: (1) multi-dimensional and comprehensive studies of metallogenic models; (2) applied basic research on useful indicators for exploration; (3) enrichment mechanisms of critical metals; (4) ‘one belt, one road’ and marine mineral resources; (5) theories and methods of integrative research for deep exploration; and (6) inte-lligent and efficient exploration systems.

Key words: mineral deposit, frontiers of economic geology, national strategic arrangements, social demands

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