On November 23, the inaugural meeting for the renewal of the Overseas Resources Economic Geology Professional Committee of the Geological Society of China was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The meeting reviewed the major achievements of the Overseas Resources Economic Geology Professional Committee of the Geological Society of China (hereinafter referred to as the “Committee”) over the past five years, announced the composition of the new Committee, and presented appointment letters. The affiliated organization of the Committee has been changed from China Nonferrous Metals Mining Exploration & Development Corporation to Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd.

The current换届 conference was chaired by Wang Jingbin, the former director of the previous Specialized Committee and Chief Geologist of Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd. At the meeting, Wang Jingbin delivered a work report on behalf of the previous committee. Subsequently, Wang Tao, Deputy Director (in charge of daily operations) of the Comprehensive Department of the Geological Society of China, read out the Society’s “Reply Regarding the Reorganization of the Foreign Resources Economic Geology Specialized Committee,” officially announcing the list of members for the new term of the Specialized Committee. The new Specialized Committee comprises a total of 60 members, bringing together industry experts and scholars from mining enterprises, geological research institutes, higher education institutions, and legal service organizations. Wang Jingbin was appointed as the director of the new Specialized Committee, while Academician Mao Jingwen of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Academician Hu Ruizhong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences were appointed as vice directors. At the conference venue, appointment letters were also presented to the newly elected director, vice directors, and representatives of the committee members, marking the official establishment of the new Specialized Committee.

In his work report, Wang Jingbin provided a comprehensive review of the previous committee’s activities from three perspectives: major achievements, existing challenges, and future outlook. He pointed out that, as a branch organization under the leadership of the Geological Society of China, the Special Committee has, since its establishment in 2019, closely focused on serving the national strategy for resource security and the mission of “going global” in the mining sector. It has actively built high-level academic exchange platforms and continuously enhanced its influence within the industry. Over the past five years, the Special Committee has hosted the “Silk Road Mining Forum” and participated—as co-organizer or host—in major events such as the National Ore Deposit Conference, the Asia Mining Innovation and Development Forum, and the International Symposium on “Prospecting for Minerals Based on Existing Deposits.” The Committee has systematically organized specialized exchanges on overseas mineral exploration, promoting the sharing within the industry of new theories, new technologies, and significant exploration findings from key mineralization belts in Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and other regions. In terms of scientific and technological services and strategic consulting, the Special Committee has deeply engaged in relevant research projects undertaken by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, formulating numerous policy recommendations centered on promoting the internationalization of the mining sector. At the same time, the Committee has organized field visits to countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Serbia, and Australia, providing technical support for national strategic studies and enterprises’ overseas expansion plans. The Special Committee has also actively advocated the concept of green exploration, promoted the establishment of HSE systems, and implemented HSE information platforms in overseas projects, thereby enhancing the international image of China’s geological exploration enterprises. In terms of member services, the Special Committee has continued to strengthen talent recommendation, technical training, and the development of information service platforms such as the “Silk Road Mining Network,” facilitating the integration of technologies like “geological exploration + AI” and providing multi-level support to its member units.

Looking ahead, Wang Jingbin stated that the special committee will take it upon itself to serve national resource security, support international mining cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and facilitate the high-quality “going global” of China’s mining industry. To this end, the committee will focus on three key areas of work: First, conduct high-level academic exchanges and strive to build influential, flagship conferences; second, leverage the committee’s role as a bridge and link to provide targeted “three services”; and third, strengthen its own capacity-building efforts and continuously enhance its service levels.

Following the换届 conference, a concurrent academic seminar on economic geology and overseas resource exploration was also held. Centered around the theme of “Key Ore-Forming Belts and Typical Deposit Formation Theories and Exploration Techniques Overseas,” the seminar invited numerous renowned experts and scholars from the industry to deliver special reports. The reports covered a wide range of topics, including geological evolution and ore-forming processes in the Arabian Shield, new approaches to mineral exploration in Africa’s major ore-forming belts, exploration practices in globally significant ore-prospecting regions, social licensing and legal risks associated with overseas mining projects, an analysis of the strategic mineral competition landscape under the new circumstances, and the investment environment for mining in Latin America—among other industry hot topics. Participants noted that the seminar featured rich and highly targeted content, focusing on cutting-edge issues in overseas mineral exploration and providing valuable insights for Chinese mining enterprises engaged in overseas exploration and development.